Hello, we are Kathryn and Will! Thank you for choosing to read more about our family of three, Kathryn, Will and our son, Benjamin (plus our dog Ellie!).

We met in college in North Carolina when we were assigned to the same group project in a chemistry class and became instantly interested in each other. Not long after we began dating, Will left for Nicaragua, where he served in the Peace Corps for two years. During this time, we communicated mostly through phone calls, letters and the occasional rendezvous in Nicaragua. Our long-distance letters and phone calls helped us to strengthen our amazing friendship and hone the communication skills that our relationship is built upon.

In 2010, after four years of dating, we were married in an apple orchard in the mountains of North Carolina. Shortly after getting married, while at a church retreat, we felt God calling us to adopt. Our feelings were confirmed even more so after enduring a high-risk pregnancy with our son, Ben. We are so excited to begin our adoption journey and to complete our family through open adoption.

When I first met Will, I was instantly taken by his sense of humor. Though many people think of him as a man of few words, he has a knack for perfect timing and comedic effect. Ever since the beginning of our relationship, he has been able to make me laugh in any situation, even when things haven’t gone as planned. His ability to bring lighthearted humor to trying circumstances is part of what makes him such an amazing person and life partner.

Will is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand; a loyal friend, he maintains strong relationships and always stands by his family. As father, Will is involved and engaged. He loves working with his hands and is always sure to include Ben on his DIY projects. It’s not usual to see the two of them working together to bring one of Ben’s many ideas to life. Will’s playful nature is one of his best qualities when it comes to parenting; he is always first to join in on the fun of building sandcastles or swimming in the ocean.

As a National Park Ranger, Will oversees and develops park programming such as guided nature walks and educational performances for children. We frequently visit the park as a family and enjoy attending youth performances and hiking on the trails. I know he looks forward to sharing his love of the outdoors with another child.

Kathryn is the ultimate planner and ensures vacations, weekends, daily tasks and meal times are full of fun and excitement. Even when our family schedule is full, she makes time for the little things, like playing board games or building with Ben. Though she exudes kindness and compassion, she also loves a friendly competition! She and Ben love to play on the same team to try and beat me at whatever game we are playing. I know they will love to have another teammate on their side!

Early on in our relationship, Kathryn impressed me with her dedication to family; she spent a lot of time with my family during my service in the Peace Corps. It meant so much to me that she attended my family’s dinners and get-togethers even though I wasn’t there. This proved to me just how much value Kathryn puts on family relationships, a quality that I believe makes her a wonderful mother and leader of our family.

Not only is Kathryn dedicated to our family, but she has also devoted her career to helping countless families and children across the nation through her work at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Her selfless passion for others in need is one of her most wonderful qualities and makes her the ideal role model for Ben.

Our son, Benjamin, was born in 2014. Full of curiosity and imagination, he loves space and pirates. He is athletic and participates in tae kwon do and swimming and is always looking for new sports to try out. Will supports Ben’s love for sports and play by helping to coach his baseball team and serving as the leader for Ben’s Boy Scout den. On the weekends, Ben loves to play outside and frequently requests we go fishing or hiking as a family. When the weather gets dreary, Ben and his canine companion, Ellie, enjoy snuggling up together in a blanket fort.

Ben is very social and loves making new friends. He gets his “funny-bone” from his father and enjoys making people laugh by thinking up new jokes.

We talk about adoption often with Ben and he cannot wait to be a big brother! He has saved his toys to share with the baby and dreams of taking a younger sibling swimming and on visits to the park. Whenever he is around a baby, he loves to play peek and boo to try to make them smile. We know he will be such a great brother and will love helping to care for this child.