Hello! Thank you for taking the time to get to know a bit about us! We are a family of 3, and we are so excited to expand our family through the gift of open adoption and to partner with you on this journey. We are an active, creative family of learners. We both work in education, and we keep learning ourselves. We are excited to teach your child new things, and learn new things from him/her as well!
Bad traffic was the catalyst for us meeting each other, and we got married a year and 3 days later! Now we have been married for 12 years, and we continue learning and growing in our love and respect for one another. Each year is a new adventure and, in 2018, we were blessed to adopt our son, Ezra, and it has been the greatest adventure of our lives!
We love to play games (like DC Deck Building, Fluxx, and Escape Room), watch movies/TV (mostly about superheroes or home renovation), go for walks, go to live sporting events (especially international soccer games), travel, and work on renovating our house. We also both really love learning, so we spend lots of time conversing about good books, interesting podcasts, articles, videos, or current events.
We are excited to teach your child about the greatest soccer team (Arsenal) and to include them in our family adventures exploring places close to home and far away.
Ethan is silly, fun, and also is a deep thinker who values authentic conversations. Ethan enjoys his career in campus recreation and as a part-time adjunct professor. He loves that he gets to promote lifelong health and ethical decision making. He is a wonderful provider and I am constantly amazed at the new things he learns so he can fix up our house! One of my favorite things about Ethan is that he constantly reflects and tries to do things better.
Sports and exercise have always been a big part of Ethan’s life, and he loves teaching Ezra about those activities. They are often together doing push-ups and lunges, or playing a toddler’s version of soccer, baseball, or basketball! He will enjoy helping your child to develop active lifestyle habits as well!
Kara is dedicated, creative, and always invests time in our family. In her free time, she is reading, crafting, or creating new experiences. She has a heart for learning, understanding, and creating an environment that is fair for everyone which is part of what makes her an amazing 4th-grade teacher! Being a teacher means Kara gets to be home on school breaks, holidays, and in the summer. She and Ezra enjoy lots of extra adventures together during those times, like picking blueberries or picking up homemade ice cream from a local farm.
Reading and writing have always been a big part of Kara’s life. Her passion for reading means our home is full of great children’s books for her to read to Ezra- books she is excited to read to your child as well. She loves to share her passion for books and even hosts a monthly book club with some neighbors.
We were blessed to adopt our son, Ezra, in 2018, and, to this day, have a wonderful open relationship with his birth family. He loves vehicles of all sorts, being outside, balls, dogs, and books. He wants to do everything Daddy does, and he loves helping with things like cooking and laundry. His laughter is so full of joy, and we know he will be a wonderful big brother!
Our parents, siblings, and extended family live all over the country and the world – Minnesota, Georgia, Missouri, Costa Rica, and elsewhere. Even though they are spread out, we have very close relationships with them. We video chat with family almost every day, and we always have people to visit in fun places! They are all very excited to welcome another child to our family! They look forward to teaching your child about gardening, baking tasty treats, and speaking Spanish.
We were both raised in Christian homes and have dedicated our lives to following Jesus. We are involved in a diverse church that has lots of great programs for kids. We participate in a small group as well as attending weekly services.
We bought our large, spacious, 5-bedroom home recently as a “fixer-upper” and love working on projects to make it our own. One of the rooms is set up and ready to personalize for your child. We are located in a quiet, diverse neighborhood with great neighbors and lots of kids. Our home is close to trails, parks, and every kind of store we need. It is also located in a great school district! We highly value education and believe that true education goes beyond acquiring facts- it includes the development of one’s own character.
We promise to love your child unconditionally, to laugh with them, play with them, and read to them every day. We promise to teach them that it’s ok to make mistakes, how to empathize with others, and to show integrity in all they do. We will do everything we can to provide them with every opportunity to help them grow up to be a responsible, compassionate, godly person. We will encourage and support them to value education and to pursue whichever talents and dreams they desire.
We would love to keep an ongoing, open relationship with you (and your family, if you wish for that) and promise to share with your child their heritage and story. You will always be part of their life, and we want to honor you.
If you would like to learn more about us, please call or text Lifetime at 1.800.923.6784.
| Ethan | Kara | |
|---|---|---|
| Our Education | Bachelor's Degrees in Athletic Training and Kinesiology, Masters Degree in Kinesiology (Exercise Science) | Bachelor's Degree in International Relations & Spanish, Masters Degree in Literacy Education |
| Our Professions | Campus Recreation | 4th Grade Teacher |
| Stay-At-Home | No | No |
| Our Racial Background | African American | Caucasian |
| Some of Ethan & Kara's Favorites | ||
| Bible Verse: | Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear - not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple "Yes" or "No." Otherwise you will be condemned. James 5:12 | The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. Psalm 37:23-24 |
| Vacation: | Niagara Falls | Dominican Republic |
| Fictional Character: | Optimus Prime | Anne of Green Gables |
| Childhood Toy: | Stuffed Monkey named Happy Day | Dollhouse I made from popsicle sticks |
| Kids' Movie: | Mary Poppins | Beauty & the Beast |
| Hidden Talent: | Freestyle Rap | Creating things with no pattern |
| Home Renovation Show | Flipping 101 | Good Bones |
| More About Our Family | ||
| Our Typical Week | Monday to Friday are workdays for us, and we spend time as a family cooking, eating dinner, and playing together in the evenings. Ethan reads a Bible story to Ezra every day at dinner time. We video chat with someone from our family almost every evening. Our bedtime routine for Ezra includes lots of books, prayer, songs, hugs, and kisses. Weekends are used for chores (like grocery shopping and laundry), playtime (like walks, getting together with friends, and little local adventures), and church. We attend a small group through our church once a week, and Kara hosts a book club once a month with some neighbors. | |
| Our Future Goals & Dreams | Ethan would love to get his PhD in educational leadership, raise chickens and bees (that will have to be in a different neighborhood someday in the future!), and publish a book of some of his reflective writings. Kara would love to learn to read biblical Greek, paint our kitchen cabinets, and become more disciplined with things like exercise and cleaning. | |
| Some Events and Experiences That Shape Us | Ethan: grew up in a military family, has lived away from his immediate family since starting college, experienced 2 house fires and a car driving through his apartment, had a mentor in college that saw traits in him that led to his current profession and had countless opportunities to work toward goals with teammates (especially in sports, but also in work and with friends and family). Kara: lived in the exact same house until college, studied abroad in Guatemala, volunteered in urban Oakland, CA for a year, intentionally lived and worked in an urban setting for 8 years, took a risk on an unwanted job that turned out to be an exact fit for developing her as a leader. | |
| About Our Home | Our home is a large 5 bedroom house that we recently purchased as a "fixer-upper." We are grateful for the space and are enjoying learning about countless renovation and maintenance projects as we work to make it a welcoming space for family and friends. | |
| Our Son | Our son, Ezra, was adopted through Lifetime in 2018 and has brought so much joy into our lives. He loves cars and planes, doggies, running, and helping with everything Mommy and Daddy are doing! He has so much joy in him and we are excited to see him become a big brother and to see who he becomes as he grows up! | |
| Our Neighborhood | Our neighborhood is full of great neighbors with lots of kids, several parks, and walking trails. We live walking distance to our elementary school, and a few minutes' drive to all the stores. | |
| We Prefer a Child Who Is... | ||
| Age of Child | Birth to 3 months | |
| Twins | Yes | |
| Gender | Either | |
| Ethnicity of Child | African American or African American/Caucasian | |
| Future Contact with Birth Family | We are very open to working out the details with you for whatever level of ongoing contact you feel comfortable with - including social media, photos, texts, and multiple visits. You will be part of our family and we will seek to treat you that way! | |
| In Closing | ||
Thank you for taking the time to look at our profile! If you would like to learn more about us, please call or text Lifetime at 1-800-923-6784 |
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