Paul and Ashlee

First of all, you are such a good mom! You are doing exactly what every child needs, but not every parent does. You are putting the needs of your child above your own needs and doing what is best for your little one.

We are proud of you and know that God has wonderful plans for your child. We’ve been praying for you for a long time and hope you know that God loves you very much. We believe that God has his hands on this and that He knows what is best for all of us involved.

As a couple we look forward to knowing who you are, what’s important to you, what you like to do with your time, who is important to you in your life, how we can pray for you, and what is most important to you during this adoption process. We feel excited that God has called us to grow our family through adoption. We are looking forward to a new child to love and watch grow.

The Story of Us

Ashlee and I met in the library at our college. We met, started dating, became engaged, and got married all within two years! We feel that God brought us together and sustained us in the last 17 years of marriage. What first attracted me to Ashlee was just how nice she was to talk to, to be around, and how silly and fun she can be. I knew that I wanted to marry Paul when I saw how much he desired to love and serve others. He is always willing to lend a hand. I love his positive attitude and his giving spirit.

Hi, I’m Paul.

I enjoy getting up early in the morning to work out and do my devotional. I don’t watch a lot of TV, but when I do I enjoy old dramas that I used to watch with my grandpa. I have a very outgoing personality and draw energy from being around others. I’m not the most athletically talented person, but I am competitive and enjoy running races. I switched positions at work three years ago to a new position that would allow me to spend more time with my family. It is so important for a dad to be present and I want to be there for my kids.

Dear Expectant Mother, Ashlee and I feel nothing but respect and admiration for a woman who is considering adoption. We can only imagine how heavy your heart must feel while you are weighing all your options. We believe that a woman who chooses to make an adoption plan for her child must feel such incredible and strong love for her baby, to consider such a difficult choice. We want you to know that we plan to talk about adoption from the very beginning with our child. We want to honor our child’s story. We plan to keep a picture of his/her biological parent(s) in their bedroom and pray for them each night at bedtime. We have two friends who have adopted children that we will go to for advice. We are also eager to learn from books such as Kevin Hoffmann’s Growing Up Black in White. Ashlee and I are excited to adopt. We believe that this is God’s plan for our family. We are looking forward to meeting you and hearing what is important to you for your child and this process.

Hi, I’m Ashlee.

I’m a quiet introvert whose favorite thing is a good book. I also enjoy baking, both by myself and with the kids. I am highly organized and enjoy having a clean house. I like to declutter! One of my favorite things to do is check out new places. I love to try new restaurants, museums, and historical landmarks. I like to go hiking and especially enjoy trails near rivers and creeks. I used to teach special education before I became a stay-at-home mom. I plan on going back to work after all the kids are in school.

Meet Our Family

George is eight years old. He is a sweet and sensitive boy. He likes to play outside: digging in mud, looking for bugs, and climbing trees. He is very social and loves to play with everyone. He is the life of the party kind of guy. John is six years old. He is a shy and quiet boy. He loves to play Legos and ride his scooter as fast as possible. He also likes to make “crafts” out of construction paper and glue. He is very sweet and gentle. Annelise is three years old. She has such a fun and happy personality. She loves bubbles, playing on the swing set in the backyard, and playing with her doctor kit. Annelise is almost always singing or humming as she goes about her day.

Meet Our Extended Family

Paul’s parents live local to us and are a very present part of our weekly life. They come over for dinner, join us at the park, and often just stop by to drop off homemade cookies for the kids. They are always up for a fun adventure like sledding together or joint vacations. They have a strong faith in Jesus and have been influential in our spiritual growth. They are great examples of perseverance to overcome challenges.

Ashlee’s Dad lives here locally too. He has been recently widowed and is very active in our family life. He picks up the boys from school at least once a week with a special treat for them to enjoy. He also comes over for dinner every Tuesday night. He has had a lot of hardships in his life, but has stayed strong in his faith and has continued to love the Lord.