The year was 2008. Taylor Swift was in her Fearless era, and "Love Story" had just hit the airwaves. Around the same time, our love story was just beginning on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay where we met right after college in a program for young adults studying Christianity. For both of us, our faith was and is foundational to our sense of purpose in the world, and we knew we wanted jobs that would make a difference in people's lives. At the same time, we both loved to laugh and enjoyed a good dance party as much as a deep conversation about our favorite books. Our first date was actually a cha cha lesson! We were the perfect match of silly and serious. During this time, Kyle really encouraged Emily to pursue becoming a pastor, even though she hadn't grown up seeing many women in that role before. Emily also encouraged Kyle in one of his dreams of living in another country.
We got married in 2010, finished graduate school in North Carolina, and in 2015, we moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo for nearly three years. Emily taught Christian theology to university students, and Kyle led a university research center. Our time in Congo will forever be one of the most transformational experiences we've ever had. We built amazing friendships that continue to this day, served with an incredible team, and learned that, most of the time, the best "help" we can offer others comes through our own willingness to be vulnerable. In 2018, we moved to Minnesota where Emily serves as a pastor focused on local service and global relationships. Kyle works from home for a solar energy company that he helped start with our friends in Congo.
We have always wanted to become parents. After years of struggling with infertility, our doctors suggested more advanced interventions. This didn't feel like the next right step for us, so we decided to take forty days in the winter of 2019 to prayerfully reflect on the future of our family. The only rule: we couldn't talk about it with each other! We took time to rest, reconnect, and pray (separately) about new possibilities. At the end of the forty days, we were both 100% ready to pursue adoption.
We thought about the incredible love and welcome we have received over the years in new cultures and homes. We thought about how much we adore our nieces, nephews, and our friends' kiddos. We thought about the deep and unwavering desire in our hearts to parent a child. We felt ready for this new adventure of adoption. In particular, we were excited about the possibilities of open adoption and helping our future child stay connected to their biological family, culture, and heritage. If you were to place your child with us, know that we are eager for you to be part of their ongoing story.
Meet Emily
From Kyle: No matter what she's doing or who she's with, Emily is caring, attentive, engaged, and organized. She's the kind of person people enjoy connecting with because she's deep, interesting, easy to talk to and has a surprisingly funny side. Emily does a very good job of taking care of herself, so that she can be present to others, and I've seen her demonstrate tremendous courage and compassion over the last ten years. This, combined with her strong sense of loyalty and responsibility, will make her an excellent mother.
Occupation: Pastor
You might be surprised to know: Emily is from Louisiana; she's mostly lost her accent but not her taste for a good crawfish boil, gumbo, or king cake.
Interests: collecting cookbooks, trying new recipes, biking, travel and exploring new places with Kyle, learning guitar, spending time with nieces and nephews, Christian theology, rich conversations
Meet Kyle
From Emily: Kyle has an insatiable curiosity to learn about the world and other people. He is a master researcher, sharp thinker, and a great mentor. I love his entrepreneurial spirit and the way he always asks me what I'm learning about. When I imagine him as a dad, I see him encouraging exploration and adventure in our children—whatever their interests may be. Kyle's patience, servant-heart, and encouraging presence is a daily gift to me and will be for our children as well.
Field: Theological Education and International Development
You might be surprised to know: Kyle does a pretty amazing Donald Duck impersonation.
Interests: discussing new ideas with friends, learning about and eating chocolate, reading The Economist, teaching at church, business strategies for social impact, Christian theology and ethics, working on projects with friends, and exploring the Twin Cities by bike
