Sam's Extended Family

We love getting together with our families. We look forward to holidays and family events and the special memories they bring. We are both very close to our families and we try to spend as much time as possible with them.

Easter Egg Hunt with Family

Sam is the fifth of seven children. He has five brothers and one sister. His siblings have a lot of children-seventeen in all. Sam's sister lives in Texas while all of his brothers live fairly close to us. We are able to see most of our nieces and nephews on a regular basis. They are involved in numerous activities so we try to go to as many of them as we possibly can. Sam's parents have worked on the family farm raising cattle and crops all of their lives. They have both been very active in their local church of Christ. All of Sam's siblings and their families are active Christians. Sam's family has several traditions. Sam's parents give each new grandchild a child's rocking chair on their first birthday. Another tradition is family getting together for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. These celebrations include lots of food and activity! Easter is always exciting with the big egg hunt, the prize egg, and maybe even a little silly string. In years past, the nieces and nephews have improvised, rehearsed, and performed skits, plays, and music during these celebrations. One year we even had a toy auction with monopoly money. The kids were so excited!

One of Sam's older brothers,Tim, and his wife, Tammie, have adopted three children. Sam's family is especially excited and very supportive of our plans to adopt a child.

Marcia is the oldest of two children. Her sister, Michelle, is now single and has a daughter, Sierra. Marcia's father farmed for over 25 years before retiring this year. Her mother works part-time in sales. Marcia is thankful for her parents and the values they taught in their home. Her father taught her to love the Lord, work hard, and live honestly. Her mother taught her how to care for a family, care for a home, and never give up. Marcia has many fond memories of "sister time", visits with grandparents, and holidays with family. Marcia's parents both remarried after she graduated from college. Marcia has a good relationship with her extended family. Marcia's father lives close by while other family members live several hours away. Cards, phone calls, and emails keep everyone in touch. Holidays and special occasions always include good food, playing games, sharing stories, and catching up.

Our family and friends are so excited about our plans to adopt a baby. There are a lot of children in our families who would love to share their lives with a new baby. Sam's family has experienced adoption and we all want to experience the joy it brings again!

Our Home

Our home is located in a beautiful farming area in the outskirts of a mid-size city. It is a two-story home with three bedrooms, three baths, a large open kitchen/great room, and a bonus room which will make a great playroom. We built our home with a family in mind and incorporated plenty of playroom both inside and outside. We enjoy our patio, screened porch, and large backyard for entertaining and outdoor activities. We raise beef cattle on our farm and plant a garden each spring. We are particularly fond of our panoramic mountain view from our great room. The fall foliage is colorful and spectacular!

Life on the Farm

We love our neighborhood and our community because of the people and the location. Our neighborhood is one with good people and a strong sense of family. We know almost everyone in our neighborhood and share many common interests. There are numerous small children in our neighborhood who would love future playmates! In addition to pools, bicycles, and swing sets, we have a neighbor who hosts a corn maze every fall. He opens his farm to school children, church groups, and other groups for enjoyment. He also offers hayrides, hot dog/marshmallow roasts, pumpkin picking, and other activities. We chose our neighborhood for its beautiful setting and convenience to everything the city offers. Our community provides most conveniences of a large city. We have access to restaurants, shopping, theatre, libraries, pools, and parks just minutes away. The public schools are well funded and boast low student-to-teacher ratios. The local university has ranked in a well known publication's "top schools in the South" list six times. Room to play and learn best describes our farm.