Our lifestyle can be described in a variety of ways including structured, active and healthy, family centric, and adventurous. During the week we both work typical working hours and our evenings consist of working out, cooking dinner, and running any necessary errands. Exercising and staying physically fit and healthy is an integral part of our lives which we look forward to sharing with this child. After working out, we love to cook and eat dinner together. Enjoying a family dinner will continue to be important to us so we can hear about this child’s day. After dinner you can find us on a walk with our dogs, Maddie and Roxy. We also enjoy riding bikes during the spring, summer, and fall on trails throughout the city.

Our relationships with our family and friends are one of the most important aspects of our lifestyle. Our family is everything and we enjoy spending time with them whether it is a quick dinner during the week, watching sports games, or a game night. Our family and extended family are a major part of our lives. We are always there for one another to celebrate the little things and the life-changing moments. We value each and every friendship. We truly view our friends as family. One of our favorite nights with friends is sitting around the fire pit talking about memories, current adventures, and our future adventures.

Our favorite vacation spot is hard to narrow down. Traveling opens our minds and hearts to other cultures and ways of living. It allows us to create lifelong memories through many different experiences. Some of our favorite places we have visited on cruises include Venice, Barcelona, Barbados, and Aruba. Venice tops our list as we love the history, cuisine, and uniqueness of the city, especially the water canals. The colors of the city, particularly at dusk, and its sense of peacefulness are breathtaking.

One of our most treasured vacation spots is down at the lake. Here is where we continually make new memories with our family and friends. The lake is a place where we are able to step back and slow down time. We turn off the electronics and just enjoy spending time with our entire family. It is not uncommon to find a game of Skip-Bo, dominoes, or someone fishing off the dock. Traveling is an experience that we feel is an important aspect of individual growth. We look forward to exploring the world with a child.

Pets are an extremely important part of our lives. We both grew up with animals and love the happiness they bring to a home. We have two dogs Maddie (12 year old Lab/Greyhound rescue) and Roxy (1 year old Goldendoodle). They show us constant unconditional love, compassion, and loyalty. Never does a day go by without one of them making us smile or laugh. Our dogs are amazingly perceptive about our mood or what is happening in our lives. If it has been a busy day at work or we just need some love, they are always there to cuddle. Maddie and Roxy are both intuitive when children are around as they are always gentle and patient. We believe pets are a vital part of a child’s life as they help teach responsibility, empathy, compassion, loyalty, affection, and unconditional love. This not only helps improve social interactions and develops respect for relationships with humans and other animals, but it also aids in boosting a child’s self-esteem. We know Maddie and Roxy will love having a baby brother or sister in the house!

Our extended family is very large and includes grandparents, brothers and sisters, brother-in-law's parents, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts and great uncles, and friends from grade school along with friends from college. To us, our extended family is not just those that are genetically related; rather, it includes those that love one another, support one another, and are always there in a time of need.

When our extended family gets together (which is almost every weekend), there is never a shortage of laughter, hugs, and making memories. Many weekends are spent down at the lake helping our nieces and nephews fish or sitting on the dock with our family and friends talking the night away. When we are home, many nights are spent around the firepit or in the kitchen near the yummy snacks. Our family enjoys each other's company and we are all thankful for the unique bond we share.

One of our favorite family traditions is spending Christmas Eve at Krista’s parents’ home. All of our extended family gets together with the hopes that Santa might show up for our cousins, nieces, and nephews. This is always a magical evening and everyone is looking forward to welcoming another child into this and other traditions we enjoy.

Our neighborhood, located in a large Kansas suburb, is a great place to raise a family. With many children in the neighborhood, there are several events happening and always someone at the basketball court, playground, or pool. Our home is located in a cul-de-sac which is perfect for playing outside during the spring, summer, and fall or building snowmen during the winter. Our neighbors include young children and families who also enjoy spending time outside playing or walking their dogs. We chose to live in this area as it is safe and family-oriented with a nationally ranked school district.

We live in a four bedroom home with an open floor plan. We enjoy spending time in the kitchen cooking and are excited about the opportunity to cook and bake with a child. Although the kitchen may get messy, it will be a sure way to make memories. Our favorite places in our home are the deck and patio. We love to gather around the patio firepit with family and friends for a night full of laughter, storytelling, and making memories. When the weather is nice, we spend many evenings on our deck playing cards, dominoes, or just talking about the day’s activities. Our home is a place where everyone feels welcome and comfortable. Our child will grow up in a home that is warm, loving, encouraging, and supportive.

First and foremost, thank you for taking the time to learn about us and for your immense love for your child to consider adoption. Your selflessness, strength, and bravery are extraordinary. We are humbled by your courage and cannot begin to fully imagine the path you are walking. We will constantly strive to provide your child with the most loving and successful life possible while always reflecting on the tremendous love you have for him or her.

We have been married for four years and have always dreamed of having a family. Our entire family is extremely close-knit and love to spend time together. With being so family-oriented, we always knew we wanted to have children of our own. Everyone is very excited and supportive in our decision to adopt. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and many other family members and friends will always be by your child’s side, watching them learn and grow every step of the way. His/her many cousins will always be ready to run around outside, play sports together, or swim the day away! We are excited to welcome a child into such a loving, welcoming, and accepting environment.

We recently moved into a new home with a large, fenced backyard in a safe neighborhood with ample space for your child to grow. Each day we come home from work and see children riding their bicycles, playing flag football, running to the pool, playing basketball, or just playing together with neighborhood friends in the cul-de-sac. Our vision is for your child to run and play in the same way. We want them to enjoy being outside and building relationships. We look forward to the opportunity to play alongside your child and support them in all their adventures and skinned knees along the way.

As your child matures, we will guide them to be a well-rounded individual. We will teach them the importance of integrity, compassion, and respect. We will continually demonstrate the need to have a strong work ethic while maintaining a work/life balance. We will teach your child that they have the ability to act and make decisions independently but will always be responsible for their decisions. We will encourage him or her to critically think prior to making any decisions. It will become our life’s mission to ensure they have the guidance, support, encouragement, and confidence to live their authentic self while reaching their life’s ambitions.

Our promise to you is that we will love your child with all of our hearts. We will support them in all ways possible and encourage them to follow their dreams. We will teach them to be good role models in what they say and do and treat others how they want to be treated. We will encourage them to stand up for what is right and always be kind to others. We will celebrate how much effort they put forth, not just how good they are at things. You will always be in our hearts. We are looking forward to providing emails, letters, and pictures throughout your child's life.

With sincere love and gratitude,

Lori & Krista