We are self-described homebodies who also love to venture out for adventures and community. Our life is a balance of quiet moments and new experiences. On Saturday mornings, you might find us curled up on the couch with coffee and a good TV show, or Laura will be at a barre class while Roy heads off to one of our favorite state parks to snap wildlife photos. Weekends are also a good time for us to explore various hiking trails. Throughout the week, we prioritize walking our dog Gus, playing board games, cooking dinner together or trying new restaurants.

Friends joke that you "can't put Roy in a box," and it's true! In addition to photography, he geeks out on leather/textile work, watches, design (graphic and industrial), cars, and learning new skills. He also loves nature documentaries, and Laura always gets a kick out of watching Gus watch them with Roy. Laura enjoys volunteering in the church nursery and assembling care packages for an organization called Faithfully Restored Women. We love to make time for our community, whether we're going to church, leading our small group, babysitting our niece and nephew, or gathering with friends over a meal or a fire.

Our travels have also found us camping along Lake Michigan, exploring Acadia National Park in Maine, and snorkeling in Hawaii. We are so excited to share all of this with a child, from the small everyday moments together to discovering their favorite places and hobbies alongside them.

Laura About Roy: Roy is a down-to-earth guy who truly values his family, friends and faith. I love how he makes me feel safe and pursued. He seeks to know people beyond just surface level. His care and compassion for me and for others leads him to be protective, supportive and generous. Roy is loyal, hard-working, resilient, and dedicated to his family. He can take life very seriously but also still be a kid at heart and make me laugh. "Funcle Roy" is goofy and loving with his young nieces and nephews or friends' children, and I love seeing that side of him come out.

Roy About Laura: Laura has a very big heart for family and children. While prioritizing our marriage, she makes time to be with and care for those around her. Our niece and nephew nearby love spending time with her, and she is committed to serving in the kids ministry at church. She works hard to make others feel heard, understood, and most of all, valued. It's clear that her faith is central to who she is as shown by her actions. I love being with someone who wants to tackle life as a team and will always fight for that.

Our favorite place to escape to is Pentwater, a small town on the coast of Lake Michigan. Roy's family has been enjoying this area for at least three generations, and Roy made sure to introduce Laura early on in our relationship. Nostalgia hits when we walk the beach campground where Roy vacationed growing up, climb the Old Baldy sand dune, or drop in the local candy store to sample all the flavors of Pentwater Popcorn. The best moments are when everyone gathers on the beach to watch the incredible sunsets over the lake. As the sun dips below the horizon, people start clapping, and we experience a level of peace and relaxation that feels hard to describe at times.

Whether we continue to camp or if we rent a cottage, we hope to keep the tradition going with our child. We picture full days of splashing in the waves, building sandcastles, and enjoying our family favorites like Mac Wood's Dune Rides and mini golf. We dream of the day we can share this special place and hope you can picture a little one making their own memories here with us.

When we were looking for a home in the Middle Tennessee suburbs, we knew we wanted a safe, family-friendly community with good schools. We found that in our three-bedroom townhome and our little neighborhood. When out walking with our dog, Gus, we're always running into neighbors on their porches or seeing young families playing in their front yards with chalk, kiddie pools, and ride-on cars. The community here is very supportive of families, with nearby parks, playgrounds, and even a pool and splash pad. We enjoy local events like outdoor movie nights and a 4th of July festival complete with fireworks, kettle corn, and inflatables. Our church also hosts family events throughout the year, such as a fall fest and daddy-daughter dance. We dream of introducing a child to all the fun the Nashville area has to offer, from the zoo and science museum to local pumpkin patches and concerts.

Our home is a warm and inviting space with big windows that let in lots of natural light and give us a great view of beautiful sunsets. We appreciate having dedicated spaces for us to both work from home a few days a week. We're also having fun beginning to turn one bedroom into a nursery as we find good deals on baby gear. Our greatest hope is to provide a safe and happy place for a child to call home.

We are so grateful for our loving, encouraging families. Roy has three sisters and between them eight nieces and nephews ranging from one to nineteen years old. We love living near his younger sister, who, along with her husband, is one of our closest friends. We adore their two young children, and it is so fun to watch them grow. The rest of Roy's family lives farther away, but we have a very active group text and keep up via FaceTime between in-person visits. Every year, we get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas at his parents' place in Northern Michigan, where we decorate cookies, go sledding, and play Russian Rummy late into the night. His extended family also meets up for reunions every five years.

Laura's parents live in Kentucky, so we get to see them more often. Her brother, his wife, and their infant son live near New York City, and when we all get together, we love to play board games—quite competitively! We also watch a lot of movies with Laura's family, and Laura cheers whenever a movie gets her dad to laugh until he cries.

Both sides of our family are incredibly supportive of our plan to adopt, and they are excited to welcome a new child into the family. Laura's mom is already itching to start sewing a custom Christmas stocking for him or her!

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us. We are grateful for this chance to share our hearts with you. We are filled with hope and excitement about becoming parents and have so much love to give. At the same time, we are humbled by the weight of the decision in front of you. We have the deepest respect for your courage and strength in considering adoption. As you read more about our story, our home and our dreams for our future family, we hope to provide you a look into our lives and our commitment to providing a happy, secure life for a child.

Starting a family has always been part of our hoped-for plan, but our journey to parenthood has had some unexpected turns. After walking through unexplained infertility, pregnancy loss, and unsuccessful fertility treatments, we found our path led us to adoption. Like with our decision to elope, it was important to us that if we chose to pursue adoption, we would not think of it as a "lesser" plan, but a different and equally beautiful path forward. After taking time to process the heartache we had experienced and to talk with friends and couples from our church who have adopted, we knew in our hearts that this was the right way for us to grow our family.

We have already started to build a life with a family in mind. We are making our home in a safe, friendly neighborhood, and we focus on spending time together. When we think about being parents, we dream of a life for a child filled with hope, joy, and a sense of wonder. We look forward to the simple moments, like sharing a bedtime story or a goodnight snuggle. We can't wait to make new memories with them and introduce them to our favorite traditions and vacation spots, surrounded by the unwavering love and support of our friends and family.

Should you choose us to parent your child, we would be committed to making sure your child grows up knowing their story. We would also honor your role in their life. We would promise to send you letters and pictures over the years, sharing their milestones and everyday joys. Beyond this, we would be open to emails, phone calls, and the possibility of future visits. We would learn together what is best for the child in each season. We understand that your role in this child's life is lifelong, and we would always speak of you with love, respect and gratitude.

Thank you for letting us share our story. As you walk this path, please know we are praying for you. We trust that you will know what is best for your child. If you feel a connection to our family, we would be honored to begin a conversation with you.

Roy & Laura