Our Story

John and Kristen

Our Profile Book

Our story together begins when we met at a church event in Atlanta, GA in the fall of 2009.  We immediately hit it off and loved spending as much time as possible together! We dated for a year, each day finding it harder and harder to say goodnight and go our separate ways.  Our wedding was in Florida (Kristen's hometown) and we absolutely love being married! We truly are best friends. Whether we are on a vacation, on some adventure, or just watching television, we are happier together.  We have built an incredible foundation of love, respect, trust and admiration for each other.  God has blessed our marriage and He continues to show us how to love, forgive, and live with compassion, mercy and grace.  We cannot wait to share our lives with a child!  Our hearts are bursting with excitement about parenthood!  Snuggles, visits to the park, trips to see grandparents, mid-night feedings, early morning diaper changes, reading books, lullabies and lots of laughter... we can't wait to shower our child with incredible amounts of love!

Why Adoption?

Throughout my teens, I (Kristen) suffered from severe endometriosis and many other medical difficulties concerning the reproductive system.  After many years and several surgeries, I had to have a full hysterectomy at the age of 22.  This was a heartbreaking decision as I have always dreamed of becoming a mother! Though this was an extremely emotional and difficult time, I was surrounded by amazing family and friends to support me, and I am truly grateful. Even though I can not have biological children, my reason for adoption is not simply because I cannot have my own... I know God led us to grow our family through adoption- and I am so excited for this journey!!
John has known he wanted to adopt since he was young.  While at summer camp, Camp Winshape, many of his cabinmates were children who did not have families of their own. This opened his eyes to see that there were children out there without mommies and daddies, and he told his parents that he one day wanted to adopt a child and be their daddy!  Very shortly after we met, we talked about the future and dreamed of getting married and having kids.  We both cried tears of joy when we realized we each had a passion for adoption.  Needless to say, we have been dreaming about this for years!  

Ready for Surgery

Resting and Healing

About John, Written by Kristen

The baby who gets to call John "Daddy" will basically be winning the lottery of best dads ever.  I cannot wait to see John in the role of a father.  Not only is he really just a big kid, he is so much fun to be around, has a huge heart, and has a major soft spot for children.  He would much rather sit at the kids table at Thanksgiving dinner than sit with the "grown-ups."  When I first saw John interact with our friend's children, my heart melted and I knew then that he would be an amazing dad.  I love being married to this man.  He makes me feel safe and loved every day.  John is a hard worker and has a servant's heart.  He is always happy to pitch in and help, whether he's at home or at work.  He leads with a quiet confidence and kind demeanor.  John is an inspiring example of Christ's love to everyone he sees.  John works in the hospitality industry, running a restaurant located at a 5 star resort property.  My extended family vacations there frequently and the property is a haven for families with children!  There are tons of kid's activities including swimming, going to the beach, playgrounds, bike paths, and nature trails.  I am excited to take our baby to this special place that I went to when I was little, where I learned to ride my bike and how to swim, and made countless cherished memories.John's extended family is incredibly excited to welcome this new baby!  We love how both of our families get along and love being together.  It is truly a blessing to us. As a dad, I know John will be all-in and 100% committed!  He is ready for all the challenges a baby brings and will be a wonderful partner in this journey of parenthood!

About Kristen, Written by John

I am confident that my wife will be an amazing mother! Upon meeting Kristen, I was drawn to her genuine personality and true love for Jesus Christ.  I even told my Mom during the first week of dating that I was going to marry Kristen as she was my perfect match.  As our relationship grew, I fell in love with every aspect about Kristen including her radiant smile, uncontainable joyous spirit and her love for all children.  The moment we discovered that we both wanted to adopt is a moment I will never forget. I prayed that God would bring me a mate that would share my passion for adoption.... and He did. In our marriage, Kristen & I both constantly support each other by keeping the lines of communication open.  She is funny, kind, and caring.  Kristen is really creative! She loves to make crafts, decorations, scrapbooks, and digital graphics.  As a Florida State University graduate, she is a die hard FSU fan- making me an FSU fan by marriage.  I love that she'll watch sports with me, and even took me to a NASCAR race for my birthday one year.  Now that is love.  The best surprise Kristen gave me was taking me skydiving for my 30th birthday.  She amazed me with her bravery and spontaneity.  We had a ton of fun, but we are definitely ready to settle down and begin our family now!Kristen works from home heading up the marketing and media division of a large company.  Because she can work from home, her hours are flexible and she'll be able to be home with our baby while I work.  Kristen is really social, so I'm sure she'll be making many friends in Mommy & Me groups so our baby will have lots of friends!  Kristen's family is so much fun!  They love to have big family gatherings and vacations together.  They will adore this new baby and are incredibly supportive of our family.I am confident that Kristen and I will love our new child unconditionally.  We make a great team, and are ready to open our hearts to welcome a child into our home!