Tarsha loves to read. Her favorite books are computer software related, fiction, and Christian books. She enjoys taking classes to learn new skills and enrich her life. Tarsha enjoys staying healthy by exercising, taking boxing lessons, and going for a morning or evening jog around the neighborhood. Additionally, she loves putting together jigsaw puzzles, cooking, playing with and reading to her son, and spending time with family.

Donnie is his happiest when he is out in nature. His enjoyment of shopping at the farmer's market to his love for outdoor activities, comes from his Arkansas roots. He also likes to stay busy working on projects in and around the house, grilling, reading about history and current events, working out, keeping up with various sports, and playing Legos with his son.

Some of our favorite things to do as a family are bowling, playing miniature golf, going to indoor and outdoor playgrounds, playing games such as Jenga and Connect 4, going to amusement parks and carnivals, travelling and sightseeing, hiking, and spending time with each other, extended family, and/or friends. 

Adoption has positively affected Donnie and his mother in a tremendous way. In fact, had it not been for Donnie's mother being adopted, Donnie may not be in the position to adopt today. Donnie's maternal grandmother chose adoption as a way for his mother, Laura, to have opportunities outside of the impoverished Cheyenne-Arapaho Indian community that she originally lived in. As a result of adoption, Donnie's mother was raised in a loving home with a strong support system, from her adoptive parents and extended family, who were supportive in helping her later connect with her biological family. Donnie also benefited from adoption by receiving opportunities and experiencing stability that he may not have had otherwise. This blessing has not been taken lightly.

In 2018, we used adoption as a way to expand their family and it was the best decision they’ve ever made. We adopted a newborn son, Tyler, and he is a blessing to the family. We dream of using the opportunity to use adoption to expand our family again.

Donnie About Tarsha:

Tarsha About Donnie:

Donnie is a caring person; what I love about him is the little things he does that make me feel special. He is my biggest fan and supporter. When I decided that I wanted to run in my first race, he trained with me every day. He is also an extraordinary father. When we were dating, one of the things that made me fall in love with him was seeing how great he is with his two children from a previous marriage. To date, he is still an amazing dad to my step kids and our son. He is so patient, loving, and kind to them.

Family and friends are tremendously important to us and are a large part of our life. We can count on them for anything. Between the two of us, we have a very large and diverse extended family. While most of Donnie's family lives farther away (Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Georgia), Tarsha's relatives are located a few hours away in southern Virginia with several living only minutes away. In addition, many of Donnie's lifelong military friends are located nearby. Locally, we regularly visit or host our friends and family during weekend cookouts, to watch sporting events, or other gatherings.

We typically visit our family in southern Virginia on holidays or other special occasions such as New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays. All of these holidays typically involve a large meal at Tarsha's Aunt Vickie's house where everyone gathers for a day of laughter, children running around playing, and adults catching up. On Easter, Aunt Vickie organizes an Easter egg hunt for the family's kids. Also, we occasionally visit southern Virginia during the weekends to partake in the family's weekly tradition of board game night and family dinner. We believe that spending time with family and friends is instrumental to living life to the fullest. Our friends and family are very excited about the prospect of adding a new child to all of our lives and incorporating them into our family traditions.

We live in a beautiful three-level home that consists of four bedrooms, three and a half baths, and a fully finished basement. Our home is in close proximity to parks/playgrounds, a pool, walking trails, a movie theater, tennis courts, soccer fields, recreational center, and multiple kid friendly restaurants. It is a wonderful community that is located right outside of Washington, D.C. So we are just a short ride away from all the culture the nation's capital has to offer with museums, monuments, and cultural centers. Many of the small towns in our area host family-friendly events such as Friday night live concerts, Fourth of July celebrations, and annual carnivals & festivals. Our neighborhood has an interesting mix of middle-aged to young couples, children of all ages, and an assortment of ethnicities and races. We love the diversity and can't imagine living anywhere else. With the excitement of D.C. all around us, our little community is the best of both worlds: suburban friendliness and big city fun.

Hello! Thank you so much for reading our family profile! As we create this profile our hearts are pounding with excitement and emotion, mostly because we are so grateful that you have chosen to give your child life. We are humbled by your selfless attitude and the sacrificial decision you are making on behalf of your child. Our lives will forever change in an amazing way if we are chosen to be your child's adoptive parents.

We have been married for ten years and our outlook on life is simple. We consider life a beautiful and precious gift, cherishing every moment with each other, our family, and friends. Our shared passion for travel, sightseeing, and nature has taken us to various places, including Santa Monica beach in California, Cloud Gate and the Navy Pier in Chicago, Gettysburg and Valley Forge battlefields, the Liberty Bell, and LOVE Park in Pennsylvania, the Antietam National Battlefield and Assateague Island in Maryland, the Alamo and Lady Bird Lake in Texas, the Louisville Slugger Museum in Kentucky, and El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, among others.

We are Christians with a strong belief in God. We try to live our lives to be good to others and appreciate all that we have and do. Our goal is to raise your child to always feel loved, nurtured, respected, and appreciated. For him or her to know God, through their eyes and their heart, and to know that they are always loved.

Presently, we are the parents of three children. Donnie has two wonderful kids, Nathan (21 years old) and Laina (16 years old), from a previous marriage, and they reside in Georgia. Together, we embrace our 5-year-old, Tyler, who became part of our family as a newborn through adoption. We feel immensely blessed to have had the opportunity to grow our family through adoption five years ago and hope for the chance to experience that blessing once more.

As children, we were fortunate to be part of a loving home where family came first. Our families nurtured us, challenged us to grow, encouraged learning and education, and taught us values and morals. Through their love and guidance, they allowed us to grow into the people we are today. Similarly, we aspire to provide these gifts to your child, guiding them to discover their talents, use those gifts to uplift their generation, and grow into the person they are destined to become.

From the day that your child is first placed in our arms we promise to:

• Love, love, and love your child unconditionally
• Fill their life with loving and supportive family and friends
• Provide a warm, happy, and secure home environment for them to grow and learn
• Provide a quality education and support the discovery of their unique talents
• Encourage them to follow their dreams, whatever those may be
• Teach them to be kind and have compassion for others
• Build their foundation on faith in God and Christian values
• Share the story of your courageous decision and the special way we became a family

Should you be open to it, we also commit to regular communication through phone calls, emails/letters, and photos, allowing you to stay connected with your child and be informed about their life.

Whatever you decide, may you find peace in making the right decision for you and your child.

Donald & Tarsha