Well, hello there! Thank you for choosing to give us a look! We’re Chris and Alyssa and we are excited to share our story with you.

We met on the college campus we both attended during our freshman year. Chris was learning how to skateboard and happened upon the same sidewalk Alyssa was taking to dinner with her roommate. As Chris drew closer he fell once, then a second time right next to Alyssa. She smiled at him and said, “and you were doing so good until you got right next to us.” After a small exchange they parted ways. A few days later they met again, not recognizing each other until Chris picked up his skateboard and Alyssa mentioned that a man fell next to her a few days earlier. Chris responded shyly, “Yeah, I think that was me.” After that, Alyssa invited Chris to join her friend group and we began dating later that year. 

Our conversations about adoption began way back then, as this had been hard pressed on Alyssa’s mind for a while, and Chris revealed that this path had been something he had wanted, as well. After three years of happily dating, we realized this relationship was going to be our forever, and we excitedly married in 2023. We are eager to welcome a child into our home and begin the next chapter of our lives.

From a young age, I expressed interest in ministry. My parents raised my siblings and I in a Christian household. I gave my life over to Christ at the young age of five-years-old when I approached the altar with my pastor and dad at my side. I preached my first sermon at the age of 12, which lasted only six minutes, but the congregation must have been grateful for an early lunch! Although I don’t remember what I taught, I do remember the feeling of gratitude I had for my pastor and mentor for the opportunity and for starting me on this path. 

My family and pastor continued to encourage me until I eventually attended a bible college and earned my Masters of Divinity. I serve as the youth pastor of a small, but well-established, youth group alongside mentors and friends who encourage me to keep learning every day. Teaching these kids and watching them grow in the faith makes me excited to raise a child. 

My first look at adoption came on a mission trip to Jamaica helping orphaned children. It sparked a desire in me that I would carry on through my adult years. Though my parents were not preachers nor did they come from any sort of ministry background, they did what they could to encourage those desires in me. It is my desire to raise a child in the same loving and encouraging household that I experienced. 

With a father teaching biology courses and a mother in accounting, no one was really surprised that I chose to go to engineering school. Even my brother decided to become a programmer and stick with the math and science theme we had going on. Everyone knew we were all pretty nerdy, watching sci-fi and quoting Star Trek like common day phrases. Within our church community, my family brought an interesting perspective as science-minded individuals. In fact, my favorite way to praise God is through adoration of His brilliant mind. After all, science is truly the study of how God created the world to function, and I think there is a certain poetry to that. 

I have never fit in one box my whole life, and I think life was more fun that way. The thing that people find most surprising is my love and enjoyment of creative writing and theater performance. My parents always encouraged me to explore my talents and expand my thoughts before deciding anything. That fostered curiosity and a need for genuinity, and for this reason, my relationships are one of the most important things to me. I hope to share that passion of curiosity and empathy with a child, as I endeavor to uncover more about the world and God’s plan for my life.

Our home is a two-story, rustic farmhouse with plenty of yard space where we enjoy building bonfires in our firepit, sitting and enjoying the quiet of the property. Sometimes, we grill and invite family and friends over and have plenty of space for hosting. 

We have a very diverse community and Chris is open and friendly with anyone he meets. While this comes so naturally for Chris, Alyssa is typically shy when meeting people, and she works hard to build lifelong friends out of acquaintances. We like to say we make a good team that way — he starts the conversation and she keeps it going. We have gotten involved with our community through church events, small-talk at the dog park, and strolls through downtown and the local library.

We grew up in two very different homes: Chris’s loud with excitement, while Alyssa’s was quiet and compassionate. In raising a child, we look forward to both the loud and quiet moments. Some of our core memories come from the gentle, soft songs or Bible readings before bed with our parents, and we intend to share something similar with future children. 

Our families are spread from Ohio to Tennessee to North and South Carolina. Despite the distance, our relationships have never wavered. Our parents are our first calls whether we want a Sunday afternoon chat or need step-by-step advice on taxes. Chris has two sisters, one brother-in-law, and two nieces; Alyssa has one brother. These relationships vary from quiet nights to disk golf and roasting each other. 

Since sharing our plans for adoption, our families have eagerly gotten involved, asked questions, comforted us, and encouraged us in every way. Alyssa’s parents will become grandparents for the first time, and have expressed how quickly they can be in Michigan to meet the baby. Chris’s side has no lack of excitement as his nieces will have cousins to grow up with. Everyone is looking forward to sharing family vacations and celebrations with the newest member. 

We have a strong friend group, many from college, strong bonds that have carried us through life’s transitions. We make time monthly to reconnect through attending farmers and flea markets, going mini golfing or to Renaissance Faires, and playing games. The child will have many honorary “aunts and uncles”. We have also connected with young adults in our church, and look forward to sharing parenting advice and playdates with them all.

We thrive in the outdoors doing activities like kayaking, hiking, taking long walks, biking, and woodworking. While we’re still new to woodworking, we have filled our home with a number of personal touches. Alyssa has a drive to make every day a new exciting adventure and Chris makes her dreams happen and, more importantly, reminds us to take it slow when we need a break. 

We have dog named Poppy, who was born in 2025. She looks like a golden retriever even though her parents were a Bernedoodle and a Great Pyrenees mix. We aren’t sure where her beautiful golden coat came from, but we did not miss the opportunity to dress her as a golden dragon for Halloween! Anytime we can, we include her on our adventures. She loves to learn new tricks, go on runs, or just watch the storms roll in with us. 

On rainy days, we enjoy playing card games or video games, watching shows or movies, and reading stories together. Our favorite kinds of games are the ones where we can talk easily.

We celebrate traditional Christian holidays, and Poppy has enjoyed sharing our traditions. We led her through her very own Easter basket hunt, brought her to visit with our families for Christmas, and baked a dog-friendly cake for her first birthday! We look forward to sharing all these traditions with a child, and we are sure Poppy will be happy to show them the way to the spoils!

Thank you so much for taking the time to get a glimpse into our lives. We hope this book has given you a glimpse into the loving environment we are so excited to share with a child. 

With patience and encouragement, we will help the child to know where they are from, as much as you are comfortable with. We will listen to their questions, and help them to grow through their inner strength, which comes from you. Our hope is that the child will not remember the day we told them they were adopted, but that their path will be a truth they have always known and one in which they feel comfortable with.

Whatever type of relationship you are willing to have with us, we will meet you there! Whether the child’s adoption is open or closed, we will never fail to remind them of how lovely and brave their birth mother is. We know this isn’t an easy choice and we will pray for you every day, regardless of the path you choose. We have been praying as we prepare, both for the future birth parents and for the child themself. 

We hope to be able to share more with you very soon. With all our love, thank you.