Sarah About Nathan: Nathan is a jolly, old soul. People who know him well, know he is full of dad jokes, puns, and an endless supply of interesting, fun facts. He is wise beyond his years and walks through life with a humble confidence that charms everyone he comes into contact with. Nathan is my best friend and always encourages me to be the best version of myself - even when that "next challenge" takes me way outside of my comfort zone. I am excited to add a child to our family and watch Nathan love and cherish this child, the same way he does for me.

Nathan About Sarah: Sarah is, in a word, passionate. This applies to almost every aspect of her life. She is passionate about our family, our marriage, our home, our friends, her job, and everyone she meets. This means that she is driven to be the best wife, friend, daughter, and any other role she plays. She dives head first into any problem that needs to be solved or task that needs to be done to achieve the best results not just for her, but for everyone around her.

Her passion also inspires those around her, not only by her actions but in the way she passionately encourages others. It is great to have such a strong cheerleader in my life, and I can say without a doubt in my mind that our children will have the most passionate supporter "in their corner" in Sarah.

We are fortunate to have great friends and family to spend our leisure time enjoying their company. Locally, we have many friends who enjoy getting together for casual dinners and card or board games with them and their children. Although board games may be the theme of the night, it is really just an excuse to enjoy time with friends. Our children will never lack playmates at these gatherings.

Nathan's parents have a place on a lake which allows for great outdoor time with his family, including our adorable nephews. These weekends regularly include a variety of activities ranging from boating, fishing and swimming in the lake to water balloon fights, backyard baseball games, and roasting marshmallows.

Similarly, we enjoy getting away on our own to go camping at one of the state parks in the area. These trips allow us to get away from it all and enjoy nature together. Many of the best moments camping simple moments around the campfire laughing and telling stories or the views from a high point on a hiking trail.

We also like to see ourselves as amateur chefs in the kitchen. We both love eating good food and cooking together. This includes finding recipes with new ingredients to try out and share with our friends and family, as well as more casual weekly Saturday home-cooked breakfasts. We are excited to share our passion for cooking with our children by inviting them to explore cooking with us.

Our Christian faith informs everything we do, and as such, our faith is a significant driver in our decision to pursue adoption. We believe that life is precious and that everyone is made and designed to be fully known and fully loved. We intend our home to be the first place where are children feel known and loved and we know that the church will also play a big part in that.

Our church family is really another representation or extension of family in our life. We love to be actively engaged with our church community, and each enjoy spending time studying the Bible - on our own, with each other, and with others in our church family. We are known and loved as part of this family and look forward to introducing a child to the mix. Sarah has served in children's ministry in the past and is looking forward to doing so, alongside our child, in the future.

Although we acknowledge that faith is ultimately a personal decision that each member of our family must make on their own, we are committed to raising our children in the church and encouraging a passion for loving and serving others. We believe that every person is unique, dignified, and valuable in the eyes of God and that we should live out every day of our lives consistent with that belief.

When we were searching for our home, we did so with a mindset that this would be the home we would raise our family in. We wanted enough space, not only for our children to play and grow in, but to host gatherings of family and friends in the area. We regularly host friends and their families for game nights, holiday parties, and sporting events. In addition to these more intentional gatherings, there is rarely a day that goes by in our neighborhood where there aren't families socializing on driveways and in each other's yards. Kids racing big wheelers and splashing around in the kiddie pool are a common sight up and down our street.

Our home is within walking distance of the local elementary school and close to numerous parks, hiking trails, and other fun outdoor activities. In addition to these local community features, we are a short drive away from the city of St. Louis. The city has many family friendly activities to enjoy including a zoo, science center, art museum, and, Nathan's favorite, baseball.

We recently relocated to Missouri to be closer to family. Sarah's parents are a short 30 minute drive away and are super excited about becoming first-time grandparents. They are always ready and willing to pop over to help out around the house, try out a new board game, or just share a good laugh (and a good meal) together. Although Sarah's brother lives a few states away, he visits often and is looking forward to becoming an uncle! Nathan's parents, sister, and brother-in-law live in a small town just a couple hours away. We enjoy spending our weekends visiting them - whether it be splashing around in his sister's pool with our two little nephews or relaxing at his parents' lake house kayaking, boating, and fishing with the whole family. Our nephews love hanging out with Aunt Sarah and Uncle Nathan and can not wait to meet their new cousin. Both sides of the family also love travelling and exploring new places with us. Whether it is hiking mountains in Alaska or catching some sun on the beaches of Florida, every adventure is cherished with family.

Thank you for taking the time to review our profile and for considering us for your child. This is just a short snapshot into our lives, but we hope that it gives you comfort to know that we will provide a great environment for your child to grow up in. We acknowledge the road you are on is tough, and we want you to know that we appreciate what you are doing and that we are praying for you (and your child).

We are each excited about the prospect of growing our family. Sarah is an engineer and has previously worked in education and in ministry. She is a natural with children, and loves to watch them explore and grow. Nathan is an attorney working primarily in patent litigation. He has a passion for justice, learning, and facing new challenges, and cannot wait to take on a new role as a dad. Although we are both currently work full-time, we are ready and able to adjust work schedules and commitments to do whatever is best for our growing family.

We met at a summer camp 13 years ago at the college we both attended. We were good friends throughout college (and the duration of Nathan's grad school), but we didn't begin dating until we found ourselves in the same city in late 2013. We were married just a year and half later, and the first five years of marriage has included lots of laughs and adventures. Now, we are looking forward to our next adventure - adding a child to our family.

Since early in our dating relationship, we each expressed a desire to grow our family through adoption. This desire has been confirmed and validated by friends and family, as well as those in our church community. Now, after much prayer and consideration, we know that we are ready to welcome a child into our home. We are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to grow our family, and are excited to provide your child with all the love, affection, and care that we can.

We recently moved to Missouri to be closer to both of our extended families, and everyone is delighted to come along side us as we navigate this next chapter of our lives. Our parents are overjoyed to add a grand-baby to the family, and our siblings cannot wait to meet their future niece or nephew. Our nephews will provide great playmates for their cousins at all the family holidays and get-togethers. Any child who comes into in our family will never lack attention and love.

Please know that we already care about you and your child. You are always going to be a significant part in your child's story and we fully intend to embrace that fact. Just like we will encourage your child to embrace their cultural heritage through learning more about their background and their biological family history, we will encourage them to embrace their birth story including their birth family. We look forward to sharing our excitement of watching them grow up with you by exchanging emails, letters, and pictures over the years. We are also open to the idea of in-person visits with you or video-chats when schedules allow. The bottom line for us is that we are excited to love and care for your child, and we will always want what is best for you and your child. We know that this journey is not easy, and we cannot begin to express how grateful we are to you for choosing this path. Thank you for letting us be a part of it.

Sincerely,

Nathan & Sarah