Our favorite go-to activity is finding something outdoors. We love hitting up the trails near our home on our bikes or just walking. Sometimes we will also find a place to sit down at a restaurant or a food truck and enjoy the weather. We dream about taking a child along with us to play at parks or have ice cream as a family. At home, we like trying new recipes and cooking meals together. Tabatha loves baking, especially cookies. She also loves reading in her spare time and started a book club with her friends. Joe enjoys going for runs, and playing disc golf or video games with his friends. At nighttime, we watch shows and movies, play board games, or do jigsaw puzzles. On weekends, we prioritize spending time with our friends or family. Whether it is for a special event or just visiting, we love hanging out with their families and children, and look forward to sharing that with a child as well.

Our family traditions center around the activities that we love doing throughout the year, but especially during Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Every Halloween we join in on "trick-or-treat" and seeing all the fun costumes the neighborhood kids have. We also cook pigs-in-a-blanket, dressed up as spooky mummies. We stick with the spooky theme by watching the first Harry Potter movie. For every weekend between Halloween and Christmas, we watch at least one more of the episodes until we finish the entire Harry Potter series, like a countdown to Christmas.

Thanksgiving and Christmas always involve getting together with family, playing games, and cooking the best food.

One of our favorite weekly traditions is our Pizza Fridays. No matter what, we will either order or bake a pizza, and enjoy a movie on the couch in our pajamas until we fall asleep. Every weekend morning, we start the day in the same place, but this time with mugs of coffee in our hands. It is the best way to start the weekend for us!

The way we will address cultural diversity in our family centers around learning and seeking experiences that build a strong identity and heritage for the child. We will always adapt and look for ways to learn and build relationships with friends and neighbors of different backgrounds, and share that with the child. We will seek out role models and be open to their insights to help the child feel strong and supported. There may be times we can take trips or find events and activities locally that help them identify and belong with others close to their age in our school and community. Ultimately, we will give the child the best experiences and most opportunities in their life to learn and be connected with their background, both together as a family and as they become independent.

We live in a family centered suburb in Iowa. We have great public schools, multiple biking trails, and parks galore. Our community makes it a priority to have plenty of places for outdoor activities. We have an uptown area that hosts a farmer's market each weekend with a kids train that runs through it. Our town has an annual summer fest that includes a parade, kids carnival and all sorts of activities for the whole week leading up to it. We live in a neighborhood that has an elementary school attached to it. There are many young families that walk to the playground, or spend time riding bikes and scooters up and down the sidewalks.

We live in a ranch-style home with a finished basement. We spend the majority of our time in our open kitchen and living room. We have put our personal spin on it to make it feel warm and homey with our couch, blankets, and plants. Our basement has a family room and TV that is perfect for movie nights, and a guest bedroom so family can stay with us. We also have a dedicated workout space that we enjoy utilizing especially in the winter. In the summer we enjoy spending time hanging out on our deck with a fire in the fire pit. Our backyard would be the perfect place to play catch or throw a frisbee around.

Joe's family lives a couple of hours away from our home. We see them as much as possible for weekends and important events. We happen to live "on the way" to many other extended family members and are lovingly referred to as the pit stop where people can have dinner or stay over to break up the trip. When we're together there is always good food and a jigsaw puzzle going on the table. Joe loves playing video games, and building Legos with his nephews. Each year Joe's extended family gathers together at a lake house for one week. This week is filled with sun, card games, and so many laughs.

Tabatha's family lives in Georgia so we don't get to see them quite as often. We make a point to visit once a year, and they try to come see us each year as well. While it's not in person, there is no shortage of phone calls and text messages back and forth. When we are together we pack in as much quality time as possible with cooking, puzzles and many games. The whole extended family lives relatively close together, so everyone comes over to hang out. Making it loving chaos. This past summer we took a family trip to the beach and it was so special to be a part of our nieces' first time in the ocean.

First and foremost, thank you for looking at our profile. We know you are making an incredibly brave and selfless decision, and it requires tremendous love, courage, and deep thought. We are honored that you would consider us as potential adoptive parents for your child, and we want to share a little more about who we are, our current life together, and the kind of home and experience we will provide.

We have known each other for 11 years and married for 6 years. Our story began in college, where we made a long-distance relationship work until Joe graduated and moved closer to Tabatha. We dated for a few more years before getting married, and have been having so much fun building our life together. We love traveling and exploring new places, but our happiest moments happen right at home. Whether it's making dinner together, watching a favorite show, or hosting game nights and grill-outs with friends, we genuinely enjoy the simple joys of life together. Our home is full of laughter, comfort, and a sense of peace, and we can't wait to share that with a child. Over the years, we've become true partners and best friends, and are so looking forward to expanding our special family relationship.

When a child comes into our home, they will be loved unconditionally from the very beginning. They will always know their story and understand how deeply they are loved, not only by us, but by you and the community they will be surrounded with. We want to raise a child who feels secure, supported, and celebrated for exactly who they are. Our home will always be a safe place full of stability, encouragement, and warmth. Days will be filled with books, playtime, family bike rides, movie nights, and meaningful traditions. As they grow up, we can't wait to see their interests and talents, and support them in rising to their amazing potential.

Adoption, to us, is not just about growing our family. It is about honoring the story that began with you. We believe family is chosen, and it doesn't have to happen a certain way to be real and lasting. We want you to be a part of our family and your child's story in whatever way feels most comfortable for you. We will exchange messages, letters, and photos with you regularly along the way as the child grows up. We envision a group chat where we can share texts or emails like this easily. It will be so exciting to share and document their growth and journey in this way. We are committed to keeping a connection with you that honors your role and respects your wishes, and we will always be sure the child knows you and their origin story. We want every step of the way to be open-hearted, and we can't wait to talk with you more should you choose our family.

We know this letter is just a glimpse into our lives, but we hope it gives you a sense of who we are and the life we want to build, with your child at the very center of it. Thank you again for considering us, and for the love and thoughtfulness you're putting into this decision.

With love and appreciation,

Joe & Tabatha