SEARCH RESULT
This Is Us
We met at a time when neither of us was fully expecting love, but God knew exactly what we needed. Through friendship, laughter, and honest conversations, we built a deep connection. Our relationship is rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and a desire to build a life and a family founded on our shared faith.
We’ve been married for just over three years now, and throughout life’s challenges, we’ve learned to lean on each other, to hold space for sorrow and for hope, and to find beauty even in the unexpected turns. We now stand in a place of deep gratitude for each other, for the life we’ve built together, and for the opportunity to grow our family through adoption.
We have always felt called to adopt, and passionate that families can be defined by LOVE as well as biology. We are grateful to be considered as you make such a loving decision for your baby.
*Links to our Instagram and Profile Book are in the "Letter" Section* =)
"Adventure is out there!" UP is our favorite movie. It would be awesome to talk more with you and see if you'd like to go on this adventure together!
A quick snapshot of us:
• We live in rural Iowa.
• Bryan is a pastor of a Reformed Presbyterian Church.
• Olivia is a homeschool mom.
• We value: faith, joy, and love.
• In our home, kids are safe, wanted, guided, and deeply loved.
How we met:
Bryan is from Southern California, and Olivia grew up in Ohio. We met at a Christian student conference in Virginia while Bryan was serving in the Navy.
Why Adoption:
It's been a long-held desire since we were both kids.
We want an expectant mother to be able to choose adoption with real hope, knowing her baby will be safe, cared for, and deeply loved in a stable home with open hearts and open arms.
Our faith shapes this deeply. In the Gospel, God welcomes those who were not His children and makes them His beloved children through Jesus. We see adoption as a reflection of that love.
Brandon and Brandy have been married 10 years and they are very eager to add a sweet miracle child to their family. We love to spend time with our families and attend church events. Brandon loves anything to do with music. From playing the bass, to playing the drums, to singing. Anything he can do that involves music that is his happy place. Brandy loves anything out doors, during the summer she is outside every chance she gets. As a couple they love to vacation at the beach in the summer then in the winter they love to go to the mountains. They just genuinely love spending time with each other and their families.
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.
A ping pong table in a small Bible college in Pennsylvania is where it all began. Our friendship in the beginning laid the foundation for our relationship later and we got to know each other over games of ping pong. When we started studying together and spending more time with each other, we realized we had a strong connection. Rob thought Jessica was beautiful and fun to be around. Jessica admired how much Rob cared for his friends and family. It didn't take us long to see that we were meant to be together and have been inseparable ever since.
Each day is a blessing as we spend time together doing the activities we love. Walking around local theme parks, visiting the beach, and meeting up with Rob's family are some of our favorite things. Jessica enjoys cooking healthy meals, and Rob helps out around the house. An evening walk around the neighborhood is a nice way to catch up and enjoy nature. We plan weekly outings and look forward to our annual summer vacations. It will be a joy to have our little one in our lives!
Greg and I always enjoy our time together. We like to spend time outdoors, on a kayak or paddleboard, and are always up for a competitive driveway basketball game! We also like working in our yard. I plant flowers and watch them grow, and Greg keeps them watered. Together we make a great team! We love grabbing ice cream with our nieces, cheering on our favorite teams, and watching funny movies together. Christmas movies are in season all year! Whether we’re at home on game night or out sharing a pizza, we always have fun laughing together.
Our love story:
Greg and I met through my younger brother, Will. Will and Greg met shortly after Will graduated from college. Years later, Will bumped into Greg at the grocery store. He told Greg he should give me a call. Will had never set me up on a date before, so I knew this guy must be someone special! I agreed to go out with Greg, and we have been together ever since.
We dated for one year before becoming engaged. On a cold New Year’s Day, Greg and I went on a romantic walk along the riverfront in Nashville. We were on the beautiful pedestrian bridge overlooking the city when snow began to fall and music began to play. A man on an electric keyboard was playing Ed Sheeran’s song, “Thinking Out Loud”— a beautiful love song about growing old with your true love. I looked at Greg and he was down on one knee. He told me how much he loved me and asked me to marry him. I enthusiastically said, “Yes!” I complimented Greg for having the musician play the lovely music for the proposal, but Greg said he had not hired him. The musician just happened to be on the bridge performing the perfect soundtrack for our engagement! Every time we pass the pedestrian bridge, we remember the wonderful night we promised to belong to each other forever.
Our wedding was a dream come true! The fun began at our rehearsal dinner. Instead of a traditional dinner, we invited the wedding party to a baseball game. We enjoyed the fireworks display over the ballpark that night—it was as if everyone there was celebrating with us. Our wedding was held at the Nashville Symphony Center. The wedding was a family affair. All our siblings, their spouses, and their children were included in the wedding party. We had an amazing band and everyone danced all night! Our wedding was a joyous event and a true celebration of God’s promises.
We have been married for 12 years, and we have two amazing, biological daughters. Kenlee is 8 years old, and Taylor is 6. We have always dreamed of having a house full of kids, but when we tried to conceive our third child we began suffering recurrent miscarriages. We have endured 7 miscarriages in the last 2 years with the latest being at 14 weeks gestation. We’ve sought treatment from fertility doctors, but the cause of our losses remains a mystery. Our infertility journey has been heartbreaking, but we believe God has good plans for our family (AND FOR YOURS TOO)! We feel strongly that God has led us to adoption to grow our family.
Some of the terms related to the adoption process can be confusing. Here is a list of several terms that can help you understand the language associated with adoption.
Adoption Decree: A legal order that finalizes an adoption to the adoptive parents
Adoption Plan: The expectations and intended outcome of the adoption. An arrangement made by the birth parents, which can state their wishes, such as open or closed adoption, and how much involvement they want with their child.
Adoption Triad: The child, birth parents, and adoptive parents make up the triad.
Birth father: The biological father who has consented to the adoption plan.
Birth mother: The biological mother who has consented to the adoption plan.
Finalization: The adoptive parents appear in court, asking to become the child’s legal parents. The judge grants the request if all is in order with the supervision, background, and so forth.
Home Study: Assessment of the adoptive parents’ ability to provide a healthy home. This provides information on the couple’s health, home life, financial standing, background information, and even about their extended families. The assessment is done by a licensed social worker and submitted to the agency and court as part of the adoption decree.
ICPC: ICPC stands for Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. When the birth mother and adoptive family reside in different states, both states must agree to the transfer before the adoptive family can take the child out of the state where he/she was born.
Matching: The process of linking the birth family with prospective adoptive families is usually based on the birth mother’s requests.
Putative Father Registry: A putative father is a man who claims or is alleged to be the father of a child but has not established a legal relationship.
Relinquishment/Termination Papers: Legal documents that the birth parents must sign showing that they choose to place their child for adoption, and they terminate all legal rights to the child. These papers are signed no earlier than 48 hours after the child is born.