Our story is funny because our paths crossed long before we ever really knew each other. We both grew up in neighboring towns, went to the same high school, and even spent our summers at the same community pool, but somehow we never really knew one another.

It wasn’t until February of 2020, when we were both living in Chicago, that we finally met. After several dates in the first few weeks, we quickly realized we enjoyed spending time together. Just as we were getting to know each other, the pandemic changed everything, and Chicago went into lockdown. What could have easily been the end of a new relationship instead became the beginning of ours.

With much of the city shut down, we found ourselves enjoying simple things together. We cooked a lot, played endless games of Mancala and Jenga, and took many walks along the Chicago River and lakefront. Without all of the usual distractions, we had the chance to really get to know each other, and those simple moments quickly became some of our favorite memories.

Traditions have always been a huge part of both of our lives. We were both lucky to have moms who made every holiday feel incredibly special growing up. They created so many traditions in our homes, and some of our favorite childhood memories are tied to those little things we could count on year after year. I think that’s a big reason why Paige takes traditions so seriously now. She knows how much those memories can mean to a child. One of our favorites is our Christmas decorating night. We all put on our matching Christmas pajamas (Darla included), turn on Christmas music, and decorate the house and tree. When we’re finished, we order from our favorite pizza place, eat pizza under the tree, and watch a Christmas movie together. We talk all the time about how excited we are to share the traditions we grew up with and the ones we’ve created together with our child someday. But what we’re most excited about are the traditions that don’t even exist yet and the ones we’ll create together as our own family.

What I admire most about Shane is how dependable he is. He shows up, works hard, and takes care of the people he loves. I admire how seriously he takes providing for our future family and creating a stable, happy life for us. He is incredibly level-headed, and when life gets stressful, he is the calm one who keeps everything grounded. Shane has always been social, and it seems like everywhere we go, he knows someone. He has a way of making people feel comfortable and welcome, and he can strike up a conversation with just about anyone.

One of my favorite things is watching him with our nieces and nephews. He is playful and silly with them, but also patient, protective, and present. They love him, and watching them together has given me a glimpse of the father I know he will be. One of the things I love most about Paige is how easily she can make people feel special and seen. I also love the warmth Paige brings to our home. She loves traditions and celebrations and has a way of making moments special and turning little things into lasting memories. Family means everything to Paige, especially her relationship with our nieces and nephews. Whether she is helping with school pickup, bringing them for ice cream, cheering them on at sports, or being the makeup artist for the school play, she makes each of them feel important. They know they can count on her.

We are both one of four children, so family has always meant a full house, a little chaos, and always having someone around. We were fortunate to grow up in homes where family, faith, and education were deeply valued, and those are the same values we hope to carry into our own family.

Both sets of our parents live only five minutes away, and our nieces and nephews on both sides are within walking distance. They are always stopping by, letting themselves in, and making themselves completely at home, which we love. Our families are close with each other too, so having everyone together feels completely natural. Summers often mean pool parties at Shane’s parents house, while cooler nights are spent gathered around the bonfire at Paige’s parents house. We take family vacations together and spend every holiday with both sides of our family. Our gatherings are usually filled with food, kids, laughter, and everyone talking at once. We would not have it any other way. Our families are incredibly supportive and excited about our adoption plan. We know our parents will be the kind of grandparents who are present for everything, from school events and games to holidays, babysitting, and ordinary afternoons simply because they want to spend time together. Our siblings are equally excited to welcome another child into the family, and our nieces and nephews are already surrounded by cousins who are growing up together.

Home for us is in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, a community we both grew up in and that has always been special to us. Our neighborhood is active and welcoming, with families out walking, kids riding bikes, neighbors stopping to talk, and traditions that bring everyone together. One of our favorites is the annual Pet Parade, something we looked forward to growing up and still love attending today. We can walk into town for dinner, coffee, ice cream, the farmers market, or simply to spend time together. We love having beautiful parks, a community pool, and highly rated schools, all within walking distance of our home. On a fall evening, we can even hear the Friday night high school football games from our front porch, which is one of our favorite places to sit and take in the neighborhood.

Our home has four bedrooms and a third floor that we can’t wait to turn into a playroom filled with books, toys, and activities that encourage our child to learn and explore. Our front porch has become a gathering place for family, friends, and neighbors to sit, visit, and enjoy time together when the weather is nice. We can picture our child growing up spending summer evenings playing with cousins and neighborhood kids, and enjoying the same community that has meant so much to both of us.

We wish we could be sitting across from you as you read this, because there is so much we would want to say. More than anything, we would want to start by saying thank you. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us, to look through our photos, and to read about the life we have built together. It means more to us than we could ever express. We know there are many things we don’t know about you yet, like what makes you laugh, the people you love, what you hope for your future, or what you dream about for your child. But if our paths do become connected, those are all things we would feel incredibly lucky to learn.

We’re Paige and Shane. We have been together for seven years and have been married since October of 2022. For a long time we have dreamed about the day we would get to become Mom and Dad. The road that brought us here has looked different than we imagined, but our hope of becoming parents and building a family has never changed. When we picture becoming parents, we picture more than just the big moments. We picture the normal days that make up a childhood. Sleepy mornings, toys all over our house, bedtime stories, family dinners, and little feet running up and down the stairs. We picture being in the audience for school plays, cheering from the sidelines, learning how to ride a bike, helping with homework, taking family vacations, and being the house where our child’s friends always feel welcome.

Most importantly, we picture being the parents our child can always turn to no matter how old they are. We want the child to grow up knowing that they never have to question where they belong. We want to give them the freedom and confidence to become exactly who they are, while always knowing they have a family standing behind them. We will talk about you in our home. We will answer questions honestly and with love. We want our child to always feel comfortable talking with us about adoption, asking questions, and sharing whatever they may be feeling. We will make sure they know there have been so many people loving them and wanting the very best for them from the beginning. We want to honor your role in their story and make sure they grow up knowing how deeply they were loved from the very beginning. We also want you to know that we are committed to maintaining a connection with you. We will send regular letters and pictures so you can see your child growing and share in the moments that make up their life. We are also open to exchanging emails and text messages. Most of all, we want to be flexible and find a level of communication and connection that feels comfortable and meaningful for everyone. We understand that what feels right may change over time, and we are willing to navigate that together.

We cannot tell you that we will be perfect parents, because there is no such thing. But we can tell you that we will give this everything we have. We will show up, listen, apologize, celebrate, and love them through every season of their life. What we hope we can offer a child is a home filled with love, laughter, family, traditions, and stability. We want them to grow up surrounded by people who know them, celebrate them, and encourage them to be exactly who they are. We hope that, if you choose us, you will feel confident that your child will be deeply loved and that we will always understand the significance of the trust you placed in us.

Thank you again for considering us. We hope that after looking through our profile, you can picture a little bit of what life in our family feels like. If you choose us, we would be forever grateful for the trust you place in us, and we would never take the privilege of being your child’s parents, or the importance of their relationship with you, for granted.

With love and gratitude,

Shane & Paige