Hello! We are Dave and Kris. Thank you for choosing to read our story and learn about our decision to pursue adoption.

Our story began in a friend's living room. In 2010, a close mutual friend from college announced that she would be deploying overseas. She held a party to enjoy some quality time with her closest friends before her year-long deployment. Though we had multiple mutual friends, several of whom were at the party, we'd never met or even known about each other. For most of the evening, the two of us sat on the couch, talking and learning about each other. It was clear we were both interested, though one of us was in a relationship.

Nearly two years later, we reconnected through a conversation online and decided to get together. We planned a birthday outing with the same friend whose home we'd met at years earlier, as our birthdays were all within days of each other. The day we'd planned to go to dinner, she informed us she wouldn't be able to make it but encouraged us to have a good time together. That was our first date.

It didn't take long for the two of us to fall in love, and a little over a year later, we were engaged. We married in the fall of 2014.

Before our marriage, we were aware that our chances of conceiving a child were not likely. Neither of us could imagine a life without children, and we decided adoption was the right path for us. We are so very excited to welcome a child or children into our hearts and our home through adoption.

I grew up in Southwestern Pennsylvania. I had a normal upbringing with a stay-at-home mom and a dad who was an ironworker. My parents also owned a scuba diving business that added a level of interest to my childhood. I was an adventurous child who was always getting into something. I spent my days outside doing many activities like swimming, fishing, riding bikes, and building hideouts. As I got older, I started assisting with scuba diving classes, learned to hunt, and tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I was not the best at academics or sports, but I did participate in the band, where I met many people whom I still call friends.

In high school, I rediscovered my interest in the visual arts. I started taking as many art classes as I could and soon found myself in the advanced art classes, helping others with their artwork. After high school, I attended the local community college, where I studied graphic arts. I became interested in teaching and decided to continue with my Bachelor's degree in Art Education.

I then attended a small university. I made many friends there, and through those friends, I met my loving wife. She has been a pillar of my life, and I cherish every day with her. We have made a wonderful life together. In 2017, I got my first full-time teaching job, and from there, I have only expanded my love of teaching. I hope to use my experience as a teacher and the love I learned from my wife to raise the child with love and care.

Since childhood, I've taken an interest in a multitude of activities and subjects. When I was young, I discovered I had an aptitude for music and dance, though middle and high school revealed for me a love of math, science, and writing.

These interests took me on a somewhat winding path from a college major in music, believing that music education was the right path for me, all the way to a ten-year stretch in corporate finance. While I did not feel finance was the right place for me, my time in the role gave me a great gift, which was time to consider what I truly wanted to do while gaining valuable skills and knowledge. What I learned about myself was a passion for training and process improvement. Shortly after, I had the opportunity to join a fantastic process improvement team in my company as an analyst.

At times, the search for purpose in my career was tiresome, though without my winding path, I likely would not have met Dave, and we would not be looking forward to building a loving family together. I feel the bends and curves in my life's journey have taught me a most important lesson: that it's all right to be uncertain, though the key is to keep searching and asking questions until you find the answer. I look forward to supporting the child we adopt in their future journey to find their own sense of purpose and belonging.

We live in a lovely, warm ranch-style home, that is part of a rural subdivision surrounded by farmland, yet still a short fifteen-minute drive from the city. When we bought the house, we decided it needed some fresh paint and new floors to brighten the space and make it feel more like home, and it quickly became our happy place. Our favorite feature, however, is the large, fenced-in backyard. During the nicest months, we spend our time sitting outside on the back patio and letting the dog run through the sprinklers. We can't wait to add a little one to our outdoor time!

Our neighborhood is quiet yet full of activity. The subdivision is large, so there is a broad range of families of all ages. Every year, our neighborhood teams up with two others to hold a joint garage sale. We work together to plan the dates and advertise in the community, and on the weekend of the sale, we add pictures of our tables so that no one misses out while they're holding their own sale. Kids are always out playing during the summer months, and in the winter, Santa makes an appearance in a parade for the kids.

We truly love our community in Michigan. There is such a wide variety of activities and places to visit, like the year-round farmer's market, South Bend Cubs games, the local zoo and parks, and even multiple beaches on Lake Michigan. No matter the time of year, there are endless opportunities to gather in the community and enjoy festivities.

Although we grew up differently, there were similarities between our childhoods. Kris's cousins were very much like extra siblings, and her parents, aunts, and uncles nurtured and cared for all the kids. When her parents built the house where Kris grew up, they added a suite for her grandparents to live, as well.

While Dave may not have felt a sibling-like relationship with his cousins, they played together regularly, and he had a close relationship with his aunts and uncles. His grandparents lived in the house across the street, which made visiting simple and a regular occurrence.

In many ways, our family dynamic as a couple is unique. During holidays, our families invite each other to gatherings, and during the summer, Dave's parents invite Kris's family to swim in the pool at their house. Easter dinner was a particularly large affair because, in addition to many members of Kris's family, Dave's parents joined, along with his sister and her family of four.

Although we live away from our families, we are blessed to have a surrogate extended family here in Indiana. They invite us to holiday meals when we're in town, and occasional dinners.

We miss our family when we're away from them, though because of technology, we can talk to our parents and siblings regularly. Zoom and FaceTime make it possible to catch up with our nephews or talk with our niece (our Goddaughter) before she goes to bed.

We are so excited to give a young child some cousins to play with, and access to amazing technology will, undoubtedly, give the child we adopt a chance to know our family between visits.

As a young girl, Kris discovered a love of writing. Over time, this love developed into an innate desire to create stories that made people truly feel something. While she also enjoys baking and crocheting as hobbies, her writing has become a strong form of self-expression.

Dave enjoys many outdoor hobbies such as hunting, fishing, and gardening, though 3D printing is where his creativity and passion surface. Not only does he enjoy creating fun items such as "piggy" banks, fidget toys, and night lights for our nieces and nephews, but he's also designed and printed items to repair household objects.

While each of us may enjoy our own individual hobbies, we look forward to finding fun ways to spend time together. During the nicer months, we take the dog to the park or look for seasonal festivals to attend. Other times, we go to antique shops and find furniture that we can refurbish together.

Since our families are out of state, travel for various holidays is without question. Since we both enjoy creativity and imagination, we've found that, during these long drives, we truly enjoy listening to audiobooks. We hope to share the wonder of books in both print and audio format with the child.

Thank you for taking the time to read our profile, and for considering an adoption plan - your bravery is truly insurmountable.

We are so very excited for the opportunity to adopt a child to whom we can give a loving and happy home. We love to dote on our nieces and nephews, though we pray for a little one to snuggle each day and tuck into bed each night.

We understand that your decision is a difficult one, and if you choose us as adoptive parents, we promise to provide the child with unconditional love and support. We promise to share your story with them and let them know of your brave and selfless decision.

We eagerly await the day when we will be able to hold and love a child. We wish you so many blessings as you work through your decision and discover the path that's right for you.