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We are excited to find out if baby will fit in! Here is our family:

We met in 1996 at a very enjoyable occasion – an outdoor music concert.  It was in Northern Virginia/D.C. and it was an all-day music festival with every type of music imaginable.  Tad sat with a group of people in the row behind Barbie and her girlfriends, he was so intriguing to her because he was just such a funny and sweet guy - he seemed like the type of person you would be instant best friends with and could share anything with (actually, people DO share just about everything with Tad). We developed a friendship immediately, even though we lived in neighboring states; we just adored each other’s personalities, and then we just kept growing on each other until we were totally and utterly in love! What followed was a nine year, beautiful courtship; we are seven and a half years married now. We are best friends, and we consider ourselves so incredibly lucky to have found each other; we have, essentially, grown up together as our relationship has evolved from true friendship, to courtship, to marriage, and to building a family.

We have had two major challenges during our relationship:  infertility and the illness of Barbie's dad.  Our infertility is due to fallopian tube abnormalities. We have tried four in vitro fertilization procedures and Barbie has gone through a few surgeries - all for the chance to have a baby. From the very beginning, however, we knew in our hearts that building our family through adoption would be a wonderful thing; even if we had been able to have biological children, we would have considered adoption as a way to increase our family size, and also to help a child who needed our love.   The other challenge is that Barbie's dad passed away this summer, after a difficult struggle with Parkinson's.  It was the first close relative to pass away for either of us, and we were very sad.  But it made our relationship with each other even stronger, and we are much more grateful for our own great health and that God blesses us in so many ways.

A little bit more about us as a couple: the first thing you will notice is that we are outwardly playful and affectionate with each other, our little Ava, and our pets - your baby is in for a lot of romping, tickling, and kissing; we are very “handsy” and affectionate, and we have a lot of fun teasing each other!  We like to do things together, especially traveling, visiting friends and family, and hiking. We are Christian and we try to be very honest, reliable, and caring. When we adults have a problem we talk about it. We respect each other's rights and support each other completely.  We try to be open-minded and accepting, and also have a good sense of humor, and we try to have a lot of fun! We hope that the strong relationship that we have will be a good role model for your child, and will help your child become strong and loving, and able to make good choices for him- or herself throughout life.

We have one beautiful child, Ava Caroline, who is the light of our lives. She was born 3 months preemie, and had to be hospitalized for 2 months.  Barbie spent these 2 months with her, even though her hospital was across the country - we would do *anything* for our children. Despite her hesitant start, Ava is in absolutely perfect health now, and is already caught up to her peers developmentally, far ahead of schedule.  We are so blessed that everything is so perfect.

Ava came to us through this very website!  Beloved birthmom Jenelle (here is a picture of her with Ava) found us and immediately "connected" with us, our approach to life, and what we would like in an adoption.  We have a *very* open adoption with her... in fact, we are spending Thanksgiving down south with Jenelle and her extended family!  Our "baby Ava" section of this website is one of our gifts to Jenelle, to keep her involved in Ava's life... we also stay in very close contact, with frequent phone calls, emails, and sharing of photos.  We would love to add another birthmom to our extended "family" - hopefully that someone is you!

We have three pets, one puppy and two kittens, and we are so love in with our "rescues".  Jessie is our sweet 3-year old dog, she is a small-medium size and is the most wonderfully affectionate and gentle dog.  She has been certified and passed several dog training classes, and accompanied Barbie and Tad into 2 nursing homes, where the residents simply adore her.  Our two kittens, Pumpkin and Buttercup, are 1 and 2 years old, and they like to curl up next to us and nap.  They are very sweet.  Jessie is the resident "beach dog" - when our neighborhood rents a beach house each year, she comes with us and is the dog that everyone adopts for the week; she snuggles with all the dog-lovers in the house.

We think that baby might fit right in with us.  We have a nursery set up for the precious little one, here is what it looked like this morning (there is a walk-in closet and changing table/dresser out of view of the photo).  There is a queen bed in case baby wants mommy and/or daddy to sleep close by on the more difficult nights, or if future brothers/sisters want to have sleep-overs.  The room is purple and yellow, with baby blue or light pink accents to customize for baby when he/she arrives!  We have lots of room for swings, bouncy seats, and toys in our living room, and our family room is devoted to our children's future play room.  We also have an unfinished basement that Tad may take on as a future project, it might be perfect additional play room space (Tad is thinking Barbie doll house, or electric train set space!).

We have everything a set of parents needs, from double strollers and dual car seats, to infant rattles, clothes, diapers, and baby care items.  Please rest assured that when it comes to material items, your child will have everything he or she needs - and more!