We live an easygoing lifestyle that is centered around family and making memories. During the week we have more of a daily routine of going to work and then coming home where we share moments from our day while we cook dinner, play outside with our two adorable dogs, and then wind down cuddled on the couch watching tv. Additional weeknight activities include things like taking the dogs for a walk, playing games together, working on a puzzle or small home project together, and time for our individual hobbies such as Legos, 3D printing, reading, and fishing. We’ve both also recently taken up an interest in gardening, with Ashley focusing on flowers to attract butterflies and birds to our yard.

On the weekends we love exploring new areas, trips to the farmers market, attending local events, going to the beach, stops at our favorite ice cream shop, day trips to the mountains, and spending time with family. Friday nights are usually pizza and movie night to relax from the work week, and our idea of clubbing these days is a double trip to Sam’s Club and Costco on a Saturday. We also enjoy taking vacations and taking advantage of long weekends to explore areas a little further from home.

We have three pets; Nova who is a Mini Aussiedoodle, Luna who is a Mini Cockapoo, and Ragnar a tabby cat that thinks he’s a dog. We love their silliness, playful personalities, and the way they seem to always know how to make us smile after a long day. Whether it’s spontaneous zoomies, dramatic nap positions, or their never tiring energy for play time, they keep us constantly laughing.

All three get along so well with each other, which is something we really love. You can usually find all three piled on Ashley’s lap napping in the evenings, exhausted from living their best lives all day and her in turn taking endless pictures of them being cute together. The dogs love surprise cheeseburgers and trips to the beach for ice cream. All three also love children and understand how to play gently; they do great with our youngest nephew who is around 6months old.

David is someone who brings steady calm and quiet confidence to everything he does. He is hardworking, dependable and naturally curious, always looking for ways to learn and grow. He doesn’t shy away from hard situations, rather he approaches them with patience and a problem-solving mindset. He is reliable and brings a strong sense of stability and reassurance to our home and family. He can also always be counted on to crack a joke and lighten the mood to get everyone smiling. One of David’s greatest strengths is his ability to stay calm when things are difficult.

Ashley is deeply caring and thoughtful, with a natural ability to make people feel seen and cared for. She is hardworking and organized, thriving when planning and creating meaningful experiences for family and friends. She is attentive to the needs of others and brings warmth, creativity, and intention into everything she does. One of Ashley’s greatest strengths is her ability to embrace the little moments to find joy in everyday life and making ordinary days feel special.

We are incredibly fortunate to have extended families who are not only supportive of our plans to adopt, but genuinely excited to welcome another child into the family. We both come from large, diverse families who love unconditionally and have been all-in throughout our journey to becoming parents. We are especially close with Ashley’s family and were grateful to move closer to them when David retired from the Air Force.

Ashley’s family, most of whom live within a 20-minute radius, includes her mom, stepdad, grandmother, sister, two brothers, their significant others, and three nieces and five nephews. Her uncles and their families also live close by. We spend a lot of time together and regularly enjoy family dinners, game nights, bonfires with outdoor movies, and summer trips to the Outer Banks, as well as visits to Busch Gardens. Birthdays and holidays are always celebrated together and always include way too much food and laughter.

David’s family is a bit more spread out, with siblings living in Florida, North Carolina, and Massachusetts, while his dad and stepmom live a short drive away in Pennsylvania. We see them a few times a year and usually plan at least one annual family vacation together. David’s dad is a big sports fan and loves taking us to hockey or baseball games when we visit, while his stepmom is a true foodie, making every trip an opportunity to try a new restaurant.

We live within the beautiful Hampton Roads area of Virginia. We take pride in our home being welcoming and where everyone feels comfortable. It has become the central hub for family gatherings such as holidays, birthdays, and family dinners. With four bedrooms and two bonus rooms, there is plenty of space for making memories. Our downstairs living room opens to the kitchen and breakfast nook area, and upstairs we have an additional family room just waiting to become a child’s playroom as our family grows.

One of our favorite spots is our backyard, which overlooks a peaceful creek and has a big deck and yard with lots of room to play. We also have a small fishing pier perfect for relaxing and watching the ducks and geese swim and the herons fish. In spring, we especially love watching the momma ducks teach their baby ducklings how to fly.

We really love living in this part of Virginia. We’re just minutes from the beach, a short drive to the mountains, and surrounded by so much history and culture. Our neighborhood always feels welcoming with families out walking or riding bikes in the evenings. We live close to several large parks and playgrounds. A couple of our favorite things about our neighborhood is during summer, we can hear music from a nearby community social hall, and on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus drives by with the volunteer Fire Department.

Hi,

If you’re reading this, we imagine you’re carrying a lot of emotions, thoughts, and love right now and we want to begin by simply meeting you with kindness and respect. We thank you for taking the time to learn a bit about us. While we can’t fully understand what this moment feels like for you, we deeply respect the love and courage it takes to even consider an adoptive plan.

We are David and Ashley, a married couple who’ve been together for over 18 years. We got married in 2008, just 11 short months after meeting, when David received military orders to move overseas. We got married to essentially keep dating and we haven’t stopped since. Our relationship has been built on love, trust, and approaching life’s adventure as teammates in every sense. Both our relationship, and us as individuals, have grown stronger together through the joys and challenges of life. With David retired from the military and a strong sense of stability in our lives, we feel ready now more than ever to share our love and commitment as parents. Our home is filled with warmth, laughter, and strong family connections. We are the kind of people who enjoy the little moments like quiet evenings at home, Friday night pizza and movie night, playing outside with our dogs, decorating for the holidays, and celebrating both big milestones and everyday joys. David brings calm, steadiness, and creativity into our lives, often working on a project to improve our home or making thoughtful gifts for friends and family. Ashley brings warmth and nurturing energy, always checking in, noticing the small things, and making sure the people she loves feel supported and cared for. Together we strive to create an environment that feels safe, loving, and full of encouragement.

We know this isn’t just our journey, it’s yours as well and we want you to know that your child will always grow up knowing their story began with love. We believe adoption is something to be honored and talked about openly, and we would speak about you with kindness, respect, and gratitude. We know adoption can bring many emotions as a child grows - joy, sadness, curiosity, and sometimes uncertainty- and we want you to know those conversations will always be welcome in our home. We may not always have every answer, but we promise to listen with open hearts, to be patient, and to make sure your child always feels safe, seen, and loved wholeheartedly. We plan to send letters and pictures so you can follow along on their journey watching them grow. We are also open to exploring other forms of contact, such as emails, social media sharing, and the possibility of future visits if it feels right for everyone. Our hope is to work with you to find a level of openness that everyone is comfortable with and that keeps your child’s well-being prioritized. We will be forever grateful for the gift of parenthood, and we will never take for granted the trust you place in us.

We won’t pretend to have all the perfect parenting skills, but we can promise that any child placed in our care will be truly loved unconditionally, supported, kept safe, and accepted for exactly who they are. We can promise to nurture their curiosity, encourage their individuality, always prioritize what is best for them, and to surround them with a family who loves big. We will be at their side through every stage of life as their biggest cheerleaders. We promise to teach them to embrace the small moments that bring joy like watching ducks play in the backyard, trying a new flavor of ice cream, and finding a rainbow after a rainstorm. Our hope is that they always grow up knowing their story is filled with love; yours, ours, and everyone who walks beside them along the way.

Thank you for taking the time to consider us during this moment in your life. No matter what you decide, we hope you feel surrounded by support and compassion as you make the best decision for yourself and your child.

With love and respect,

David & Ashley