We have a seven-year-old son, Samuel. He was born in California and his adoption was finalized the following year. He is the light of our lives. Being his parents is even better than we imagined. He makes us better people. Taking care of him and teaching him how to live and be a good person is our primary focus.

We enjoy spending time together traveling. Going to theme parks is one of his favorite things to do. During the summer, we spend a lot of time at the lake swimming and boating.

Samuel is very outgoing and loves to be the center of attention. He is also very soft hearted. He enjoys playing baseball and playing outside on his swing set. He is excited to have a sibling to play with and assures us he will share his toys and help take care of the baby. We are looking forward to watching him grow into his role of big brother.

We are passionate about agriculture. Both of us grew up on third generation family farms. We both have degrees in agriculture and work in the agricultural industry. Our son Samuel has chickens, goats, and cows to learn responsibility and how to care for living creatures. Taking care of the animals is something Samuel and his Daddy share every day. He also knows how to garden and grow flowers and vegetables. We enjoy growing strawberries and tomatoes to eat and pumpkins to carve in the fall.

That passion for agriculture, caring for the land, and growing food is instilled in our son and will be instilled in his sibling. We have lived on our own farm for over ten years and love the idea of passing it on to the next generation.

arming is not just a business, but it is a way of life. We are excited to pass along that way of life to our children.

Most afternoons we like to sit on the back porch and watch for wildlife while Samuel and the dog play in the yard and on his playground. We enjoy all live events, especially college football games, baseball games, concerts, plays, and Broadway musicals. Ashley frequently plans day or weekend trips to explore historical sites.

David enjoys fishing and spends most Sunday afternoons on his fishing boat. Ashley is planning to train the next generation of Mississippi State Bulldogs fans how to tailgate! She is also a history buff and is always excited for a trip to a historical marker or national park. David enjoys taking care of his chickens, turkeys, feeding the birds and other wildlife on our farm. It’s important that our children learn about caring for animals and being a steward of the land.

We are greatly favored to have so many wonderful people in our life we call family. Our children will have grandmas, cousins, godparents, aunts and uncles. David and Ashley’s moms are excited to be grandmas again. Christmas is an important holiday for David's family. His brother and sisters all live in different states but come together each year for a weekend of food, movies, and exchanging gag gifts. Our nieces and nephew are grown, and everyone is looking forward to a new child and baby toys under the Christmas tree again!

Besides Christmas, we also get together in the spring or summer for a trip to the beach or lake. Ashley's family gets together each summer for a family reunion at Lake Norfork in Arkansas. Water skiing, knee boarding, and swimming are favorite activities for the kids. Easter is also a time for the family to be together, hunt Easter eggs, and eat candy! In addition to relatives, we also have plenty of close long-term friends that have become family. Each year we spend the Fourth of July at our lake house swimming and riding the jet ski. We also love exploring historical sites while traveling with our friends and anticipate introducing this love of history to a child.

We live on a hundred-acre farm in Missouri. Our home has five bedrooms and three bathrooms with a front porch and screened in back porch perfect for spending time together as a family. We have a creek and pond for swimming and fishing. There are also wooded areas to build a treehouse. There is plenty of land for horses and animals and a child to run around and explore. We have a pool and playground our son Samuel enjoys after school and in the summer. While our house is out in the country, we are just a few miles from a mid-sized university town. The university provides a diverse community and lots of educational opportunities. There are twelve parks in town including two state parks for hiking and picnics. Annual community events include a homecoming parade, the state fair, an air show, and Halloween and Christmas festivals downtown.

Our home is situated perfectly to enjoy the attractions of a large metro area and the advantages of small-town life. Not only do we have great local activities and a metro area nearby, but in Missouri we experience all four seasons with fun year around! Spring weather is great for enjoying the local botanical garden. Going to the lake is a good way to cool off in the summer. Fall brings football games and the harvest season. Snow tubing, making snow cream, and building a snow man comes with the snow in the winter.

As you read this letter, you are making one of the hardest decisions a mother ever makes. Considering adoption shows the immense love you have for your child and the desire for your child to have the best life possible. Know that we are praying for you and your baby as we travel this adoption road together. Each night as we go to bed, you are in our thoughts. We know that somewhere, a woman is carrying a baby that is meant to complete our family. We are Ashley and David and we have been married twenty-four years. Having children was always part of our plan, but we waited awhile to start our family. We underwent infertility treatments and eventually decided adoption was the way for us to become parents. Our difficulty in conceiving a child made us so appreciative of the miracle of life and reinforced our belief that every child is a gift. Our son Samuel was born in 2014 and being his parents has exceeded all our expectations and hopes. We are excited to grow our family again through adoption.

We have been blessed with so much and cannot wait to share those blessings with another child. The last seven years have been filled with wonderful memories of Samuel’s milestones. From learning to walk to starting school to playing baseball and family vacations. We hope to provide your child the same kind of memories filled with love and fun. As your child grows up, we will provide pictures, letters, phone calls, emails, and visits so that you can always know your child is loved, healthy, and happy. We are happy to provide as much contact as you are comfortable with and need to feel at peace with your decision. Your child’s memories, birthdays, and milestones in life will be shared with you. Samuel’s birthparents and their families are very much part of our family. We continue to have weekly contact and travel to see them multiple times each year.

We want you to be confident in your choice of us to raise your child. Without people who choose adoption, we would never have known the joy of being called mommy and daddy. We will be open about the adoption and your child will know what a courageous and loving decision you made. Not only will your child celebrate a birthday, when you brought him or her into the world, they will also celebrate finalization day, when we officially became their parents. We will honor both days to celebrate the love all of us has for him or her.

We respect the decision you are making and are honored you are considering us. If you choose adoption and us as parents, your child we be raised to love and accept others. They will have everything they need to be healthy, happy, and successful in life. Most importantly, they will be loved unconditionally and when you have that, what else do you need? Thank you for considering us. Our hope is that you will make the best decision for you and your baby. If that includes adoption, you can be sure we are committed to raising your child. We pray you have strength to make the difficult decisions you face in peace with the knowledge that you are making this decision out of love for your child.

Filled with hope,

David & Ashley