Adoption has profoundly impacted both of our lives. Kelsey's parents adopted her when she was an infant in the early 1990s, during a time when most adoptions were closed. Although her parents discussed her adoption with her early and regularly, she frequently had questions they couldn't answer. In the 1930s, Joe's great-grandparents adopted his grandma as an infant. Like Kelsey, her adoption was closed, and she grew up not knowing her biological family.

Because of our experiences, we understand the joys and challenges adoption brings for adoptees, adoptive parents, and biological parents. We are immensely grateful that open adoptions are now common, and we are excited to help our child build and maintain a relationship with their biological family. We plan to regularly discuss our child's adoption with them and honestly answer their questions. We will expose them to adoption stories through books, shows, and people, and we hope to display framed pictures of their biological family in their room and throughout our home. We hope this openness will allow our child to have a strong sense of self and a strong relationship with their biological family.

Kelsey's eight years in the classroom have made her adept at forming meaningful relationships with children of all ages. She connects easily with people from diverse backgrounds, and makes them feel heard and valued. As a mentor, her compassion, patience, and understanding foster deep trust, ensuring children know she is always in their corner. Kelsey excels at helping kids build confidence and is eager to be the biggest cheerleader for our future child. Her empathy and ability to find positivity in any situation have been invaluable to Joe and many others.

Joe approaches everything with unwavering passion. Whether he is pursuing his own passions or supporting others, he always gives one hundred percent effort and enthusiasm. His excitement for others' interests, no matter how unique, is contagious. This is partly because Joe is unfailing kind. He's made a habit of rescuing animals in distress and caring for family members–sometimes several at a time!--as they recover from illness and surgeries. Joe is committed to making the world a better place and looks forward to instilling this same passion for life in our future child.

Let's be honest: Nebraska (and the Midwest generally) is not exactly known for its diversity. But diversity—of thoughts, experiences, and people—is something we value deeply. After college, we made an intentional decision to live in one of our state's most diverse cities. Today, we feel fortunate to work for companies that prioritize and value diversity, attend a church that welcomes congregants from around the world, and travel to diverse places.

We are excited to help our future child embrace their cultural heritage. We look forward to exploring their background by reading books, cooking traditional meals, and visiting places significant to their roots. Our goal is to ensure they feel a strong sense of pride and connection to their culture.

We also understand that being part of a multicultural family means continuous learning and growth. We are committed to seeking out resources, participating in cultural events, and building a supportive community that reflects and celebrates our child's heritage. We believe that by honoring and integrating their culture into our daily lives, we will help them develop a deep sense of identity and belonging.

Our hope is to create an environment where our child feels valued and respected for who they are. We want them to know that their unique background is a cherished part of our family's story and that their culture enriches all of our lives.

We feel incredibly fortunate to live in one of Nebraska's most diverse cities and love taking advantage of all it offers. We both participated in band and theater in high school, and our city's rich fine arts community allows us to continue engaging with these passions. Our local university has an outstanding fine arts college which sponsors events year-round, which we love to attend. In the past few years, we've seen traveling Broadway productions of Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, and Aladdin, as well as world-class orchestra concerts and comedy shows.

Our home, built in 2020, is about fifteen minutes from downtown in a newer development. When we built our home, we intentionally created warm and inviting spaces perfect for hosting Joe's family at Christmas and our friends for Friendsgiving. With five bedrooms, our home provides ample space for our future child to have their own room, while also creating space for grandparents and other family members to stay during extended visits.

Our neighborhood is quiet and family-friendly. It's common to see kids playing basketball, soccer, and riding bikes up and down the street. One of the city's best elementary schools is within walking distance, and a park is located right next to the school. We're excited to share our home and our city with our child.

Kelsey's parents, both former elementary school teachers, have been dreaming of showering a grandchild with love and picture books since before we got married. Kelsey's brother, a die-hard Nebraska football fan, is eager to share his passion with his future niece or nephew.

Joe's parents are equally thrilled to welcome their first grandchild. Joe's mom, who loves to draw, is excited to share her artistic talents with her future grandchild. Joe's dad, who is incredibly handy, looks forward to helping us create a one-of-a-kind nursery.

We love that Joe's sister and brother-in-law live nearby. Because they live so close, we are able to see them frequently, and we enjoy getting together for dinner, movies, and fun game nights.

We love that our close proximity allows us to spend every holiday with both of our families. Kelsey loves spending Christmas Eve eating chili with her family before going to midnight mass, and Joe loves spending Christmas Day with his large extended family, eating prime rib and playing card games.

The decisions you are facing right now are among the most challenging you will ever have to make. While we can't fully comprehend the struggles you are enduring, please know that we wish the very best for you, your child, and all your loved ones. If you choose adoption, it would be an honor for us to provide a loving home for your child.

Adoption is deeply personal for us. Kelsey was adopted at birth, as was Joe's grandma. Before our marriage-nearly ten years ago!-we discussed how we envisioned growing our family and knew adoption would be part of our journey.

Kelsey's birth family chose a closed adoption. While she respects her biological parents' decision-which was more common when she was born-she also mourns the relationships she was unable to develop with her biological family. Because of Kelsey's experiences as an adoptee, we hope to establish an open relationship with you, based on your own level of comfort. We would cherish the opportunity to exchange letters, emails, and phone calls on a schedule that suits you, allowing you to stay connected with your child as they grow, and allowing them the opportunity to know you. If you are open to visits, we would be delighted to plan annual or bi-annual in-person visits. We understand that communication may vary and that our communication styles might differ, but we are committed to navigating any challenges that arise because we believe a relationship with you is in the best interest of the child.

Family traditions hold a special place in our hearts. Kelsey loves spending Christmas Eve with her family before attending midnight mass, while Joe fondly remembers trips to the lake with his extended family. We look forward to creating new traditions with our child, such as an annual trip to the bookstore on New Year's Eve to ring in the new year with a new book. We are also excited to share our love of travel, and we can't wait to develop new family traditions around our annual trips. But more importantly, we are committed to honoring and incorporating any cultural or religious traditions important to you into the life of the child.

Our day-to-day life is fairly quiet. We enjoy going on walks around our neighborhood with our dog, Ginny-the current main character of our house-, curling up under a pile of blankets to watch movies together, and reading books in front of the fire on cold winter days. We look forward to sharing these simple joys with a child.

We have known each other for nearly half our lives. Our relationship is a true partnership where responsibility is shared equally, disagreements are addressed promptly and civilly, and joy is present daily. Raising a child comes with its own set of challenges, but we are prepared to face them together.

We believe that every child has a unique personality and passions. Our role as parents is to nurture these traits, not to mold a child into our own desires. While we hope they will love dogs, seek adventures, and always treat others with empathy and kindness, we are also dedicated to providing a structured, supportive, and stable environment where our child can explore their own unique passions and grow into their best self.

Joe & Kelsey