In 2016, as we were actively pursuing adoption to grow our family, we received a phone call that we had been matched with a baby boy. That phone call was the beginning of an amazing journey that allowed us to adopt our first child, Bentley. It also provided a new friendship with a very special woman that gave us our dream to raise children. We still have contact with Bentley's birth mom regularly, and are pleased to share in the joys of watching him grow. The opportunity to send her pictures and letters has allowed us to stay in contact and also provide awesome memories for Bentley someday. There are times when she provides us updates about her growing family that has allowed us to feel part of her family as well. Adoption is a common value that you can find weaved throughout both of our families. David is adopted himself and has been able to experience first hand a family built through adoption. David can relate to experiences and situations that Bentley and his future sibling may encounter. Adoption is comfortably spoken about in our household and Bentley is very proud to be adopted. Ashley has also experienced adoption through David, her cousin, and through the various families she interacts with on a daily basis through her work. The blessing that our family has experienced through adoption has allowed us to see that a family is more than just DNA. 

Ashley About David: David is truly one of a kind and I feel very blessed to have him as my husband, best friend, and father of our children. What I love about David most is his passion, love for God, and desire to help others. I love how he can light up a room with his humor and horrible dad jokes. I enjoy seeing how his students love him and respect him as not only a teacher but a friend too. It melts my heart to see the relationship that Bentley and David share. Watching the two of them play, wrestle around, and play sports together has been so special to watch. Life has thrown us a few curve balls and I admire how David has overcome these challenges with dignity and grace. Together, I know we can get through anything! I look forward to having him by my side as we embark on another journey together.

David About Ashley: Ashley is one of the most compassionate and empathetic individuals you will ever meet. I am blessed to have Ashley as my best friend, wife, and mother of our children. I admire her strong faith and her loyalty is second to none. She shows compassion and empathy to everyone around us. She is an amazing mother and the glue that keeps our family tight. I am excited to have this next journey together.

We tend to live a very active, busy, and fun lifestyle. It is not uncommon to see us running from school to soccer, flag football, baseball, or swimming lessons. Sports have always been a big part of our lives and we appreciate that our son is enjoying them, too.

Despite our busy lifestyle, we do take time to slow down, relax, and rest. In our leisure time, we enjoy having family movie nights, family game nights, and spending time just the three of us.

We also take time to live out our values of faith by attending and being active members in our church.

Taking a family trip once a year is something we highly value and look forward to every year.

Bentley is looking forward to having a sibling to goof around with, play with, and protect. We look forward to the new possibilities and life adventures that will come with expanding our family!

We live in a city that is a short distance away from many opportunities that a big city provides without the big city hassles.

We live about ten minutes away from beautiful Lake Michigan that provides a beach feeling in all four seasons. Our city has several nice parks, biking trails, and hiking spots. We are just a few minutes away from playgrounds, beaches, and places to picnic. A playground is just a few steps away from our house. Our house is very close to our community center which supports youth and adult athletic leagues as well as holiday and community events. It is a quick five-minute drive to the private Christian school that David teaches at and our son also attends. Within 30 minutes there is good shopping facilities, restaurants, music festivals, theater, and athletic competitions.

Our house is located on a very quiet and safe street. We live in a spacious three bedroom home with a huge fenced in backyard where we envision our future child playing and making many memories. Our basement is home to many toys, basketball hoops, soccer goals, and fun memories to be made in the winter months.

Our neighborhood is a mix of families from different cultures, backgrounds, and ages. It includes families with children and younger adults just beginning their married life. We have become very close to our neighbors and we all look out for one another. We feel blessed to live here.

We feel very blessed to share close relationships with our families.

We live within a couple of hours of most of our family on both sides. We do have some family in sunny Florida that give us an opportunity to warm up once in a while.

Being close to family has allowed our family members to play a significant role in our lives. Some of our greatest memories are playing cards, family football games after Thanksgiving dinner and volleyball at the 4th of July family picnics.

In addition to having family close by, we have a number of friends that feel like family as well. Having so many people play a critical role in our lives has allowed us to feel very supported on this new adventure.

Our family and friends are very excited about the opportunity we have to grow our family. Our children will be able to feel the love of family, friends, and participate in many experiences that make our family what it is today.

We are honored that you're taking the time to learn more about us and our desire to grow our family. We cannot begin to imagine what you're going through and the challenges you may be experiencing. It takes someone very special, loving, and selfless to make someone else's dreams of having a family come true. We will forever respect you for your selfless act.

As your child's parents, we promise to provide him or her with the best opportunities possible. Your child will be made aware of their adoption story, as you will always hold a special place in our hearts. There is no greater gift in life than to love and raise a child and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts, for considering us to parent your child. We hope our profile can help ease your mind and answer any questions you may have.

Our names are David, Ashley, and Bentley. David is a middle school math teacher and dean of students at a private Christian school. Ashley is a school-based mental health therapist. Bentley is seven-years-old and is currently in first grade. Although we love our jobs, we know that family is more valuable and has been a core value in our lives. One of our traditions is keeping Saturday a family day where we spend time together the three of us or with extended family and friends. We approach life as a team and are fully committed to each other. We value our faith and are active members in our church. It is our hope to share this tradition with your child.

We met 14 years ago and have been married for almost 11 years. Both of us were originally born in Wisconsin, but it took each of us a move to Florida in order to meet. Since the beginning of our relationship, we have always known that we wanted to become parents, so it was never a matter of if, but rather when we would have children. We always knew that if we were not able to have a biological child, adoption would be an option we would love to pursue. Adoption has always held a special place in our hearts and has touched our lives in various ways.

Like many couples, we struggled with infertility for a couple years. We know that God has a different plan for our lives and we firmly believe we were meant to be adoptive parents. Although we never expected to go through infertility, we feel blessed to know that those difficult days brought us closer and proved our marriage to be even stronger.

We have been preparing for this second adoption journey and we are so excited to welcome both you and this child into our family. Bentley is very excited about the potential of a sibling and has stated it doesn't matter if it's a brother or a sister. We know he is going to be a very kind and compassionate big brother. Our extended family and friends are also eager to get to know this little person and share with them our values of God, love, and family. We feel our compassion, nurturing atmosphere, and enthusiasm to be parents again, will be an advantage as we continue on this life long journey. We would gladly provide you updates through letters and pictures (if you desire them) so that you can see how your child is growing.

Thank you for reading our letter and considering us as parents for your child. We pray that God will give you peace and clarity as you make this difficult decision. We would like to leave you with a quote that we found. We feel it speaks to both of us in these special circumstances:

"I was chosen, by my parents that gave me life and by my parents that gave me the tools to live it. I went from wanted to wanted. From cherished to cherished. I grew in the hearts of many. I was the missing piece in grafting families together in unity. I went from loving arms to loving arms, I was adopted!" - Jammie Elkins.

Sincerely,

David & Ashley