Adoption has changed our lives in a HUGE way: it made us Norah's parents! We are incredibly grateful that we get to be her mom & dad, and adoption is something we talk about openly in our home. We love sharing the story of how she joined our family, and as she grows, we hope she always feels comfortable coming to us with her questions and talking about what being adopted means to her.

We have an open adoption with Norah's birth family, and that connection is very important to us. We share pictures and updates and have been able to spend time together in person. We want Norah to grow up knowing her story and having the opportunity to maintain that connection as she gets older.

Our experience with Norah has also shown us that there isn't one way for adoption to look. If we're fortunate enough to adopt again, that child will have their own story and their own relationship with their birth family. We understand that every situation is different, and we're open to seeing what the future holds for our family.

One of the best parts of each day is our bedtime routine with Norah. We read a book together, talk about all the things we did that day, pray together, and have some cuddles before she goes to sleep. It's a simple tradition, but it's become such a special part of our family life together.

One of our favorite holiday traditions is baking Christmas cookies and enjoying them together on Christmas Eve. Christmas cookies were an important part of the holidays for both of us growing up, so we love carrying that into our own family. Everyone makes a plate with their favorite cookies, and we sit together in front of the Christmas tree.

We've also started some new traditions of our own. This year, we took Norah to the Big E, New England's state fair. She had so much fun eating cider donuts, going on rides, winning a stuffed animal, and especially seeing all the farm animals. And we had just as much fun watching her experience it! We're already looking forward to going back year after year and making it a tradition for our family.

We spend a lot of our free time together as a family. We love getting out of the house for a day trip, visiting the beach or zoo, or just heading out for a walk or to the playground. We also see lots of our extended family, especially now that Katie's mom & stepdad live nearby.

At home, we enjoy cooking together, playing with toys (Play-Doh is a big hit at the moment), watching movies, and being outside. Brian always has a house project in the works and enjoys sailing when he gets the chance. Katie loves to cook, read, and work on her latest creative project. Norah is usually right in the middle of whatever we're doing: helping in the kitchen, playing in the yard, or convincing us to read her latest favorite book over & over.

Some of our favorite days are the ones when we don't have much planned at all. We love having adventures together, but we're just as happy with a chill Saturday: maybe a quick trip to the hardware store, playing hide & seek, making a good dinner, and enjoying time as a family.

We have a close relationship with our extended family, and love spending time with them.

Katie's mom & stepdad moved to Connecticut earlier this year, and now live about 10 minutes from us. It's been great having them so close, and Norah loves going over to Nana & Grandpa's house (we love going over there, too!). It's fun to get to take day trips together, or just to sit around the living room chatting.

Katie's dad & stepmom live in Colorado, which is a beautiful place to visit! We are able to see them a couple of times a year, so it's a special treat to get together. One of our favorite things to do with them is share a nice meal; Katie & her dad are both great cooks!

Brian's parents still live in our hometown, in the house where Brian grew up. Even though they are about 6 hours from us, they visit often. Not only are they wonderful grandparents, but we love hanging out with them, working on a project together, or playing a board game. And even though our siblings are spread out across the country, we still get together a few times a year. They are all fun, and we get along really well. We just wish we could convince them all to move to CT!

Everyone loves Norah, who is currently the only grandchild/niece, and they are all excited about the possibility of a second child joining our family through adoption.

We love the home we've made together. When we bought it 13 years ago, it was a bit of a fixer-upper, but Brian has worked to renovate almost the entire house. We spend the most time in the living room, which has a cozy fireplace, bookcases that Brian built, and artwork that Katie created. Life doesn't get much better than being together in the living room for a movie night, reading together, or watching the snow fall.

Brian's next project? Turning our den into a playroom!

We love our quiet neighborhood and enjoy taking walks around the block together. In recent years, more families with small children have moved in. We've got families next door and across the street, both with little girls around Norah's age, and it's been fun to see them really starting to play together.

Our town is a great place for a child to grow up, with a playground just a few minutes from us, a library with story time close by, and lots of town events & festivals.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family. We know you have a lot to think about as you consider adoption, and we're grateful for the chance to share a little about ourselves with you. We hope our profile gives you a glimpse into our family and the life we share together.

We've been married for 14 years, but we've actually known each other almost our entire lives! We grew up as neighbors, became friends as kids, and eventually started dating. We've had the unique experience of getting to see each other grow up and then getting to build a life together. In 2024, we became a family of three when we adopted our daughter, Norah. It's hard to put into words how much that has meant to us; we don't take a single day with her for granted.

Norah is two, and getting to be her mom & dad has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. She's funny, curious, talkative, and very loved. Our days look a lot different than they did a few years ago! There are toys everywhere, lots of trips to the playground, books read over & over, family dinners, bedtime prayers, and plenty of silliness. We love getting to watch her grow into her own little person, and we would love the chance to welcome another child into our family.

We have an open adoption with Norah's birth family, and that connection is very important to us. We share pictures and updates and have been able to spend time together in person. We talk openly with Norah about her adoption, and as she grows, we want her to always feel comfortable asking questions and talking to us about what being adopted means to her.

If you choose us to parent your child, we will send you letters and pictures as your child grows. We're also open to emails, phone calls, and visits if that's something you would like. We know from our experience with Norah that every adoption looks a little different, and we wouldn't expect another child's story to look exactly like hers.

If there's one thing we hope you've seen throughout our profile, it's that we really love the life we've built together. After all these years, we're still each other's favorite person to hang out with. We have family nearby, a church community that means a lot to us, a home we've spent years making our own, and so many people who are excited about the possibility of another child joining our family.

If you choose us to raise your child, it is our promise to you that we will be parents who love them completely, who will be there for them, who will encourage them as they become their own person, and who will make sure they always know how special they are.

Thank you again for taking the time to get to know our family. It means so much to us that you would consider us as you think about what comes next for you and your child.

Brian & Katie