9
Tennessee
Baptist
None
0
I would like to introduce you to our family. My name is Julie, and my wonderful husband's name is Will. I am 30 years old, and Will is 31 years old. We have been married for a little over eight years. Will and I met at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. We had both grown up very involved in our churches, so it seems appropriate that we met at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. We were friends for two years before we started dating. Will's kindness drew me to him. We dated and were engaged for a year and a half before getting married in 2015. Will and I love to travel, and some of our favorite places that we have visited are Spain and Portugal, the Grand Canyon, cruises to the Caribbean, and camping at State Parks, beaches, and other beautiful campgrounds around the Southeastern United States. We can't wait to share our love of travel and the world with a child. We spend a lot of our weekends going to football games, camping in our camper, hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, and spending time with family either in East Tennessee or Middle Tennessee. I love to capture family adventures and memories with my camera. Since I am a professional photographer, I love to take pictures while we travel and around the local area. I look forward to capturing precious memories of our adopted child as they grow up.
Written by Julie: Will is the kindest man I know. That’s what drew me to him when we were just friends. He loves the Lord and leads us well. Will always makes me laugh and has a hilarious sense of humor. He is laid back but also has a strong work ethic. His gentle kindness makes me love him more every day, and his personality balances mine very well. He is a sports expert and loves all University of Tennessee sports, Atlanta Braves baseball, and Tennessee Titans football. He is extremely smart and mechanically inclined. Since he is a mechanical engineer, he can fix anything. Also, you always want him on your trivia team. He grew up watching Jeopardy every day with his parents, and his groom’s cake was Jeopardy-themed. He loves fiercely and will protect those he loves no matter what.
Will is wonderful with children. He plays with our young niece and nephew whenever he gets a chance. Our niece calls him her “Barbie Buddy” because he will always play Barbies with her when she asks. He is so creative in his play with them and constantly amazes me with the ideas he comes up with to entertain them. He is not afraid to be silly and encourages their imaginations. They love their Uncle Will and they know he loves them.
Will grew up in a very loving home in a strong Christian environment. He has an older brother, a wonderful sister-in-law, one niece, and two nephews. Will grew up with an affinity for watching and playing sports. With his family, he traveled to East Tennessee and various beaches in Alabama and Florida growing up. Most of his family lives a little further away, and we try to visit as much as possible. Will’s mother was a NICU nurse for over 40 years and has now retired. This passion and love for small children has her very excited to add to our family through adoption. Unfortunately, Will’s father passed away in 2017, but Will’s aunt and uncle stepped in and supported Will’s mom and family until his mom remarried in 2023.
The holidays are our favorite times of year. We treasure our time with our families and value our traditions. We alternate Easter and Thanksgiving between our extended families. Easter with Will’s family includes church, a big lunch with yummy food, and an Easter egg hunt with our niece and nephews. Thanksgiving is another fun holiday. Thanksgiving with Will’s family includes a meal at his mom’s house and watching football with the whole family. Christmas is our favorite time of year. We spend Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with Will’s family. On Christmas Day, we get up and drive to Will’s mom’s house to open presents with his family and have Christmas dinner in the afternoon. We enjoy celebrating with our loved ones!
Will graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in mechanical engineering. He enjoyed his time in college with his classes, friends, and attending sporting events. Will now works at a research facility. He enjoys his job and loves being able to use his engineering degree to help people in the future with the research he is doing.
Here are some fun facts about Will:
Written by Will: Julie is an amazing woman. She is strong, kind, and loving. One thing I particularly love about her is her passion and persistence. When she sets her mind to accomplish things, her perseverance and determination are a force to be reckoned with. She likes to plan and put things in order. It was easy to fall for her cute smile and kind personality. Everyone who knows Julie adores her sweet demeanor and considerate behavior. She is a great friend and an astounding wife. She likes to laugh, especially at my silly jokes, which is another thing that drew me to her.
Julie loves playing with children. She gets on their level and plays their games. She is kind and loving but is not afraid to correct them if needed. Our niece and nephews adore her. Their faces light up whenever they get to spend time with her. Our niece’s favorite thing to do with Julie is to run through the sprinklers in the yard. Our niece was initially hesitant, but after watching Julie’s exuberance and receiving her soft encouragement, she overcame her fear. Our nephews enjoy reading, and Julie is one of their favorite story readers.
Julie grew up in a loving, Christ-centered home. She has an older sister who is married with two children. She grew up camping with her family on the weekends in the local area and going to the beach every summer. Camping provided some of her favorite memories with her family, and she is very excited to continue the tradition with our camper. Julie's family is very tight-knit, and most of her immediate family live close by. Her grandparents are still living, and she is thankful they are a part of our lives. Her grandmother is so excited for another great-grandbaby that she asks about how the adoption is going every time we talk. She can’t wait to welcome another child into our family.
Julie is a professional photographer and she is proud to use her Business degree from the University of Tennessee to own her own business. She is excited to practice her photogaphy skills on a sweet baby and a birth family can expect lots and lots of pictures as the precious baby grows.
Here are some fun facts about Julie:
Our home is a lovely, two-level home. We have three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, with a bonus room. The first floor consists of an open kitchen, family room, living room, and a dining room big enough to host family and friends. A screened-in porch is located off the kitchen, where we love to eat dinner and relax in the evenings. Our house sits on a quiet cul-de-sac with great neighbors and a fenced yard. We are thankful for our home because it genuinely feels like an oasis to us.
Our community is amazing. We live minutes from a local park with a fun playground. There are lots of greenways to ride bikes and hiking trails not far from where we live. We also love going camping on the weekend at the many state parks in the area, and we enjoy going to University of Tennessee sporting events when we can.
Also, the school districts are some of the best in our state. It is a wonderful place to raise a family!
