We first want to say that we are praying for you – as someone who is considering an adoption plan - we pray for you every single day. The decision to place or parent your child is life altering for your child, yourself, and an adoptive family – that is not something we take lightly. We pray that you can get the education and clarity you need to make the best choice possible for your child.

As hopeful adoptive parents we want to assure you that our hearts are open to you and your child. If chosen, we will provide your child with a safe, loving, and compassionate home. Your child will have a mother and father who love them dearly and provide a stable life for them to grow up in. We will tell them all about you and how lucky we are to have both you and your child in our lives. We pray that your child will become a kind, strong, passionate adult; we pray that they follow their dreams and plan to support them in any way we possibly can. We look forward to sharing our extending family and traditions with your child, and our extended families cannot wait to welcome your child into our family!

Whatever choice to you make for your child’s life – we believe it will be the right one and we will continue to pray for you as you journey through your pregnancy and adoption plan.

We have wanted to adopt from early on in our relationship. We had planned to do this later in life, but since we have not been blessed with biological children, we felt like adoption would be a great way to grow our family.

We want to adopt so that we can give a child a family. We want to give them love and care, but also teach them about the world. Teach them right from wrong and how to make the hard decisions in life. We want to give them a safe home to have a childhood free of worry or fear. We want to give them a better childhood than either of us had. We want to support them in their hopes and dreams and watch them make the world a better place.

It was the summer of 2013 and both of us were out with our friends at the local bar. Lindsay was sitting at a table talking with some girlfriends when Travis came over to her table to talk to one of her friends. Lindsay just assumed he was there to ask for her friend’s number or something. She was wrong. Travis’s mom had babysat her friend when she was younger, so they knew each other for many years. Little did Lindsay know, Travis was really there to talk to her.  Travis asked what my name was, and we talked from there. Travis learned that Lindsay was heading off to Uganda for the summer a couple of weeks later. After 10 weeks abroad, Lindsay returned home and hadn’t forgotten about Travis. It was something about those big brown eyes! The first weekend Lindsay was home was our town’s Alumni Softball Tournament weekend, so all our friends were out at the park. It was so great to see them all again! Travis was also there. He came up to me and we talked about how my trip was. Travis was not much of a traveler at this time in his life, so he was poking fun and giving me grief about spending the summer in an African country. The conversation eventually led to us discussing our love for Leo DiCaprio movies – Travis challenged me on which Leo movies I had seen and when I said Blood Diamond, he did not believe me. He ended up coming to my parents’ house that night and we watched Blood Diamond. We kept in touch a bit over the next year, but I was back at college finishing up my senior year and really did not have an interest in dating anyone.

After graduating college, I moved back home for the summer. I had already decided that I was going to be doing a year of service in Tennessee for the following year. Throughout that summer we grew very close. We would hang out together at our parents’ houses or out on the weekends. We challenged each other’s opinions on almost everything – we’re opposites in many ways. We liked different music, movies, and activities. But through all of that we would laugh and banter. We knew how to push each other’s buttons, but we also knew to not cross the line. When the summer came to an end, I realized that I really really liked this guy. We decided that since I was moving 500 miles away, that it was not the best time to begin a relationship. During that year, we didn’t talk much – we both tried to move on – but something was missing.

As soon as Lindsay moved home the following summer, we were together – and haven’t been apart since. We don’t really know when our dating anniversary is, we just kind of started dating and never stopped. We would watch movies, football games, and travel together. One of our favorite dates every year is finding a new place to see Christmas lights. In fact – seeing Christmas lights was our very first real date. We were together for about 4 years when Travis finally proposed!

We got married on February 29, 2020. Yes, our anniversary is on leap day! It was a sunny, bitterly cold Ohio winter day with snow on the ground. We spent the first months of our marriage in lockdown, playing zoom Yahtzee with our siblings, completing several puzzles, and spending so much time together. Looking back – the fact that we got our wedding in was a little less than a miracle.

Age: 34

Education: High School

Occupation: Laborer for a local construction company

Religion: Catholic

Hobbies: Basketball, watching NFL football, campfires, playing video games, traveling, & bike rides 

Fun Fact: I won a 1^st grade coloring contest. I won a teddy bear and a coloring book. The only trophy I ever won in my life. But after winning that I had the attitude that if I put in the effort and have the right people around me I can do anything I want to.

Travis from Lindsay's View:

Travis is one of the greatest people I have ever known. He is kind, passionate, laid back, hardworking, and humble. He has a way of always keeping a smile on my face – even when I am sad. Travis is not big on physical touch, but he knows that I am. There isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t give me a big hug (or many hugs!) because he knows they make me feel better. When someone needs help – he is always there to lend a hand. Whether it’s helping renovate a coworker’s home, build a friend’s home addition, or fix his brother’s water heater – he’s there at the drop of hat. He is reliable and truly a jack of all trades. His passion for the things he loves is undeniable – he can rattle off facts about Raiders football, Tar Heels basketball, and politics like it is his second job. But my favorite thing about him is how he truly puts forth the effort to try to understand and care about my interests. When I talk about Taylor Swift or the Bachelorette, he listens intently even though he may have no clue what I’m talking about. When I ambush him with an impromptu dance party in the kitchen while cleaning up supper – he sometimes joins, but usually he just smiles, shakes his head, and laughs with me. He has a heart of gold.

Age: 30

Education: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Occupation: Quality Engineer for a medical devices company

Religion: Catholic

Hobbies: traveling, board games, concerts, budgeting, Taylor Swift & country music, gardening, indoor plants, & spending time with my family

Fun Fact: I have 7 permanent teeth that never developed, therefore I have 5 dental implants. 

Lindsay from Travis's View:

Lindsay is the most thoughtful person I know. She can be serious when the time is right to be but turn it off and is silly and goofy as anybody I’ve ever met. She has the greatest talent in the world by doing and enjoying her budgeting of money. Which I let her go crazy with, knowing I got one less thing to worry or do on my time. She cooks every day and makes delicious food (for the most part). Sometimes she will experiment with her meals and I’m her Guinee pig. She loves to travel and knows a lot about the world. When we play games that involve questions or random facts, I will always make sure I’m on her team. It amazes me how much stuff she knows, and I’m always confused why she knows this random information. She is kind and will always listen to others’ problems and give advice on how she would handle if that’s what they want. I love her because she is the most complete human being I’ve ever met. She’s got it all – intelligence, kindness, passion, and beauty. I won the lottery with her.

Our home was built in 1969 by the previous owners. We purchased it in 2017, renovated it and moved in in 2018. It is now an open concept with the living room, kitchen, and dining room open to each other. There are 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The house sits on 0.65 acres right on the edge of town. The backyard has room for a child to run around and play. We have a basic swing set with 2 swings and lots of trees for climbing.

Memories are created easily in our home due to the open concept, no matter where we are in the home, we are together. We pray together, laugh together, and clean up after supper together. We will spend time outside doing yardwork and tending to the small garden. We only have one TV in our home that’s in the living room, so we’ve gotten good at sharing and being respectful of what each other wants to watch.

We live in a small town in Ohio that is hardworking and family oriented. Our community has a local swimming pool, splash pad, library, 2 parks, basketball and tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, sand volleyball courts, and large playground equipment. During the summer the town has a festival with several food vendors, rides, and games as well as free entertainment. We make regular trips to the Dairy Dream on our bike rides and walks. One of the parks has a weekly band at the amphitheater that is free to attend as well. During the fall and winter, high school sports consume most people’s free time. Every year there is a community corn maze that benefits the county cancer association. Our town only has a public school that is very supported by the community. It has had an excellent rating for several years in a row. Kids grow up going to school with the same 60-80 students from kindergarten all the way through high school graduation. Throughout the year there are other fundraisers, benefits, and 5k’s that include children’s actives like bouncy houses, face painting, and games. These usually are to benefit a family that has been struck by tragedy or fallen on hard times. The community and surrounding area always rally together to be sure they are taken care of.

We currently do not have any children, but we spend the majority of our time with our immediate families. We are extremely close to our extended families. We live within 5 miles of both of our parents and some of our siblings, as well as several grandparents, aunts & uncles. We see our families regularly, at least once a week if not more often. Sometimes it is just a quick stop to pick something up or drop something off. Other times it is full visits. Our families are very excited for the arrival of our adopted child. They are looking forward to watching us grow our family and are willing to help us out in any way we need them too.

Lindsay's parents have been married for 31 years and she has 3 sisters and 1 brother. Travis's parents were married for 39 years before his dad passed away from cancer. He has 1 sister and 2 brothers. Both of his brothers are married and we have 5 wonderful neices here on earth and 1 neice in heaven.

Christmas: Christmas is not just a one-day celebration in our home – It’s all month long! Christmas music starts playing the day after Thanksgiving, followed by decorations a few days later. Lindsay does most of the indoor decorating, while Travis handles the outdoor lights and setting up his beloved 18-foot-tall inflatable Grinch – it’s a neighborhood favorite. A few days later, the tree goes up – usually on a weekend. It is important that the whole family participates in Christmas tree decorating. We use an artificial tree with colored lights and all the sentimental ornaments from our childhood and our adult travels. We drink festive cocktails or hot chocolate and blare the Christmas music throughout the house. It is Travis’s job to put the star on top on the tree. Once the tree is up – we cuddle on the couch and watch a Christmas movie. Throughout the Christmas season – we find somewhere to check out Christmas lights – the zoo, parks, or just driving around near by neighborhoods. On Christmas Eve we attend mass and then go the Lindsay’s mother’s family party. On Christmas morning, we open gifts together at home before heading to Lindsay parent’s home for brunch and more gifts. We usually play some games and visit with other extended family members. The day after Christmas, we go to Travis’s mom’s house to spend Christmas with his family. We watch his nieces open gifts and play with their new toys with joy.

Thanksgiving: On Thanksgiving Day we have Lunch with Lindsay’s extended family. All of her aunts, uncles, cousins & their children gather at a house and have a festive thanksgiving meal – turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing – the works. We spend the day visiting with family and relaxing. In the evening we head over to Lindsay’s parent’s house and hang out with her family. We play games and enjoy each other’s company. The day after thanksgiving we go to Travis’s mother’s house. We have dinner with his siblings and nieces and continue to visit and enjoy time with family. It usually ends up being a late night laughing and sharing memories.

4^th of July: We spend the 4^th of July in 1 of 2 ways – we either are on family vacation and find fireworks wherever we are visiting. Or, if we are at home – we attend some friends of ours 3^rd of July party. Hamburgers, hotdogs, side dishes, sparklers, campfire, and fireworks. It’s a huge party with lots of friends and kids running around and playing. A perfect summer together.

Halloween: Lindsay’s family has a Halloween party each year on a Sunday afternoon. All the kids show up dressed up in their costumes and we have a party and hand out candy to the ones who dress up!

St. Patrick’s Day: Our town has a huge St. Patrick’s Day celebration every year. They have a parade and then live music, food, and drinks at the local legion hall. It’s a wonderful community celebration full of green!

Easter: On Easter morning we attend mass at our home parish and then split our day up between our families. Lindsay’s family has brunch and Travis’s family has dinner. The Easter bunny tends to show up on the Saturday before easter while we are busy working around the house!

Birthdays: Lindsay is a big birthday celebrater, Travis – not so much. Travis would likely not even realize it was his birthday if Lindsay didn’t remind him for a whole week ahead of time! We celebrate birthdays by either going out to eat or the birthday person gets to choose their favorite meal. Lindsay will make a cake and we have a little celebration with just the two of us. Growing up, Lindsay’s mom had a “special plate” it had a poem on it, and we would get to use that plate for our birthday meal. I’d like to continue that tradition with my own children. We plan to have small birthday parties with grandparents and god parents for the first few years of children’s lives as well.

We were both born and raised in the Catholic Church and plan to continue practicing that faith with our family. We will baptize our children as soon as we can after they are born, and they will attend the CCD program at our church. They will be able to participate in all the sacraments and will attend weekly mass with us. Our children will have the opportunity to attend vacation bible school during the summer as well. Our church family raises us up in prayer continually throughout our adoption journey and will continue to pray for us as we grow our family. There is always someone willing to lend a helping hand.

We want to teach our children to live like Jesus. To treat others with respect and kindness always. We want them to have a personal relationship with God and know that they are loved. They will know the importance of prayer and value time with God. We want them to know the value of hard work and family.

We appreciate you taking the time to get to know us and considering us to parent your child. You will continue to be in our prayers as you journey through your adoption plan. We look forward to having you and your child join our family. We cannot wait to tell your child all about you and help to foster a loving relationship between the two of you. A relationship that will not be replaced by us but will be in addition to. Our home and hearts are open to you, your family, and your child. We look forward to getting to know you.