We met the way a lot of modern couples do, through a dating app. Our first date was ice skating, and when we finished, we were having such a great time we kept the date going. After talking about how much we both loved Asian cuisine we found a Korean restaurant nearby. We ate, talked, and kept finding small reasons to stretch the day out. Next, we went to the mall, where Nicky asked Julia to skip across a small turtle pond (turtles being Nicky's favorite animal), and made jokes about the inflated prices of clothes in stores by guessing them like it was a game show.

On our second date, we went hiking at a local spot Nicky knew about. It was simple and relaxed but we both could tell something special was brewing between us. On our third date, Nicky took charge of planning, he put together a color-coded itinerary for a full day exploring LA. Julia was still new to the area, so he showed her around several neighborhoods, including Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, and Chinatown. Julia is constantly making decisions at work so just getting to be along for the adventure was extremely romantic in her eyes. In the next few months we spent more and more time together. Nicky introduced Julia to all his family in CA and we flew to Ohio to introduce Nicky to Julia's family. It wasn't long before we were engaged and then married to absolutely no one's surprise.

We have pretty different ideas of ways to relax. Julia loves staying active and tends to go stir-crazy if she sits still for too long. Some of her favorite activities include going for runs around the neighborhood and lifting weights with friends. She’s even completed a few ruck marches, (running 18 miles with a 25-pound backpack on her back)! When she’s not out and about, Julia enjoys as she puts it "old lady hobbies" like reading, doing puzzles, and working on arts and crafts.

Nicky is almost the complete opposite. He prefers relaxing indoors, enjoying video games, movies, and TV shows. He also has a large board game collection that he loves to play... (and getting others play too). Once a week, he meets up with his friends for Dungeons & Dragons or board game sessions.

Despite our differences, we share plenty of activities. We both enjoy hiking, watching musicals, attending concerts, and going out on the town to see the sights. We're also quiz night champions, Nicky shines in movie and pop culture trivia, while Julia dominates geography and political questions. When we're not out and about we love hosting BBQs and game nights for our friends and family.

We have two pets that Nicky brought into the relationship: Duggie and Gus. They couldn’t be more different, but they are best buddies.

Duggie is a Husky/German Shepherd mix. Nicky adopted him six years ago from the animal shelter when he was about a year old. He’s full of personality, he loves being the center of attention and can get pretty loud if he’s not! Kids adore him, and he adores them back. He’s also a big fan of people food and will do his best to convince anyone to share a bite. Whenever Julia does events for the airmen on base they always ask her to bring Duggie. He genuinely acts like every event is just for him, and of course he loves his older cat brother, Gus... Just not when Gus is getting more attention than him. Gus is a little more shy. Nicky also adopted him from a shelter, where he was found hiding in a wall at a grocery store. He tends to hide when we have company over, but in private, he’s a total sweetheart. He loves belly rubs and curling up at our feet, especially when it’s cold. Gus and Duggie are best friends and are constantly playing with each other. When Duggie goes outside Gus shows how much he misses his brother by siting at the door and meowing loudly until either Duggie comes back inside or Gus gets to go outside too.

We both have two older siblings, Julia is the youngest of three girls and Nicky is the youngest of three boys. Nicky grew up in a suburb in Western Australia before moving to the states at age eleven. Julia grew up on a farm in Ohio surrounded by dozens of cousins, aunts, and uncles. We love eating dinner as a family, when Nicky's parents lived nearby they and would be over at least once every two weeks for a BBQ or dinner.

Julia is in the Air Force so we are required to move frequently. We are currently living in California near Nicky's brother and sister-in-law but we'll likely settle down somewhere in the Midwest near the bulk of Julia's family. Growing up, Julia and her family used to make maple syrup, milk goats, and spin wool as fun family activities. Nicky had a bit more modern childhood and played various games with his brothers and the neighborhood kids.

Our family is incredibly supportive of our decision to adopt. When we told Julia's mom that we were going to adopt a child, she was so happy that she cried! Nicky's mum can't wait to have another grandchild and has already started knitting them a wardrobe. We plan on adopting a total of three children to give our children the joy of siblings that we had growing up and we can't wait to get our family started!

We live about a hour away from a major city in Southern California in a small home perfect sized for the two of us with room for a child. It has 3 bedrooms, one for us, another we use as Nicky's home office, and one that is going to be the nursery! Our Living room is spacious so that Nicky can enjoy his big screen TV playing his video games and torturing Julia with all his movies and shows she has never seen. Outside we have a large half acre yard with plenty of space for playing with our dog or hosting a BBQ. Most of our neighbors are retired and have lived in our neighborhood for a long time. They are all super friendly and ask us about our lives when we see them.

We have many outside spaces around us within walking distance where we frequently go. There is a large park just down the street from our home that hosts local youth sports. A local pool, skate park, and running track are connected to the park and you can always see children and families playing and enjoying the space. We also frequent a nearby lot where several food trucks create a sort of food court where we can eat all sorts of different cuisines. The military base Julia works at always has some sort of event going on for families where much fun can be had.

Thank you for considering us as adoptive parents for your child. We’re humbled by the strength and courage it takes for you to consider adoption. We understand how significant and emotional this decision is, and we are truly grateful that you’re taking the time to learn about us. We’re both excited and a little nervous about beginning this journey.

Although we haven’t met your child yet, we can promise that we will love them with our whole hearts. Adoption has always been an important part of Julia’s life, her father and all of his siblings were adopted. One of his sisters grew up never knowing she had siblings or who her birth parents were, and that experience deeply shaped how we view openness in adoption. Because of that, we would truly value having a close, ongoing relationship with you. We would love to share photos, emails, phone calls, and home visits so you can remain connected and watch your child grow up.

We have been married for two years and are excited to grow our family with a child. One of the things that excites us most about growing our family is knowing just how much love is waiting them.

They will have two grandmothers who are already planning to shower them with more quilts, knitted hats, and handmade treasures than they could ever possibly need. Crafting is their love language, and they’re eager to wrap this child in warmth, literally and figuratively.

They’ll also have two grandfathers ready with endless “mostly true” stories, plenty of life lessons, and an impressive amount of baseball trivia. Both of them take great joy in sharing knowledge and laughter, and our child will never be short on humor, history, or home-team loyalty.

Then there are the aunts and uncles. We have no shortage of friends and siblings who have openly declared it their mission to spoil this kid rotten. Whether it’s trips, toys, treats, or simply being the fun grown-ups who always say “yes,” they’re prepared to step fully into the role of enthusiastic, over-the-top supporters.

We can’t forget about Duggie and Gus. Duggie, our German Shepherd/Husky mix, is enthusiastic, dramatic, and convinced everyone he meets is his new best friend. Gus, our cat, enjoys cuddling and belly rubs and we have no doubt that they will both love your child as much as we will.

While this will be our first child, our family plan is to adopt three in total. It’s important to us that our kids grow up with siblings, sharing experiences, milestones, and those everyday moments that help form strong, lifelong bonds. We both come from families where we’re very close to our siblings, and we’d love for our children to grow up with that same sense of connection and support. On a practical note, we are well prepared for parenthood. We both have stable careers that provide consistent income, and strong benefits, ensuring that a child in our home will always have access to quality healthcare and a stable life.

While we both have full time careers now, we plan for Nicky to transition to part time and to be the stay-at-home dad while Julia will continue her career in the Air Force. Julia’s service means that travel and relocation will be a part of our family adventure, something we’re both excited to share with our future child.

Building a family through adoption has always been our first choice and it’s something that feels deeply right for us. Your child will be joining a family that will love, adore, and cherish them with all their hearts.

Much Love

Nicky & Julia