Monday, September 7, 2009

To you

Dear Friends,

We can’t begin to imagine the enormity of this decision you are making. It is probably one that you never thought you would be faced with. You hold a spot near and dear to our hearts and our prayers go out to you. Thank you for taking the time to consider us. A baby is the most precious gift we could ever be given.

We love being parents. We have always wanted a big family, but the birth of our son Gavin was very difficult, and it would not be safe for us to have more children biologically. As both of us come from big families, we have always wanted to give our kids the gift of siblings. Our family does not yet feel complete. We have felt for some time that the Lord would bless us with another child through adoption. This may not be how we originally envisioned ourselves having our family, but something about it feels very right.

As parents, we promise to instill good values and morals. We love the Lord and will try to teach our children about all that He has done for us. We promise to nurture them and help them discover new things. We will also teach each of our children that he or she is loved and is of infinite worth. We promise to keep them safe and to share their story with them.

Thank you for considering us for the most sacred of all gifts- your child. After all, in the end, it’s all about love.

With love,
Ryan and Nicole

Our Story

Ryan and I met at church in 2002. We were friends for about the next year and a half. We then started dating in 2004 and were married almost a year to the day after our first date.
Over the next year, we spent time getting to know each other even better and bought our first house. Soon after we moved into our house, we got pregnant with our son Gavin! It was an extremely difficult pregnancy, but we luckily came through ok. Our son was born during the summer of 2007.
Now, we are ready to extend our family by bringing in a precious baby. Because we had such a hard pregnancy, we can not have any more children biologically. We all feel that our family is not complete and there is someone missing from it. We are so excited about the prospect of adopting- we have so much more love to share!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

A little about Ryan


I was born in Logan, Utah while my parents were finishing up school at Utah State University. At the age of 4 my 2 year old sister and I moved to Nevada. After we moved to Nevada, my parents later had two other children, another boy and girl. My sisters and brother have always enjoyed a close relationship and have always strived to help one another. I feel that that is what makes a family a family.

I am very fortunate to have my family nearby. At least once a month we spend time at my parent’s house with the rest of my family. My younger brother has a son about the same age as Gavin, and they enjoy spending time together. We play a lot of games over there, and most of our time there is spent laughing. I enjoy learning new things especially about how things work. As a kid, I would take his toys apart and put them together differently to make new ones. I am definitely an engineer at heart! I enjoy being able to show Gavin how things work too.

After High School I went on a mission for the LDS church for 2 years in Orlando, Fl. I loved the time that I spent there serving the Lord and have always looked at that time fondly as a time I learned of the limitless love our Father in Heaven has for each of his children.

After my mission in Florida I came home and went to school where I earned a degree in accounting. I have always enjoyed seeing how things work and consequently I work as a Mechanical 3D Designer for a Mechanical Contractor. It is a career I have always loved and excel at.

What Nicole says about Ryan

I knew Ryan was "the one" the first time I took him to meet my family. We had a bbq at my parent's house, and he took all my nephews outside to play softball with them. I knew he would be a wonderful father, and he has proven me right! Gavin has so much fun with him. He is also very excited about becoming a father again.

Ryan has such a sweet and sensitive spirit. He is a very caring and doting husband and father. He works hard to provide for our family, and makes sure that we have everything we need. He always knows how to make me smile, even after a hard day. He has a great sense of humor, a confident demeanor, and he truly is my soul mate.

A little about Gavin




Gavin is our two year old son. He is extremely smart, clever, and sweet. He has a great sense of humor and has recently discovered how to tell jokes. He LOVES animals and cars. He also likes to build with blocks. He always is wondering how things work and has an inquisitive mind. His imagination is always going! He loves to read stories, especially the Dinosaur series. We try to give him every opportunity to discover new things and to develop his own talents and abilities. Gavin also loves babies. He tells me he wants a baby a few times a week. He goes back and forth about whether he wants a sister or brother though! Which I guess is a good thing since it’s not up to him!

What Ryan says about Nicole

Nicole is one of the most motherly people I know. She does an amazing job at raising our son. When we were dating I knew that she had a very kind personality and wanted nothing more than for people to be comfortable and happy around her. She brings a wonderful spirit to our home and I know that our son is being raised in a place were he is loved and protected.

She is very honest to the point that if she noticed that the checker forgot to ring something up at the store, she would drive right back and pay for it before she felt comfortable enough to go about the rest of the day. She has accepted the opportunity to watch her newly born niece on Thursdays, when her mother heads off to work. It is acts like this, that remind me of how very kind she is to her family and all those around her.

She makes my heart skip a beat every time I see her when I come home from work. I am very blessed to have her in my life.

A little about Nicole


I am the youngest of five girls- I was in fact the fifth and final try for a boy. Needless to say, my parents didn't get their boy, or at least not until grandchildren came into the picture. I was born and raised in Nevada, and most of my family is still here.
Growing up, I was always a girly girl. I took dance lessons and ice skating. And did I mention, that I have always loved children. I in fact tried to start my own babysitters club when I was young with some friends. We actually got quite a bit of business! I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a mom, and that I wanted a big family. Families are the most important thing to me, and I strive to make it my top priority. I became an aunt at 5 and a half and the nephews- yes boys!!- and a couple of nieces kept coming. Including our son, the are now 7 boys and 2 girls that my parents can count as grandchildren.
I am very close to my parents, my sisters, and their kids. We get together almost every week and on holidays to let the kids play together, to spend time together ourselves, and to go swimming. My sisters are some of my best friends, and I want my children to grow up knowing the joy of a big family. Some of my favorite things to do include taking my son to story time, to the park, or swimming. I also like to read, take pictures, travel, and experience new things. Most of all I love being a mom. I cherish every moment of it. Well, almost every moment!
I work part time as an ultrasound technician. When I have to work, our son gets to play at my sister’s with his cousins. I love that he has a close relationship with his cousins, and he has a lots of fun with them! My family is very excited about the idea of a new baby, and my sister can’t wait to watch him/her.