To us, being parents means embracing the incredible privilege and responsibility of nurturing, guiding, and loving a child unconditionally. It's about creating a safe and supportive environment where they can learn, explore, and grow into the person they want to be. We recognize the level of trust placed in us as adoptive parents, and we approach this role with deep respect and gratitude.

What we look forward to most about being parents is the opportunity to see the world through their eyes, watch them discover new things, and share in their growth. We can't wait for the simple moments that parenthood brings— like reading bedtime stories, learning to ride a bike, and trying out new foods for the first time.

For us, the decision to choose adoption as the path to building our family was clear from the start. From the moment we began discussing our future together, adoption was always the option that resonated most deeply with us. We have been extremely committed to this choice and have a strong belief in the power of love to create a family beyond biological ties. Our hearts have always been open to the idea of welcoming a child through adoption, and we are excited to embark on this journey with open arms and commitment.

Ashley About Gabby: Gab (as I call her!) is one of the most thoughtful, compassionate, and intelligent people I know and I'm so grateful to call her my wife. She makes me excited about life - not just the adventures and possibilities - but even little, day-to-day things are better when she's around. Gab is fiercely loyal and goes "all in" on everything she is passionate about. I have no doubts she will be the biggest advocate for a child and always protect and encourage them to be their authentic self. She's also a big kid at heart so I know she's excited to see the world through a new set of eyes. Gab is the kind of friend, spouse, and parent that anyone would be lucky to have.

Gabby About Ashley: Ashley is kind, patient, and the most selfless person you will ever meet. She thinks about other people way before she ever thinks of herself. She's supportive and encouraging, and she has this amazing ability to calm anyone down when they're feeling anxious or worried, and to lift them up when they're sad. She's so driven and the hardest worker, and it shows in her accomplishments. She's the first person in her family to graduate from college, and she's built a successful company and career. I'm incredibly proud of her! Ashley is organized and always on top of everything. But she's also playful and silly, and she doesn't take herself too seriously. I'm SO excited to see her be a mom because I know she'll be amazing!

We are dedicated to creating a loving and inclusive home where a child can thrive and grow into a confident, compassionate, and culturally aware individual.

We are ready to embrace a multicultural family identity. As two white women, we are fully aware that the child may face obstacles that we have not had to overcome. Even though we may not be able to personally relate to those experiences, we will always recognize and validate them. We understand what it's like to feel different and will do everything in our power to protect and prepare them for the realities of our society. We will also ensure that they have friends, teachers, mentors, and other role models that share their cultural background who they can look to for support. As a non-traditional couple, we know the importance of creating a nurturing and affirming environment where a child can fully embrace their identity and feel empowered to express themselves authentically.

Regardless of the race of the child, we plan to have discussions of race, difference, and privilege frequently. We actively have those conversations as a couple and with our friends and families. Our commitment to cultural diversity stems not only from our personal experiences and values, but also from Gabby's job as a college professor where she researches and teaches about discrimination and inclusion.

We reside in a large city in Tennessee. We live in a family friendly neighborhood across the street from a 300-acre park with a playground, dog park, community center, lake, walking paths, and baseball/soccer fields. When the weather is warm, the local park hosts weekend events by the lake and families gather to play yard games, listen to local bands, and try out different food trucks. One of our favorite events to attend each summer is the Tomato Art Fest - people decorate their porches and paint the sidewalks - there's even a parade to celebrate the season!

When we purchased our home two years ago, we envisioned building a family here. We have four bedrooms, a fenced-in backyard, and a big family room for movie and game nights. We love playing Nintendo, board games, and putting together puzzles. In the fall, we carve pumpkins together outside and in the spring we like to play lawn games like cornhole and bocce. We enjoy planting new herbs and vegetables in our garden to have on hand throughout the summer.

On the weekends, we like to explore farmer's markets and also get coffee and one of the many local shops - we can't wait to bring a stroller with us!

There are tons of families in our neighborhood that frequent the same spots on the weekend so it's nice to have a built in community to relax and have fun with.

Something unique about us is that we have been a part of each other's families for over 20 years. We have celebrated every holiday together, gone on family vacations, and been through many of life's milestones.

Ashley has an older brother and sister-in-law and Gabby has a younger brother and sister. We're both Italian by background. We have had "Friday Pizza Nights" with our families since we were in high school and have kept the tradition going in our own home. We recently learned how to make pasta - it's been fun to make big batches on Sundays while listening to music.

Since moving into our house two years ago, we now host our families for the holidays. When we are all together, we enjoy playing card games, watching sports, and running around with Gabby's brother's puppy - it was hilarious watching him experience snow for the first time this winter!

Our family and friends have loved and supported us throughout our relationship, and they are so excited for us to grow our own family through adoption. This child would be the first grandchild on both sides of our families so they truly cannot wait!

Thank you for taking the time to consider us as adoptive parents for your child. We have tremendous respect for your courage and selflessness in making an adoption plan and we are sincerely grateful for this opportunity. Creating our family through adoption has been a dream for us from the very beginning, and we deeply believe that love makes a family.

Sharing our story with you means sharing who we are and the kind of home and family we aspire to create for a child. We have been married for almost 8 years and together for over 20 years. Our strong, loving foundation is built on shared values, which will shape how we will raise your child. These values include:

We understand that you're making a life-changing, selfless decision and want you to know that we promise to cherish and honor the unique story that connects us all. We will embrace your child's heritage and ensure they understand the unconditional love that led us here. We are committed to sending letters and pictures and are open to discussing how you would like to continue our relationship in the future.

We hope these words convey the warmth, love, and authenticity that we hold in our hearts. Thank you again for considering us.

With love and gratitude,

Ashley & Gabby