9
Texas
Baptist
Luke 2 yr
Luke is our only son and was adopted from El Paso TX. Luke means "light giving" and we know he did just that for our lives. He has been such a blessing and we can't imagine life without him. He is very silly, active and all boy! He gets into everything which makes life so entertaining. He enjoys being outside and on the go. He loves the water whether it is from the ocean, pool, splash pad or water hose! He can't wait for a sibling to be his partner in crime!
3
Paul and I met during our first semester at Texas A&M Veterinary school in 2012. We formed a study group together and would spend late nights at the library studying for tests. We were fast friends and started to build that foundation before we ever went on a date. Paul is steadfast and calm in life's struggles while Haley is goofy and always ready to laugh. We made a great team. Thank goodness Paul worked up enough courage to ask Haley out! Two years later we were engaged and in August of 2015 we were married! From a young age, Haley knew God was calling her to adopt. When we met, Haley shared this calling with Paul and he agreed but wanted to try for a biological child first and then adopt as a second or third. After 2 years of no luck and a diagnosis of endometriosis for Haley, we knew God had already called us to adoption. We never pursued any in-vitro because we knew God had a child waiting for us that was perfect for our family. God definitely followed through with that promise after meeting our first son, Luke. We know there is another child out there God plans to add to our family and we cannot wait to meet them!
From Haley's Perspective: Paul always leads our family with thoughtfulness and love. He trusts God for all our big and little struggles- never rushing to a decision but thinking it carefully through. He is our families protector and provider. Paul is the hardest worker I know and always ready to help even at the end of his long day. He even does the dishes after meals. Plus, he ALWAYS has a smile and a snuggle ready for Luke. No matter what he is dealing with- he puts that aside to play with our son. Paul knows our time is precious and he makes the most of that. Our nieces and nephews adore him and always know they have a pool monster to swim with them! I like to call Paul my “Mr. Fix it”. The sprinkler system, the water heater, the stove top- you name it and he will figure out how to get it back in commission. I am so lucky we found each other so many years ago- I am so blessed to have him as my partner in in this crazy wonderful life.
Paul's mom and dad live in town and keep Luke regularly to spend time with him and make those special memories. Paul has two older sisters and Haley has one younger brother. Luke has a total of six cousins that he is able to play with, one of which is the same age as him. Our nieces and nephews showed us that we were ready for children and we have such a strong bond with them. Yearly, we go on family vacations- during the summers each family goes on a trip and we see them regularly throughout the year.
Paul graducated undergraduate from Texas A&M University with his bachelor in biology and then continued through school to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Paul is a mixed animal veterinarian meaning he treats large and small animals. Needless to say, his job never has a dull moment! He is passionate about medicine and works hard to make sure our family has everything we need.
I know it doesn’t sound like a hobby, but I really enjoy going out to our family ranch, checking on and feeding our cows. I already take Luke with me on weekends and we have special father son time riding around on the ATV in the sunshine. It the is a great time to just relax and enjoy the outdoors while marveling at the wonders of nature and all God created. Fishing and hunting are just a few of my favorite hobbies. Duck hunting with friends and my father each season is something I look forward to each year. I hope to be able to take my son and future children with me on these special outings when they are old enough. It is relaxing sitting in a quite blind early in the morning. I enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities though a Sunday nap on the couch is something I wish I had time for weekly I love grilling out for family and friends. I enjoy bringing people together with food and serving others. It is so fun to host events in our backyard.
From Paul's Perspective: Haley is the perfect blend of nurturing and fun. Haley is a caring mother and a loving wife. She has a strong faith and I have learned so much from seeing her relationship with Christ. Luke lights up with a smile when he sees her and loves for her to put him to bed at night with a story and a lullaby. She works hard, both at her job and at home. It amazes me how she can do so much at work, take care of Luke, keep our home in order and yet never run out of energy. She loves being outside whenever possible - gardening, reading, eating. She even mows while I edge the yard. She enjoys baking and chocolate chip cookies are her specialty. Haley loves children and seems to always get them wound up and having fun. Whenever the nieces and nephews are around, they always find Aunt Haley to play hide and seek.
When people say “it takes a village to raise children” we know we are so blessed to be so close with our family. Though Haley’s parents live 5 hours away, we make the effort to see each other at least once a month. This past year we took our nephew skiing without his parents and we had the best time. Paul’s dad skied with us and since Luke is not old enough to ski just yet, Haley’s parents came just to spend that extra time with him. All four grandparents are always buying little gifts for Luke and wanting to snuggle and play with him.
Haley graducated undergraduate from Texas A&M University with her bachelor in Aniaml Science and then continued through school to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Haley is a small animal veterinarian meaning she only does dogs, cats, some pocket pets and a few exotics here and there. She loves her patients and is so kind to their owners. Haley is part time so her job is flexible to take care of Luke and any future children.
I love fresh flowers and planting in my flower beds. There is something so cathartic planting flowers/veggies, digging though the dirt, and then watching them grow and flourish. That must be why spring is my favorite season. I definitely wouldn’t say I’m a master gardener because I’ve killed as many flowers as I’ve planted :) but that’s what makes it so much fun. One thing doesn’t work- pull it up and work on the next. You can’t dwell on the failures but look forward to the beauty that is still to come. My favorite food would have to be pizza! I like all sorts of varieties but my favorite is just a classic pepperoni. Most Friday nights you will find us getting pizza for dinner whether at a local restaurant or picking it up for a date night in. I love shark week. When I was growing up, I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist and study sharks. Now I get 1 week of all things shark and it is awesome! My favorite hobby is running. It is a time to myself to think, pray and clear my head as I start my day.
Luke is our only son and was adopted from El Paso TX. Luke means "light giving" and we know he did just that for our lives. He has been such a blessing and we can't imagine life without him. He is very silly, active and all boy! He gets into everything which makes life so entertaining. He enjoys being outside and on the go. He loves the water whether it is from the ocean, pool, splash pad or water hose! He can't wait for a sibling to be his partner in crime!
After graduating from veterinary school, we moved to Paul’s hometown. We love being an hour from the coast and we enjoy trips spent on the beach and at the family ranch. Our church is 5 min from our house where we attend Sunday morning church and a couple’s Bible study on Sunday nights. Haley volunteers at the church with the puppet show and with Vacation Bible School. We live in a small town that is surrounded by rural areas. Our home is 4-bedroom on a quiet circle street. Outside our circle is a small field where you can see deer coming in and out. There is a walking trail 2 blocks from our house that leads to a small splash pad we like to visit in the summer. Our neighborhood is very friendly and the people are a joy to socialize with. We have a very small garden that Haley likes to grow tomatoes, okra, squash, cucumbers and onions in their seasons. Haley loves to bake chocolate chip cookies. In the spring, we invite friends and family to our home for a craw-fish boil. Paul is the grill master and enjoys hosting for steak and wood fire pizza nights with friends
We have always loved to travel. Even as kids, both of our parents would take us to fun new places and explore the world around us. We were scuba certified after we got married and Paul is an expert skier. We travel to the mountains regularly during the winter and summer for both the snow and the beautiful weather. Haley studied abroad in Italy one summer of college and then made Paul go back with her. He wasn't so sure he would enjoy it but instantly fell in love with the culture, history and of course the food.
We plan to help our children have the same travel experiences we did. It's so good to meet new people and learn new things. We want them to know there is a big beautiful world out there waiting to be explored.
