Dear Expectant Parents,

We extend our warmest greetings to you as you embark on this momentous journey. We have been praying for you and your pregnancy since we began looking into starting our second adoption. Having already adopted our daughter three years ago, we certainly empathize with you and know that whichever way God leads you, it will be the right path for you and your child. We are so very thankful that you are looking at our profile and that you have chosen life for your child.

Our little family currently includes Alex, Koelle, Audrey, and our two cats, Oliver & Sage. We have been married since 2002, but our story began back in 1995 when Alex and Koelle met on the school bus in high school. Little did we know that seven years later we would be getting married! We had always thought that adoption was in our future, but decided to try pursuing biological children first. However, that was not God’s will for us, so after three years of infertility and a miscarriage, we pursued our adoption dream full-steam ahead. We were overjoyed when we were quickly matched with an expectant mother, and in the fall of 2008 we welcomed home our precious Audrey. She has been an absolute delight and her love for life is infectious. Keeping in contact with her birth family has provided us with a deeper perspective into adoption, and Audrey loves hearing her adoption story and looking at the pictures of her birth family that are placed throughout our home. We have treasured the gift of being parents, and feel blessed that God has called upon us to open our hearts to more children!

Alex about Koelle:
Koelle has a special playfulness and zest for life that made me fall madly in love with her nearly at first sight. I admire her generosity to friends and her ferocious love for family. When you need help, she's the one to call, ready to provide a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand, or a word of wisdom. I love watching her as a mother teach Audrey new songs during our family “Bible time” and am so glad that as a stay at home mom she is devoted to our children's education and takes the time to ensure that they will have interesting new opportunities for learning, as well as always making sure there’s plenty of room on the schedule for some good old fashioned fun!

Koelle about Alex:
Since we met in high school, Alex has remained the kindest person I have ever known. Everyone who meets him, likes him and enjoys his good-nature and witty sense of humor. He loves to write, which fits perfectly with his job as a professor of philosophy. He is also interested in languages, and enjoys teaching Audrey simple words in Latin! He loves being a father and playing with Audrey every evening after work. They have a special bedtime routine that includes books, snuggles, prayers, and often giggles. He is always on the lookout for new things to show Audrey and loves watching her face light up in wonder as she discovers them. He is an amazing father and I feel incredibly blessed to have him parenting by my side.

About Audrey: 
The little sprite you will find on this page is our 3 year old daughter, Audrey. In new situations, she is sometimes shy and reserved, but once she gets comfortable she lights up the room! Some of her favorite things are trains ("choo-choo buses" as she calls them), sandboxes, playing "mommy" with her baby dolls, “cooking” with play food, building with Duplos or blocks, gymnastics, and playing with her friends. There are many babies in our social circles and she loves to talk to them, kiss them, and make them smile. She is very eager to become a big sister and show the baby all the neat things that she knows!

In our family, we try to strike a balance between all the fun activities we have to choose from and having quieter family days at home. Any given week may find us hosting new friends for dinner, attending a special event at church, planning a last minute ice cream date with old friends, playing a spontaneous board game with Audrey, or having a pizza and movie night, just the three of us. While we do think it is important to have time together as a family, we also try to ensure that our home is a warm and welcoming environment, where friends and neighbors enjoy gathering, and they feel free to drop by at any time with a friendly face always greeting them at door.

Our neighborhood is very diverse and close-knit, with many young families. We get together for dinner or tea at each others’ homes, watch each other’s pets while on vacation, help each other in times of need, and just generally enjoy each other’s company. Audrey always greets our neighbors with a shout, and will run to hug them! Happily, our church family is similarly close, and many of the families have grown through adoption. In the three years that we have been attending, there has hardly been a time when someone wasn’t in the middle of the adoption process. Consequently, Audrey has lots of friends who are also adopted, both domestically and internationally. With both of our families living on the West Coast, our church has become our local family. We have a great time getting together and visiting, and recently even went to explore one family’s farm and were sent home with fresh eggs! There is always someone willing to babysit (sometimes they insist!) so that we can go out for a date, or work on a non-child friendly project.

While our families do live far away physically, we are still able to have a very close relationship with them. We Skype with our parents, siblings, and extended family multiple times a week, and will talk on the phone often as well. Audrey always thinks that when the phone rings, it must be someone calling to talk to her! Our families also come to visit many times during the year, and we try to visit them at least once a year, too. Of course, they all adore Audrey and can’t wait to welcome another grandchild home.

In closing, we would like to say thank you again for looking at our profile and for considering adoption for your child. We would love to meet you, and will continue to pray for you and your child, that God would come alongside you and guide you on the path that is right for you.

Warmest Regards,
Alex, Koelle, & Audrey