We were blessed to have our daughter, Alayna, without fertility issues. When Alayna turned two we decided to have another child, however that was not God's plan for us. After months of trying we sought medical help. Tests were ran but no answers were found. Joy was placed on medication to enhance fertility. A pregnancy occurred but the baby was quickly miscarried. Our hearts and dreams were broken. After taking the medication the maximum length recommended, we decided to take a break and investigate our options. That's when we started investigating adoption.

For several months we pondered and prayed for guidance. One day our daughter, Alayna, told Joy that she wanted a brother and a sister. Joy explained that we were trying to have a baby but that God hadn't sent one to us. Alayna got very sad and so Joy explained what adoption is. Alayna's face brightened and she said, "That's how we're going to get them." A few days later Alayna said, "Mommy did you hear my prayer? I prayed for the boy or girl to come live with us." That's when we knew that Alayna was ready for adoption and we needed to find out if it was right for us. We feel as though our prayers have been answered and that adoption is how we are supposed to expand our family.

The majority of our leisure time is spent together as a family. We enjoy playing games, doing arts and crafts, swimming, visiting with family, dining out, playing at the park, watching movies, and going on walks or hikes. We try to give our daughter new experiences. We've recently taken her to an aquarium, arcade, bounce-house, and bowling.

When we spend time together as a couple we enjoy going to a comedy theater where we have season tickets. We also love to travel, especially internationally. It gives us an opportunity to see new places and experience new cultures. We've recently began taking our daughter with us on vacation. She's been able to experience Las Vegas and Capital Reef National Park.

Nick loves playing a wide variety of video games. Some of his favorites are strategy and puzzle solving games. Nick enjoys repairing computers and fixing things around the house. He also likes to read action and fantasy books.

Joy enjoys developing her musical talents. She plays the piano and sings in the church choir. She desires to help her children develop these talents also. Joy loves bringing smiles to her neighbor's faces by baking cookies and sharing them. She hopes to teach her children the importance of service.

We have two major priorities in our life, our family and our religion. Everything revolves around our family. When faced with making a decision we always ask the question, "What is best for our family?" One example of how we've placed our family first is how we've arranged our work schedules so that Alayna is always with a parent. Nick starts work early in the morning so that he can be finished by the time that Joy leaves for work. Nick's mother loves to watch Alayna while Nick and Joy have a date night which means Alayna is rarely left with a babysitter. We try to make it a priority to visit our extended families on a regular basis. In order to keep up-to-date with our extended families lives, we call our parents weekly and rotate calling our siblings.

We attempt to follow the example of Jesus Christ in our daily lives by applying principles he taught such as love, honesty, hard work, charity, and service. We are actively involved in a Christian church that teaches these principles. We attend church weekly and are involved in regularly scheduled activities. We love reading the scriptures together as a family and having discussions about them. Prayer is an important part of our lives and we try to teach our daughter the importance of it.

We live in the beautiful state of Utah. The unique geography allows for a wide variety of individual and family activities. Our family particularly enjoys hiking, sledding, boating, and swimming. We recently visited Capital Reef National Park where we were able to experience the breathtaking beauty of the red rock formations. Alayna was excited to have her first experience in a hotel.

The neighborhood that we live in is nestled conveniently between ten playgrounds or parks. We especially enjoy going to the splash pad or swimming pool to play on hot summer days. There is also a nearby walking path we enjoy going to as a family on Sunday afternoons. Our community has a wide variety of restaurants in which to dine. On a weekly basis we take turns choosing where to have a family dining out experience.

Our home has a large backyard where we love to spend time together. During the summer months we enjoy having barbecues, running through the sprinklers, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and helping Alayna learn how to ride her bike. Making snowmen and snow angels is always fun during the winter. The basement of our home has a large recreation room where we have a theater area, pool table, and foosball table. We designed the basement layout in order to facilitate family gatherings and spending time together.

We love to spend time with our extended family whenever we have the opportunity. Nick's entire family lives within an hour drive so we see them regularly. We enjoy sitting around talking and playing games during our visits. Waffles for Sunday dinner is a tradition for Nick's family. Nick's parents own a cabin at a nearby lake where we also like to gather as a family. At the cabin we enjoy boating, swimming, barbecues, playing games, and watching movies together.

Joy's family is spread out so it's difficult to get together. We stay connected through frequent phone calls and by having family zoom meetings. The whole family attempts to get together every two years for a reunion. Joy's parents live two hours away, so we visit them regularly. We also enjoy traveling with Joy's sister yearly.

We take turns spending Christmas and Thanksgiving with each of our families. Holidays make for fun times and good food. Eating cinnamon rolls for breakfast and pie with lunch and dinner is a holiday tradition with Joy's family.

Both of our families are very supportive of us adopting. Most of all they're excited to have another member of the family!

Thank you for considering us as potential parents for your child. We've prayed about how to expand our family and are eager to walk the path of adoption. We know this is a difficult and painful journey for you, and we are truly blessed by your courage.

We met on an internet dating site. After meeting in person, we developed a friendship that blossomed into love. We dated for two years before we decided to get married. During that time we had the opportunity to see each other's strengths and weaknesses. We've been married for seven years and are proud to call each other our best friends.

Throughout our marriage we have loved travelling the world! We love to see new places, learn about their history, and experience their culture. The world truly has many beauties whether you find it in architecture, the scenery around you, or in individuals. One reason why we enjoy travelling is because it helps us to be more understanding of others and appreciative of the blessings we have in our lives.

Five years ago God gave us our greatest blessing, our daughter Alayna. She has brought tremendous happiness into our lives. Faith in God, our family, and what is best for our family are our top priorities in life. We feel it is very important for Alayna to be home with us instead of in daycare. We've arranged our work schedules so that she is always in our care. We feel that one on one time with her parents provides Alayna with more love, teaching moments, attention, and protection than if she were in daycare. We plan on continuing this schedule for your child so that they can receive these same benefits.

Three years ago we decided to have another child, but that was not God's plan for us. We felt like our prayers were telling us to expand our family, but biologically it wasn't happening. One day our daughter, Alayna, told Joy that she wanted a brother and a sister. Joy explained that we were trying to have a baby but that God hadn't sent one to us. Alayna got very sad and so Joy explained what adoption is. Alayna's face brightened and she said, "That's how we're going to get them." A few days later Alayna said, "Mommy did you hear my prayer? I prayed for the boy or girl to come live with us." That's when we knew that Alayna was ready for adoption and we needed to find out if it was right for us. After much prayer we feel as though we have been led to walk the path of adoption. We would welcome your child into our home with loving arms, feeling as though we have been brought together by God.

We feel as though our adoption journey does not only include your child, it also includes you. We would like you to be involved as much as you desire. Always know that you will be spoken highly of in our home. We think email, pictures, and phone calls are excellent ways to keep in touch. We'd also be willing to come see you occasionally as the child grows up, if you desire.

Thank you for considering us as potential parents for your child. We know that your decision takes great courage, love, and selflessness. We will pray that you might be guided through your adoption journey.

Nick & Joy