Hi! We are Nate and Jess. First and foremost, we want to thank you! Thank you so much for taking the time to look at our profile and hear our story. We really appreciate you considering us as prospective parents. What a beautiful thing you are considering and how strong you must be! 

The prospect of having a child in our life is a dream that we have hoped and prayed for for so long. All the hard work that we have put into preparing a home and life for a child, we are so excited to put to good use. There are so many things that we look forward to sharing with a child, but perhaps the one thing we look forward to the most is the simplest: the love and affection that only a mom and dad can provide.

We met in 2005 in Fort Wayne, Indiana and knew almost immediately that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We were attending college, Nate at Butler University and Jess at California College of the Arts, nearly 2,250 miles apart. For over a year, we talked every day on the phone and our relationship grew stronger and stronger.

When Jess decided to “try out” living in the Midwest during her summer break, Nate was thrilled. We spent nearly every day together that summer and come fall, Nate decided to move to San Francisco with Jess. We lived together in California for five wonderful years. In 2010, we relocated to New Orleans, where Nate was working with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild communities after Hurricane Katrina.

We got married, adopted a rescue dog, bought a house, and decided to try to start a family. However, over several years, we suffered eight miscarriages and found that pregnancy was not possible for us. Heartbroken, we knew we needed to move closer to our family for support. So, thirteen years after we initially met in Fort Wayne, we found ourselves still very much in love and back where it all began, in Indiana. We bought our dream Victorian home in 2018 and soon began the adoption process. 

Together with our two dogs and two cats, we eagerly await a precious baby to join our family. This beautiful old house will never quite feel like home until our family is complete.  We are overjoyed at the prospect of becoming parents and showering a child with affection and all of the love that we have been saving for so long. 

With a quick wit and knowledge of so many random facts, Nate can always make me laugh. He has the kind of humor that makes strangers laugh at the grocery store. When with children, he quickly wins them over with a variety of silly “dad jokes.” Nate truly is an open book when it comes to meeting new people. He makes friends wherever he goes. 

One of my favorite things about him is his mind. When it comes to history, old buildings and places, song lyrics, and tales of the people he has met over the years – his mind is like a sponge! I can always rely on him during trivia and game night, and I know he will be great at helping a child with their history homework! He will likely be the carpool dad who teaches the child passengers new jokes.

Having spent a lot of time with our nieces and nephews (ages 1 – 21!), Nate often gets the chance to “practice” a few fatherly activities with them. Helping them set up their fishing poles and put worms on their hooks, making them blueberry pancakes for breakfast when they sleep over, showing them how to put an LP on a record player, or teaching them how to make “pudgy pies” over the campfire are just a few examples.

Of course, this is not the same as having children of our own, but it gives me 100% assurance that he will make an excellent father.

What Jess Loves About Nate

• He is always optimistic.
• He shows kindness and respect to everyone.
• He is a great gift giver and loves to surprise others.
• He is full of historical facts.
• He is like a jukebox and when asked, he can almost always name the artist, title, and album.
• He is a great trivia partner.
• He is never grossed out, there is no job too dirty.
• He has built several shelves and furniture in the baby nursery.
• He cooks and even does the dishes!

Jess is always there with a smile and laughter to bring joy to those around her. From day one, Jess has embraced and loved my family, especially my seven nieces and nephews. She has an uncanny ability and a fascinating magnetism when it comes to children. She is quick to teach new games, get her hands dirty with art projects, guide little hands in the garden, and to show the path of kindness and courtesy to impressionable young minds. Not only have I seen her love and guidance shape our nieces and nephews, but she has also changed the lives of countless children diagnosed with autism. For over 20 years, Jess has worked with children with special needs and made such a positive impact for hundreds of families.  

Jess has always had an intense focus on her passions and goals. She has a great ability to keep her eyes on the prize both personally and professionally. Her scientific mind, mixed with her artistic passion and outside-of-the-box thinking, has brought her much success. Always mindful of the positive things to come, Jess has already designed an amazing and ideal nursery in our home, and we are looking forward to watching a child grow in this love-filled room. 

I have nothing but love and admiration for all that Jess has done, what she will do in the future, and most importantly, how amazing of a mother she will be.  

What Nate Loves About Jess

• Her beautiful smile
• Her kindness, empathy, and patience
• Her love of hosting and ability to make everyone feel welcome and loved
• Her drive and determination
• Her eye for detail
• She is an artist
• She is a movie buff
• She has a green thumb
• She is a wonderful aunt and is happiest when with children

We live in a 125-year-old home in Northeast Indiana with a beautiful carved wood staircase, high ceilings, pocket doors, and creaky wood floors throughout. It is a two-story home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big walk-in attic, and a full basement. The staircase even has a small secret door at the bottom that leads to a child’s perfect hiding spot. It’s so magical!  

The house came with a large carriage house in back that we lovingly refer to as “the old red barn.”  The barn serves as our garage and stores “toys” such as fishing poles, an old canoe, dart board, a 1970 VW, and more. The second story of the barn serves as Jess’ art studio and where Nate keeps his huge record collection. Our nieces and nephews love the upstairs of the barn and often ask to camp out up there when the weather is nice. Our backyard is full of flowers and vegetables from spring to fall and has plenty of space for a swing set. We also have a Koi pond in the backyard with a small waterfall and purple water lilies. It’s a perfect yard for a child to play in! 

With two dogs and two cats, the house still has plenty of space for children. We are so excited to adopt that we have already painted the nursery, bought the furniture, and filled the closet with toys and clothes. We can’t wait to hear the little pitter patter of feet running up and down the hallway! 

Our neighborhood is diverse, eclectic, and full of good families. It is situated between the Maumee, Saint Joseph, and Saint Marys Rivers. Our street is lined with huge old maple, elm, and dogwood trees that in autumn, bring an explosion of warm and vibrant colors. 

We have tons of parks, trails, public art installations, and murals all over the city. Evening walks and hikes are a regular thing for us, and we look forward to taking the little one with us. Downtown also has two amazing year-round farmer’s markets, an art museum, theaters, restaurants, and an outstanding light display on buildings and bridges during the holidays; all of which are less than a ten-minute walk from our home.

One of the things our town is known for is the High-A class baseball team the Tincaps, named after Johnny Appleseed’s famous hat. Family game nights at their new stadium is a great way to spend summer evenings.  They even serve apple pie and ice cream in little helmets. Jess can’t get over how wholesome and all-American it is! We also have a ECHL hockey team, the Komets. We are big fans and love taking family and friends to the hockey games. The Komets even won the Kelly Cup this year! Go Komets!

We have four pets: Bella, Bodie, Mabel, and Ulysses (Uly).

The oldest of our animals is Mabel, a 13-year-old, female black and white tuxedo cat. She may have been the runt of the litter, but she is the boss of the house now. We rescued her from a dumpster in Oakland, California and she has been by our sides ever since. 

Bella is our grey-faced, 10-year-old Catahoula Hound Dog. She is sweet as can be and serves as the household peacekeeper – often jumping between the cats if they get in a tiff. She absolutely loves the nieces and nephews and always wants to snuggle.

Uly, or more formally, Ulysses S. Cat, joined our family in 2017 while we were living in New Orleans, LA. Nate was sitting on the front porch when suddenly, this sweet, stray kitten jumped out of the landscaping. Uly has been with us ever since. He loves children and has already claimed the baby nursery as favorite room in the house.   

Last, but not least, is our adorable, always playful, one-and-a-half-year-old Border Collie named Bodie. He is a non-stop ball of energy. He loves children, loves to play fetch, and always wants to share his toys. We often joke about how much Bodie will love “fetching” any items the baby will throw from the highchair. Bodie will be an awesome sidekick for any kiddo!    

Family is everything to us. We have lived in several places around the country, but no place truly feels like home without family nearby. Here in Indiana, we have a huge support system full of loving, caring family members.

Jess’ mom lives less than a mile away. We frequently get together for neighborhood walks and weekday dinners. She is absolutely thrilled and excited to be a grandmother! Jess and her mom share many hobbies such as going to the nail salon together, planting vegetable gardens in each other’s yards, and going on regular nature hikes around the area. Jess’ brother, Scott, and his family live in Portland, Oregon. We cannot wait to bring this baby to the Pacific Northwest to meet his or her cousins!

Nate’s mom and dad live about 20 miles from us. They have a big open house that overlooks a calm serene lake. Nate’s sister, Megan, and her family of six also live nearby. We join them every Sunday afternoon for dinner at Nana and Poppy’s house. The evening typically consists of catching up with our nieces and nephews, eating a big home cooked meal together, watching the sunset over the lake, and playing cards.

Our family is overjoyed for the opportunity of adoption. Our seven nieces and nephews (ages 1 – 21) have been by our sides throughout the adoption journey and they have planned many activities to do with the baby once he or she arrives. Cousin Eli (11) has instructed Jess that she must teach the baby physics and videogames, right away!

Our Favorite Holiday Traditions

• Hosting friends and family at our annual 4^th of July for BBQ.
• Christmas beach time with Grandpa in Southern California.
• Decorating the house for Halloween and greeting the neighborhood trick-or-treaters with full-size candy bars.
• Looking for the perfect Christmas tree.
• Putting up the Christmas lights before anyone else on our street.
• Making holiday peanut butter bars, cookies, and spicy snack mix.
• Stuffing our pet’s stockings full of treats and toys.

Our Life Together and What We Love to Do the Most

• Sunday dinners with our large extended family.
• Playing cards and games with friends and family.
• Going to minor league hockey and baseball games.
• Going to museums.
• Taking long road trips to new places.
• Trying new foods and experiencing new cultures.
• Beachcombing.
• Camping and hiking.
• Planting a vegetable garden every year.

Fun Facts about Nate

1. I own my own historic preservation consulting business and love to help people find their dream old house as a realtor. 

2. I opened a museum on Royal Street in New Orleans based on the city’s gas light and utility history.

3. I love to restore old cameras, typewriters, tools, appliances, and furniture.

4.  I saved my money and bought a 1953 Sea Nymph aluminum fishing boat when I was 13.

5. I have owned 2 classic cars: a 1964 Ford Fairlane and a 1968 VW Van.

Nate’s Favorite Things: Fishing, record collecting, film photography, the smell of old books, time in the kitchen, studying history, antiquing, laughing. 

Fun Facts About Jess

1. I grew up near San Diego, CA and because of this, I love Mexican culture, have a strong knowledge of marine biology, and enjoy surfing.

2. I went to art school in San Francisco and know how to paint, weld metal, use a kiln, and weave on a loom.

3. I am fluent in Baby Sign Language.

4. I have worked with children with autism for over 17 years and have opened 5 therapy clinics around the country.

5. When I was 17, I saved $2,000 working at a smoothie shop and sushi restaurant to buy my first car: an orange 1970 VW Karmann Ghia. I still own it today.

Jess’ Favorite Things: Art, natural history museums, the ocean, eating Dim-Sum or Mexican food, gardening, embroidery, old movies, card games, and children.

We want to thank you so much for taking the time to look at our profile, getting to know us, our family, our home, and how we live.  

Please know that if you choose us as the adoptive family, we would strive to be the most loving and supportive parents that a son or daughter could ever have. We understand the enormous benefit of a child knowing their adoption story and where they came from, and plan to talk openly with this child about being adopted. We want to ensure that the child feels safe and secure as a part of the family. We look forward to embracing their heritage and culture, and are open to any questions or thoughts that this child may have about their identity and story. Sharing photos and updates as the child grows is something we are happy to provide, as well.

If you have any questions about us or about the future, please feel comfortable and free to ask anything that may put your mind at ease.  Your decision could bring us the greatest blessing and honor we could ever receive, being parents. We wish you all the best and can’t wait to hear from you!