Adopting our son Nolan when he was a baby has brought us immense happiness. We love seeing the world through his eyes and are constantly amazed by the changes he goes through and the things that he learns. We've enjoyed getting to know Nolan's parents and are extremely grateful that they have entrusted us with his care. It has been very fun to share his growth with his first family and we look forward to having that experience again. We've always been open with him about his own adoption story, and he is particularly excited that we are adopting again!

Even before we adopted Nolan, the concept of adoption was a part of our lives. Kevin's mother remarried when he was around 9 years old and while Kevin was reluctant at first, he came to realize that his step dad taught him invaluable lessons about life, family, respect, and what it really meant to be a father. Kevin eventually took his last name despite never completing a legal adoption, as he ultimately became Kevin's father in every way that mattered. Kevin was led to understand what it is to embrace what a family is beyond biology, and how rewarding it can be.

Nicki About Kevin: Kevin is a very genuine person and one of the smartest people I know. He learns everything he can about a topic when he is passionate about it. People are drawn to him because of his dry wit, his charm and his honesty. He cares deeply about his friends and family and will always be there in times of need. He has an amazing ear for music and is also a great public speaker. When he was asked to officiate a friend's wedding, all of these qualities were showcased when, per the bride's request, he even conducted half of the ceremony in an Elvis wig! All of these qualities make him an awesome father and I love watching him interact with our son, Nolan.

Kevin About Nicki: I love how Nicki regards life. She is a free-spirit, fearless in her curiosity and desire to see the world, and cares endlessly for her friends and family. She is constantly thinking to send gifts and cards to our friends, or simply sending a text to let them know she's thinking of them. I admire her quiet strength, and how she can push us both through whatever stress comes from the day and just start to dance. She loves to smile, be goofy, and have a good time. She is one of the hardest workers I have ever known, and enjoys trying new things. She has a kind, and nurturing soul - showing love and care for her friends, family, nature, and animals alike. Nicki is a wonderful mother; mixing her fierce spirit and gentle nature.

We love to travel and have been to many wondrous and interesting places. Our most recent adventure was a week-long trip to Belize with Kevin's parents. We loved seeing how excited Nolan was to get a passport and spend hours swimming or taking in the sites. When Nolan was 2 years old, we took a camping trip through 3 states, ultimately to scout out our future landing place. We loved seeing how much our son enjoyed sleeping in the tent and discovering new places. Before Nolan was born, we traveled every year and now enjoy exploring with him by piling into a car or camper and finding fun, family-friendly destinations, near or far.

We also enjoy getting together with our friends to try out new activities (such as glass fusion!) and to eat tasty food. We live in a beautiful area with great hiking and love exploring, berry picking or picnicking along the trail. When we aren't traveling, hanging out with friends, or hiking, we are working on our yard projects, rocking out on our musical instruments, or taking Nolan to the playground. Lately, Nolan has taken an interest in creating new things, leading to an increase in sewing with Mom and 3D Printing with Dad. We love to share all of these hobbies and are excited to see which hobbies our little ones will enjoy!

We have recently renovated and moved into a new house on the edge of 6 wooded acres with a view of the mountains. There is plenty of space in the four bedrooms and living areas, including a large playroom. We love to play outside on the play structure and explore the grounds of our very private property.

Most of our neighbors have young children and during the summer they are all out riding bikes in the very quiet/safe street. Our son currently attends public kindergarten with an extremely dedicated staff and really enjoys it! Previously, he attended a Cooperative preschool in which Nicki served on the board. We've become friends with his classmate's families and often have play-dates outside of school. We are within an hour's drive of the ocean where we can check out tidepools, etc. and within a short drive of many hiking trails and scenic parks.

The city we live in is very family friendly and often has community events in the small downtown. There are also several farms nearby that offer fruit picking, hayrides, craft fairs, etc and a few great playgrounds for young children that are well-kept and overlook the nearby lake. The high school offers swimming lessons at their large pool, there are multiple clubs (YMCA, Boys and Girls) that offer sports and several children's museums nearby.

We are very lucky to have supporting caring families whom we are both very close with. Although we live a couple of states away, we see our parents a few times a year and our son Nolan video chats with his grandparents almost daily. They are always happy to talk to him! Both of our extended families get along well, which sometimes leads to large, joint events.

Nicki's parents and brother and his family live on and operate a beautiful cattle ranch in the mountains. It is a common destination for both of our extended families. We love visiting them, hiking to the remote mountain lakes and helping with farm chores. Nicki and her cousins were very close growing up and had many fun, muddy adventures playing in the fields. Nolan and his twin cousins are already enjoying the same raucous exploits!

Kevin's parents are a quick, easy flight away and often come up to visit and play with their grandson. They love a good meal, lively conversation, and have always been supportive of our family. Kevin's older sister and her family of 5 live a few states away, but it's always a celebration when we can see them.

We are fortunate to consider our closest friends "family" too, and our son calls them his aunties and uncles. He loves to give them big hugs when he sees them and in turn they enjoy showering him with gifts.

We feel incredibly lucky and honored that you would consider us to raise your child. We know that we will love them from the moment we set eyes on them. We care deeply about our family and friends and have so much love to give to another child. We have loved being parents to our son Nolan and we can't wait for that wonderful day when we become parents a second time over. Nolan would make for a phenomenal brother.

We have been together for over 17 years now, married for over 13 of those and parents for more than 5 fun-filled years. During our time together we have created a mountain of cherished moments from around the world, and overcome a host of life's challenges. We are genuine people who aren't afraid to be goofballs, with a relationship grounded in honesty, openness and above all, love. We believe in learning about, and trying new things; allowing ourselves to fail in the process. We believe in friends, family, and the often blurred line between them. We believe in fun, in music, and the quiet moments in between. We believe in "moderation in all things, even moderation."

We can create delicious meals, music, and memories together -- but we cannot create children of our own. As we came to terms with our circumstances together, we found hope in the thought of adoption. Adoption has already played a large part in the formation of both of our families, and we are proud for it to do so with ours. We cannot begin to imagine what it is you might be thinking or feeling right now - but maybe, in some way, different paths have brought us both to the same place. We recognize that this moment is a turning point in both of our lives, and we are happy you are considering us to share in it.

A second child in our home would mean the world to us. We would do everything possible to provide them a safe and joyous home. We look forward to seeing our children play together, learn from each other and form an unbreakable bond. We are excited to bring them to the family ranch, to enjoy nature and meet the newborn calves. We will allow them the opportunities to learn about the world in all sorts of ways, whether it be a part of their schooling, our next family trip, or science experiments in the kitchen. We are just as excited to welcome them into our lives, as we are to meet who they become. Their talents, interests, dislikes, quirks -- every little thing that defines and shapes who they are. Should you choose us, and if you so desire, we would enjoy sharing those things with you as well; through letters, emails, and photos. It will be important to us that they know who you are, and understand the powerful circumstances that brought them into our lives.

Our writing this and you reading it is proof that we really have no idea where our lives may take us. So while we can't promise you that your child will be the most funny, charming, popular, and intelligent kid in school - we can promise you this; they will be all those things to us. And for as long as they are willing to hear it, this child will be told that they are special, they are loved, and that they have a safe place with us. With every effort that we have to give, we will do our best to show and provide them a world in which they can thrive. There will be falls. There will be cuts, bruises, and bumps of all different kinds; on all sides. Through those experiences though, we will rise, we will heal, we will learn, and we will write our story - together.

With our best,

Kevin & Nicki