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We have been married for six years. Allison is Oklahoma born and raised. Nate was born in Missouri, but lived in Pennsylvannia, Arizona, Oregon, and California before finally settling down in Oklahoma. We have one wonderful little boy named Adrian, who is three years old. The pregnancy was very hard on Allison, and we were advised to not have any more children.
We are a fairly active family. We enjoy going fishing, hunting, or to the local park on a nice day. For the past couple of years, we have gotten zoo passes. Adrian really seems to enjoy getting to run around and see all the animals. We also really enjoy spending time with our friends. We have been greatly blessed by having several families that attend our church who also have young children. We have made it a habit to have lunch with them on Sundays, so we can enjoy each other's company while our kids run around and be kids.
We have also been blessed by two wonderful sets of grandparents that enjoy being involved in our and our son's lives. Nate's parents live about 30 minutes away. We attend church with them (Nate's father is a pastor), and hang-out with them at least a couple of times a month. Allison's parents live even closer. They are both retired and graciously volunteered to watch Adrian while Nate and Allison work. We see them fairly regularly including when we go on our annual family trip to Branson, Missiouri.
We are a family focused and church orientated couple. We are mostly home-bodies, but don't let that mistake you for our sense of adventure too!
We have two cats, Bailey and Lilly and a brood of silly chickens. We love camping, playing music and debating on if we love sunsets or sunrises more.
We met in 2007 in Alaska when Kelly was a brand new flight attendant. Robert had already been a flight attendant for 5 years and Kelly did not have it in her adventurous spirit to spend time with Robert but he was persistent. In 2009 Kelly said yes to dating instead of just being friends.
Fast forward through many adventures (Alaska, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, Hawaii) and on September 6th, 2014 we got married in Washington state at our local beach park. We have made this sleepy little marina town our home ever since.
We first met at a Salsa Dancing Social. After months of dancing and getting to know each other, we had our first date. As we learned more about each other, we realized how we felt at home with one another. It was the Halloween season, so we enjoyed getting dressed up and attending Halloween salsa socials and family friend Halloween parties. We were falling in Love.
At Thanksgiving time, Reena began talking about Joel with her other family members with so much excitement. Reena introduced Joel to her brother, and they hit it off immediately. When Reena invited Joel to meet her parents, Mom gave Reena the Thumbs up. It was Christmas time and there is a cute little ornament with Reena’s picture that Reena had made at school in the first grade. We were decorating our Christmas tree, and Joel took that ornament and placed it at the very top of the tree. Reena’s heart melted and her family invited Joel to our larger family Christmas party where he was immediately welcomed with open arms.
That same Christmas, Joel had invited Reena to his family’s church for their annual Simbang Gabi Mass. This is a Christmas tradition within the Filipino community where Joel’s whole family was present. It was so wonderful to meet Joel’s family in such a beautiful setting. Shortly after, Joel and Reena would attend Joel’s family church on Sunday’s after Dance class, and then meet at his parent’s home for Sunday Dinners.
The following Easter, Joel took Reena to the Easter Vigil, which is the Saturday before Easter Sunday. She learned about the RCIA process where she could learn about the Catholic Faith and be confirmed as a Catholic. That fall, she enrolled in the program and Joel sponsored her. As they went through this beautiful journey together, Joel proposed that following Fall. The following Easter, Reena was confirmed as a Catholic, and Reena and Joel were married that Summer.
Alyssa was living in Jackson, MS dancing and touring with a ballet company when Jon moved to California (where Alyssa is originally from) after college. He met Alyssa’s family through a mutual friend, and eventually met Alyssa when she was home on break. Jon was immediately attracted to her composure, beauty, and secure identity in Jesus. Jon was able to convince Alyssa to move home. We were engaged for 3 months and married 3 months later. I (Alyssa) was attracted to his confidence, his looks, and his love of Jesus. I knew that if I married Jon, I would feel secure and cared for the rest of my life.
We met in 2007 at Grace Christian University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After filling out an "Application to date my daughter" for her dad, we started dating and quickly fell for each other. We got married on May 29th, 2010 in Seattle, Washington in the church where Casey was raised. After a 6 month internship in Phoenix, AZ, and a final semester in college for Casey, he was offered a full-time position as the Associate Pastor of Youth Ministry at Mountain View Bible Church in Post Falls, ID.
We moved to Post Falls in 2011 and haven’t looked back. We love the family we have at the church, especially since our families don’t live nearby. We have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in many ways including hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, disc golf, and much more. We also enjoy regular time together as a family playing card games and board games at home, throwing a football or kicking a soccer ball at the park, and traveling to visit our families.
We wanted to have a family soon after we got married, but God has been teaching us to wait on his timing. After 5 years of marriage, we adopted our son Landon at birth on November 20th, 2015. He has brought so much joy into our lives, and his story is truly incredible. We are beyond blessed to be his parents. Now we look forward to the day that we can bring another little life into our family to love and protect.
We both attended Oklahoma State University and started dating after we graduated and moved back to our hometowns, in September 2011. On our second date we had a pizza baking competition, since Matt is the pizza connoisseur! Other favorite dates included going to museums, taking the dogs to dog parks, Thunder games, annual trip to the State Fair, and going to the local drive in movie.
We were engaged in December 2013 on a ski trip. After discussing with Shae's mom how to do it, Matt decided he just couldn't wait any longer and proposed while our group was playing cards - right after Shae ate a blue sucker and had changed into her comfy clothes for the night. Shae's blue sucker caused her mouth to look like a Smurf, but love is blind!
We were married on May 3, 2014 in the church that Shae grew up in and where we are now members. We asked our guests to wear orange, black or white and had Pistol Pete as a surprise guest at our reception!
Karsten was born in the crazy year that was 2020! Her birth mom choosing us to be her parents is truly a gift and an honor. Some of our favorite things to do as a family include going to OSU football games, visiting the zoo, and playing outside!
Thank you for taking time to look through our family's profile. We know the magnitude of the decisions you're making right now, and although we do not know your name, we are praying that you are safe and healthy, and that you feel loved, supported and at peace.
With love,
Matt and Shae
We met at the gym where we both attended the same exercise class. Katy knew Kelly was a dentist and when her dog ate her retainer, Katy asked him after class if he could help make her a new one because her dentist was out of town. (That’s right…the old “my dog ate my retainer” trick!) And it worked! ? Katy got her new retainer and Kelly asked Katy on a date. And the rest, they say…is history! Almost a decade later, we are celebrating 7 years of marriage and growing our family!
Katy works part time as an academic advisor for a local college, and is able to spend lots of time at home with a new little one. She loves gardening, playing pickleball, trying new restaurants & recipes, and volunteering. Katy describes herself as empathetic, warm, fun, resilient. Katy loves being a mom and watching children grow, change and become who they are while loving and laughing with them along the way.
Kelly is a dentist and owns his own practice, which allows him to work 3 days a week and be at home with my family. Kelly loves learning, biking, baseball & snowboarding. He describes himself as practical and adventurous. Kelly loves being a dad and interacting in different ways with children as they grow and sharing experiences with them.
Katy said “Kelly’s calm demeanor, kind heart, and willingness for adventure make him a great dad and husband.”
Kelly said “Katy is smart and curious. With her warm and welcoming manner she draws people in whether they are dear friends or complete strangers. She is amazing at helping children grow and navigate the world.”
We couldn’t believe we sat near each other in nursing school for 2 years and never shared more than a few words with each other. After going on our first date, almost a year after graduation, we realized how much we had in common and we were instantly attached to each other. We realized we grew up with similar beliefs and enjoyed the same hobbies. We love sports and going to events together, cheering on our favorite team. We both love trying new restaurants and exploring new cities. We love to ride around looking at mountain views and just enjoy each others company. We love to plan vacations with the kids and surprise them with new adventures. We truly are best friends. We love each other so deeply. We respect each other and stand behind each others dreams. We make sure to put each other first and continue learning ways to grow our relationship with each other and the Lord. Having children was always a dream of ours, even before we were married. We love parenting together and we are so grateful for these special blessings that God has given us.
We met in October 2019 at a trivia night in small town in central Texas. Zoë’s best friend from college happened to invite Ben out to trivia that evening, and Zoë and Ben instantly hit it off. We grew closer in our friendship over the Fall months and in January of 2020 we went on our first date. From that January date to go rock climbing we have basically been inseparable. We have now been married for 3.5 years and love each other more each day.
Right after we started dating, the Covid-19 pandemic shut down the world. We both experienced interruptions to our jobs, social lives, and families. Although the world was forced into isolation, God knew that we were destined to be together and used that time to show us all the different kinds of challenges we can overcome together. We believe that these difficulties early on drew us closer to each other and to the Lord and helped us build a firm foundation for our relationship. We can do anything with the Lord.
Ben is currently working as a software developer and Zoë is a music teacher in several local school districts. We both enjoy playing music together in our free time and spending time with our wonderful church family. We also LOVE to travel all over the place! We are both very active and enjoy hiking, biking, rock climbing, dancing, gardening, disc golf, you name it! Our relationship is full of the joy of the Lord, and we can't wait to share that joy with a child someday.
The Adoption Council steers, guides, and directs the adoption education, standards, and practices of the Christian Adoptions Alliance. It is a collective effort to stand for and promote adoption from a Biblical perspective.
Are you looking for an accredited Christian adoption agency?
The Adoption Council is comprised of professionals across the pro-life and adoption spectrum directly connected with adoption education and support services.
The council is in a state of development. Current members include the following representatives.
Angela Boblitt is the Founder and Executive Director of Choosing Hope Adoptions, which was founded in 2014. She was born and raised in rural Minnesota. She graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Music from Winona State University in 2002. In 2003 She accepted a job as the Director of Children and Youth Ministries in Springfield, OH, where she served in that role for nearly a decade.
Angela and her husband Brett have 4 children; Noah, GeorgiAnne, Xander, and Lucy. Their oldest two children are biologically theirs, while their youngest two joined their family through adoption. Angela is committed to seeing adoption practiced with Biblical definitions and Christian practices.
Melissa is the Adoption Director at Catholic Charities Diocese of La Crosse, WI. She has been with the agency since 2003, when she was hired as an Adoption and Pregnancy Support Social Worker. Prior to coming to Catholic Charities, she worked with homeless families for over 9 years. She oversees the Family Services Program, which includes the Pregnancy Support and Adoption Program, as well as the Wisconsin Adoption and Permanency Support Program. She has a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology. She also serves on the Children, Family, and Youth Services Committee for CCUSA, as well as the Adoption Steering Committee.
With the Wisconsin Adoption and Permanency Support Program, she is able to continue to support all members of the triad after the adoption is completed. Adoption is ever-changing, and she has enjoyed being a part of those changes over the years.
Robyn serves as the Executive director of Advocacy for Children, Focus on the Family. In this role, she oversees the following programs: Foster Care and Adoption, a program that exists to raise awareness for children in foster care needing forever families; our pro-life content and children communications, Sanctity of Human Life campaign, and all aspects of Option Ultrasound, which provides ultrasound machines and sonography training to qualified pro-life medical clinics.
She supports the Wait No More events, which are designed to recruit families to begin the journey of becoming foster parents and/or adopt from foster care. She has served at Focus on the Family for more than 25 years. Robyn and her husband are kinship adoptive parents for their two oldest grandchildren.
Jeannine Floores has been involved in maternity ministry since 1990, when she began the work of planting “Sarah’s House,” her first maternity home in southern California. She was ordained by the Christian Church into ministry in 1992 and continued her work in full-time church and maternity ministry. She moved to Austin, TX in 1996 with her husband Brian and two sons, where God continued to use her there to plant a second ministry, “Breath of Life Maternity Ministries, which includes the Loving Hearts Christian Adoption Agency.
She has two sons, Travis, 27, and Matthew 25 who have recently created her newest and favorite title to date, “Grandma.” As both a birth mother and an adoptive mom, as well as the sibling of an adopted child, Jeannine Floores has certainly experienced adoption from all angles.
Sharen is a nationally recognized child welfare consultant and the retired Manager for Permanency Services for the Colorado Department of Human Services in the Division of Child Welfare Services. She retired with 30 years of comprehensive work history with the department. She oversaw six programmatic areas, including the Foster Care and Adoption Program, and supervised a team of professional staff.
Dr. Ford is the former President of the National Association of State Adoption Programs (NASAP) and the Association of Administrators for the Interstate Compact on Adoption Medical Assistance (AAICAMA). She currently serves as the Director of Foster Care and Adoption at Focus on the Family and is as committed as ever to raising awareness regarding the need for every child to have a quality family.
Carol serves as the Executive director of Covenant Care Services, a nonprofit, pro-life ministry in Georgia. She earned a Bachelors in Sociology and her MAT from Georgia College & State University. As Executive Director, Carol is responsible for overseeing our home study-ready families, our expectant mothers, and post-placement services for birth mothers. She is deeply invested in all aspects of the adoption triad.
Carol has a strong desire to meet the needs of women in an unexpected pregnancy and is committed to placing children in two-parent Christian homes. Carol, and her husband Clay, have one son Hobson. She is an active member of the praise team at her church and is a Task Force for Life member. Carol brings a passion for seeing adoption in place of abortion.
Anna serves as the Chief Operating Officer at America World Adoption, a domestic and international child placing and humanitarian non-profit organization, headquartered in Washington, DC, with over 25 domestic state and international offices. Working in adoption since 2004, Anna has an extensive breadth and depth of experience in adoption, serving vulnerable children and parents in both the United States and overseas.
With personal experience in adoption as an older adoptee, adoption is an intricate part of Anna’s life. She lives in Northern Virginia along with her husband and three children.
Brad serves as the President of the Christian Adoptions Alliance, which is committed to advancing adoptions from a Christian perspective, standing on Biblical definitions and Christian practices. The Alliance does this by providing education, training, and aligning with agencies, attorneys, and ministries that serve the adoption community from a Christian perspective.
He has been serving the pro-life and adoption community for over 20 years. He is adopted and had the opportunity to meet his birth mother at the age of 20 and learn the journey she went through to choose life and adoption for him. His family grew through the blessings of two children through open adoptions.
Over the years, Brad has served the adoption community by providing home studies to prospective parents, post-adoption counseling to birth mothers, and education to those involved with the different aspects of adoption.
Kathy Jerman is the Executive Director of New Hope Family Services in Syracuse, NY. New Hope is a New York State certified adoption agency as well as a pregnancy resource center. Since 1965, they have placed over 1,000 children in forever homes. Kathy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Arcadia University in PA. She has been at New Hope since 2016, when she began as a volunteer Client Advocate. She became the Executive Director in February 2019. She oversees the pregnancy center, adoption agency, and their newly launched mobile ultrasound ministry.
Kathy is passionate about empowering women to make life-affirming choices and helping them to see that abortion is not their only option and giving birth does not mean sacrificing their education or careers. She is committed to ensuring that New Hope provides ethical and Biblical adoption services that focus on all sides of the adoption triad. She and her husband Mike have four children.
Christie Mac Segars is the Vice President of Domestic Programs for Lifeline Children’s Services. She earned a Bachelors’s degree from Samford University and a Master’s in Social Work from The University of Alabama. She has been the Domestic Director at Lifeline since March of 2013.
Christie is committed to delivering adoption services from a Biblical and Christian perspective, and she is passionate about taking the gospel to hurting families and the ministry of reconciliation and redemption that exists in the various domestic programs. She and her husband Croft have three daughters, Ila, Elizabeth, and Harris.
Kevin is the Senior Director of Christian Adoptions Services, where he has served for the last five years. Prior to CAS, he served for twenty-two years as a pastor in North and South Carolina. Kevin received his Bachelor of Science from Gardner-Webb University in 1993 and his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1996.
Kevin has preached in over 100 churches since coming on board at CAS in 2016, raising awareness of orphan care. He is passionate about serving vulnerable children and pregnant moms in need, and he has a deep conviction from the Gospel to serve this population. He is married to Kim, and they have three children.
Robin Stephenson is the Founder and President of Lifetree Adoption Agency, a Christian-based adoption agency located in Dallas, Texas. For her, adoption is a ministry calling where she is committed to helping fulfill the dreams of birth parents and adoptive families while carrying out God’s will for our lives.
Jimbo Savley is President/CEO/Executive Director of Small World Inc., a Christian ministry offering services that are a positive alternative to abortion, domestic adoptions, international adoptions, and family support counseling. He has a BSW from Middle Tennessee State University and has been with Small World since 1991. He has worked pro-life and orphan ministry in numerous states and countries. He is an ordained minister and currently serves as College Ministry Director for his church, in addition to his work at Small World.
Jimbo and his wife Kristena have 2 adult children and look forward to being grandparents someday. Jimbo’s passion is to bring solutions through adoption to children who are orphaned, to help women in a crisis or unwanted pregnancy find real solutions which give a quality life to both her and the child, and to assist potential adoptive families as they follow God’s will in their lives to fulfill James 1:27 and take care of orphans.
Marlys Ubben is the founder and Executive Director of New Horizons Adoption Agency, Inc. Founded in 1987, New Horizons is a Christian adoption, foster care, and orphan care agency located in Blue Earth, Minnesota. Marlys has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, in Education, and is a licensed Social Worker and Certified Adoption Investigator. She has over 40 years of social work experience working in both international and domestic adoptions.
Marlys and her husband, Verlyn, are parents of six children, three of which are adopted. They have also parented three additional children who lived with them for many years. Marlys, with her family’s help, has committed her life to help families, birth parents, and children to a better life and future.
Tom Velie is the President of New Beginnings Adoptions & Family Services, where he has been serving since 2002. He earned a Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Mississippi and then a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi. Tom served as a Master Trainer through the National Council for Adoption’s Infant Adoption Awareness training program, as an adoption agency accreditation evaluator for the Council on Accreditation, and is a member of the National Council for Adoption Hall of Fame.
Tom and his wife, Debbie, have two adopted daughters (international adoption) who have made him a grandfather with an abundance of grandchildren.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Sociology from Gordon College and a Master’s in Social Work from The University of South Carolina. Tricia has been working in child welfare since graduating from college and she began her work in the field of adoption in 1992.
She has worked in foster care, domestic and international adoptions and pregnancy counseling while engaging churches and the community to support vulnerable children. She joined the Lifeline staff in June of 2021 and is grateful to be a part of an organization that seeks to share the Gospel of Jesus with a lost and hurting world. Tricia is committed to caring for women in unexpected pregnancies and providing adoption services with Biblical integrity.