Ree loves cooking and sharing meals with others, often using it as the perfect excuse to gather family and friends together around the table. Feeding people is one of the ways he shows love and creates connection. The activities we enjoy throughout the year often depend on the season. During the winter, we love snowshoeing and spending time outdoors in the fresh mountain air, while summer brings opportunities for hiking, long walks, and exploring nature together. From time to time, we also enjoy skiing and snowboarding, and whenever the weather allows, we like going on bike rides outdoors.

One of our proudest adventures was completing a 72-mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe for a Leukemia charity event. Experiences like that remind us how much we enjoy encouraging and supporting one another while creating lasting memories together.

Some of our favorite moments, though, are the quieter ones spent at home. We love cooking a delicious meal together, relaxing with a favorite TV series or movie, and cuddling with our cat, Perla. Camping is another activity we truly enjoy because it allows us to unplug, slow down, and reconnect with nature. Whether we are staying home or exploring somewhere new, we feel grateful for the balance we have created in our lives and look forward to sharing those experiences, traditions, and adventures as a family.

Ree’s family is Cambodian with a small amount of Chinese heritage. His paternal grandmother was half Chinese and half Cambodian, and Ree speaks fluent Cambodian (Khmer). Much of his family fled the Khmer Rouge war during the late 1970s, though tragically some relatives did not survive. The family eventually made their way to the Philippines, where Ree was born. When he was just six months old, his family was sponsored to come to America and begin building a new life filled with hope and opportunity.

Jennifer’s family is of Caucasian descent with a rich blend of Norwegian, German, Welsh, and Irish roots, along with a small amount of Chinese ancestry from her great-grandparents. Faith and family traditions have always played an important role in her life. Growing up, she regularly attended Sunday church services and celebrated Christian and Lutheran holidays surrounded by family, creating many meaningful memories that continue today.

We believe culture and food go hand in hand, and sharing meals is one of the ways we connect most deeply with the people we love. Ree enjoys making traditional dishes such as banana leaf wrapped sticky rice desserts and flavorful noodle curries, while Jennifer’s family traditions include foods like Jello salad and bratwurst. We love exploring different cultures through food and gathering around the table with friends and family. To us, sharing meals is about more than food — it is about creating connection, comfort, love, and a sense of belonging for everyone around us.

Like all parents, we want to provide the very best life possible for a child. We hope to raise a child who is resilient, independent, kind, compassionate, and above all, caring toward others. More than anything, we want them to grow up feeling deeply loved, supported, and encouraged to become their true self. Our greatest dream is for this child to find happiness, fulfillment, and joy in whatever passions and paths they choose in life.

We hope to teach strong morals, values, and character that will help guide them in making thoughtful and ethical decisions while contributing positively to the world around them. At the same time, we understand and embrace that this child will be their own unique person, with individual interests, strengths, and dreams. Our role as parents is to nurture and support who they are becoming, while providing unconditional love every step of the way.

We also believe it is important for a child to understand and honor their story and beginnings. If agreed upon, we will make every effort to ensure they know about and acknowledge their biological mother and the love surrounding their adoption journey. They will not only be a cherished part of our immediate family, but also connected to an extended network of loving relatives and friends who will celebrate, encourage, and support them throughout life. Our goal as parents is to provide a safe, loving, and stable home where a child can thrive and grow into a confident, responsible, and caring adult.

We take great pride in our home, a warm and welcoming one-story house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Our fenced backyard is one of our favorite places to gather with family and friends, creating memories through meals, celebrations, and time spent together. The home feels just right — cozy, comfortable, and full of love.

Our family also includes an adorable adopted kitten named Perla, who brings so much joy and laughter into our lives. She especially loves playing with her “cat dad,” building indoor blanket forts together, while “cat mom” enjoys cuddling and relaxing with her. Caring for our home, tending to the front and back lawns during the summer, and growing a small backyard garden are activities we genuinely enjoy and find both peaceful and rewarding.

Our neighborhood is quiet, friendly, and perfect for outdoor activities. The area is mostly flat with a few gentle hills, making it ideal for bike rides. We often spend afternoons exploring nearby trails and neighborhoods on our bicycles, usually ending our rides at Jennifer’s parents’ home just three miles away.

Living only an hour from beautiful Lake Tahoe also gives us countless opportunities to enjoy nature together. Whether it’s hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, or simply relaxing on the beach while admiring the crystal-blue water, we love spending time outdoors and look forward to sharing those experiences and adventures as a family.

Our families are an important part of our lives, and together they create a wonderful blend of closeness, tradition, and connection. Jennifer comes from a small family and is an only child. Her parents live just a short distance away, making it easy for us to spend quality time together by walking, biking, or driving over for visits. They are semi-retired, and one of our favorite traditions is gathering for a sit-down Sunday dinner together at least once a week. These dinners are filled with laughter, stories, and the comfort of simply being together.

Ree’s family is much larger and is rooted on the East Coast, primarily in Virginia and Maryland. Each year, we make special trips to visit and reconnect through shared meals, celebrations, and family activities. Ree has an older brother and two younger brothers, along with many first cousins who are all very close. His father was one of eight siblings, so family gatherings have always been lively, welcoming, and full of love.

Growing up, Ree’s home was always open to family and friends. Whether it was a weekend or a weekday evening, there was almost always an extra seat at the dinner table. Food has always been at the heart of family life, bringing everyone together and creating lasting memories. One of Ree’s uncles owns a farm where the extended family would gather during the summers for camping trips with nearly 30 relatives. Those weekends were filled with grilling, outdoor games, movies projected under the stars, and endless laughter. Over time, these special gatherings grew into a cherished family reunion tradition that continues today.

We cannot begin to fully understand the emotions and difficulty that come with considering adoption. Choosing a family based on a profile and video requires an incredible amount of faith, trust, strength, and love. We deeply respect the weight of this decision and want you to know that, if you choose us, your child will be loved unconditionally, supported through every stage of life, and always placed at the center of our hearts and home. We promise to provide a life filled with love, encouragement, stability, and opportunities to grow into the happiest and healthiest version of themselves.

Our own journey together began in 2015 when we met online through Match.com. After spending several years getting to know one another and building a strong foundation, we were married with hopes of growing our family through a biological child. One of the unique things about meeting online was being able to search for qualities we each valued in a life partner. As our relationship grew, we discovered many unexpected connections, including the fact that we had both attended the same culinary university only a year apart. While our online profiles could never fully capture our personalities, once we met in person, our love, humor, and connection quickly became undeniable. Over the years, our relationship has only continued to grow stronger. In many ways, we understand that being chosen as adoptive parents through a written profile is similar ?" words and photos can only tell part of a much deeper story.

After marrying in 2018, we began trying to grow our family and start the next chapter of our lives together. The years that followed were filled with hope, heartbreak, and many emotional ups and downs as we faced infertility struggles and IVF treatments. Although we still do not have children, those experiences strengthened our bond, deepened our love for one another, and confirmed how much we want to become parents. Adoption feels like a natural and beautiful path forward for us, and we are excited to open our hearts and home to a child.

We purchased our home in Northern Nevada with family in mind and have created a warm, loving environment where a child can thrive. Our community recently added a new elementary and middle school, and there are several parks within walking distance of our home. We can already picture family walks around the neighborhood, bike rides, outdoor playtime, bedtime stories, and weekends filled with laughter and adventure. Jennifer looks forward to reading bedtime stories and nurturing a love of learning, while Ree is excited to share his love for cooking and creativity in the kitchen. We believe the everyday moments often become the most meaningful memories, and we are committed to building a joyful, supportive, and loving life together as a family.

When it comes to contact and communication, we are open to whatever feels most comfortable for you. Whether that means letters, emails, photos, phone calls, or occasional visits, we want to build a relationship rooted in honesty, respect, and love. Your child will always know their story, where they came from, and the incredible love and courage behind your decision. We believe our role as parents is to raise them with kindness, compassion, and strong values so they can one day make a positive difference in the world around them.

Thank you for taking the time to open your heart and read our story. We are truly grateful for your consideration and would be honored to share more about ourselves as you continue this journey.

Ree & Jennifer