Destry considers himself very fortunate and privileged to share his life with Charity. He believes that her qualities very effectively complement and balance him. The first thing that intrigued him about her when they were teenagers was her quiet spirit. She is not extravagant or vulnerable to peer pressure; she is not flamboyant or attention-seeking. She is an organized and energetic worker, often unnoticed behind the scenes, who pursues efficiency in everything she manages. She is level headed in her decisions, the kind of person who knows what she wants and pursues it. While confident in her beliefs, she is also a listener who is willing to hear others’ viewpoints and acknowledge when she is wrong. Equally prominent in Charity’s personality is her tender side. Destry has experienced her loyalty, support, and patience countless times. She is a cuddly person who loves hugs, holding babies, and snuggling on the couch.

Charity is immensely blessed with a husband who is purposeful in his leadership and quick to show affection and appreciation. Destry takes his role very seriously and creates a home environment that encourages connection, comfort, love, and playfulness. He is a life-long learner who pursues self-improvement in all areas of his life, inspiring others to grow. He excels in his work and takes pride in maintaining and improving our property. He is a good listener and comforter, able to provide a clear voice of reason in difficult situations.

We embrace simplicity and contentment in our lifestyle. We are very purposeful with our time, health, money, and possessions. We thrive in our routines, are committed to our activities and responsibilities, and keep our home organized and clean. We aren’t extravagant people; we believe the finest things in life are to be experienced and shared.

We feel most connected by spending quality time together – experiencing various foods and shows, kayaking, watching movies, and playing board games and videogames. In our separate free time, Destry enjoys nerding-out about fitness, nutrition, traditional bow-making, welding techniques, and old machinery. Charity enjoys baking sweet treats, teaching science to the local homeschool co-op, and various seasonal activities like butterfly tagging and fishing.

Our goal in parenting is to raise children who mature to be competent, confident, efficient, and understanding adults. We view parenting as a serious responsibility balanced with fun and adventure. We are excited to share life with children and to provide memories for them to pleasantly reflect on and benefit from as they grow.

We are a physically affectionate family and we especially look forward to snuggling with a child while listening to them tell us whatever is on their mind. We have learned how important it is to regularly express that we are pleased with one another, and this will be a priority with the child who joins our family.

Since we have never been parents, we will approach parenting with a humble mindset that is eager to learn, tailoring our methods to the specific needs and personalities of the children God places in our care.

Our family culture is thoughtful and inquisitive. We see each moment as an opportunity to learn life lessons, improve, and embrace curiosity.

We live within 30 minutes of all our extended family, usually seeing them twice a week. We are truly blessed by the love surrounding us. Charity has one sibling; Destry has five. We have eight nieces & nephews who we envision growing up closely with the child who joins our family. We frequently spend a day with family enjoying home cooked food, board games, and conversation ranging from deep and meaningful matters to silly things that make us laugh. Our family times are a balance of productive and relaxed – like cutting firewood and then watching a movie or playing Mario Kart. We also gather with family for specific events like birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s Days, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Some of our favorite Christmas traditions are Destry and his dad cooking made-to-order breakfast for everyone Christmas morning and solving Grandma’s number puzzle on the gifts before opening them. We also have a monthly game night with Destry’s sister and family. Destry happily keeps the kids occupied by reading books “the silly way” while the ladies prepare supper, and the giggles echo throughout the house.

Our decision to pursue adoption has been eagerly encouraged by our parents and siblings, with both our mothers already offering to babysit. Destry’s family is particularly supportive of our decision to adopt because four of Destry’s siblings were adopted. Charity’s family is overjoyed and excited to have another grandchild to spoil. Both families view adoption as an honor and gift from God.

We live in a quaint 100-year-old house on the edge of a small town in Iowa. We love our rural community – where people smile and wave, tractors and cows are a common sight, and we can enjoy the peaceful corn fields and rolling prairie when we go on walks. Our backyard borders a horse pasture, and we are only a few blocks from the town square. Our house has two bedrooms, and its open layout makes it a place where friends and family feel at ease. Charity’s brother and his family live just a few blocks from us, and we are excited for a child to grow up being able to spend time with their cousins so frequently and casually. There is also a weekly play group in our community that we look forward to participating in and watching the child make friends.

We envision regularly walking with a child to the nearby city park and playground, and continuing to support the kids in our community by attending softball and basketball games at the high school a mile from our house. Our town hosts an annual weekend festival that centers on family fun with activities like a parade, water games, bike races, bounce houses, carnival rides, and lots of food and craft vendors to explore. One of our favorite parts about our community is a wildlife reservation 15 miles from our house where we can drive through the prairie to see bison and elk in their natural habitat.

We want you to know that we appreciate the intense love you have for your child to be considering adoption. We value your courage, because we know that the maternal instincts of pregnancy and birth are very strong. We offer our love and support to you and your child as you face this difficult situation and all the emotions, questions, and choices along the way. We are mindful of the magnitude of the gift that you would be giving us if you choose us to raise your child, as such an opportunity would be an answer to our prayers.

As happy as our life is, we deeply desire to care for and raise children. We intend to equip the child with the tools necessary to become a physically, spiritually, and emotionally mature adult. We are both teachers at heart, so we’re eager to inspire the child’s curiosity and enable them to thrive. We don’t want to force the child into a mold or limit them by our expectations. Our desire is to help them to grow into the best version of themselves. We will provide an environment of openness, trust, and honesty where the child can explore their identity and ask questions freely. We want to be the ones they are drawn to for comfort, advice, and inspiration. We will help them learn from mistakes, seek and accept forgiveness, find fulfillment, and build healthy relationships. Most importantly, we want the child to see themselves the way God sees them – precious and worthy of being cared for in every sense.

We feel ready to raise a child because we’ve established a lifestyle that is physically, emotionally, and financially secure. We have been married for eight years and our marriage is grounded in love and devotion. We have not just endured the hardship of infertility; our relationship has grown stronger through it. Our strengths and weaknesses balance each other well, and we cherish our time together. We discuss our differences of opinion without aggression and arguing because we want to make sure we are both heard and valued. We believe it is important to care for the blessings that God has given us – of which a child would be most precious. We dream of how our lives would be enriched by adding a child to our routines and sharing the exploration of life with them. We especially look forward to nature walks, playing pretend, working on home improvement projects, cooking and baking, cuddling on the couch while talking about our day and dreams for the future, movie nights, and Sunday dinners with family.

We would value ongoing contact with you, because we believe that the life of an adopted child is forever shaped by both their adoptive and birth families. Through their whole life, we will assure the child of the depth of love you have for them. We intend to continue contact with you in regular letters/emails and photographs, and we’re open to future visits as well. We know that you have much love to give your child, and we don’t want to limit that love. We would be delighted to get to know you and give you a more complete understanding of who we are – exchanging emails, calls, or texts as you consider your options for the future. We find it hard to convey with words alone the deep empathy we feel for you and the hard decisions you are faced with, how grateful we are for the love you have for your child, and how much we long to nurture and support both you and your baby along this journey. We trust you to make the decision that is best for your child, and we want you to feel 100% sure that you are doing the right thing, whatever you choose. We pray that God gives you peace and confidence.

Destry & Charity