Tyler and I live a happy, balanced life filled with love, laughter, and shared adventures. We love staying active — going for runs, hiking, traveling, or exploring all the fun things St. Louis has to offer. Travel is one of our favorite ways to make memories, try new foods, and experience new cultures. We also really value spending time with friends and family, whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a game night, or just hanging out and catching up. Those moments of connection are important to us and are exactly the kind of environment we want to create for a child.

Our careers give us flexibility and a great work-life balance. I work as a Nurse Research Coordinator at Washington University, four days a week, and Tyler works as a Financial Analyst at Express Scripts, three days in the office and two days from home. This schedule gives us plenty of quality time together and will allow us to be present and involved in a child’s life. At home, we enjoy relaxing and our individual hobbies — I love reading and experimenting with new recipes, while Tyler enjoys video games and home projects. Together, we make sure life is full of fun, curiosity, and meaningful experiences. We’re excited to share our active, loving, and family-focused lifestyle with a child and help them grow in a happy, supportive, and adventurous environment.

To us, being parents means creating a home that’s full of love, laughter, and support — a place where our child always feels safe, valued, and encouraged to be themselves. It’s about cheering them on through life’s ups and downs, helping them grow, learn, and navigate challenges, while modeling kindness, respect, and resilience. It’s also about learning and growing alongside them and enjoying all the little and big moments that make family life so special.

What we’re most excited about is watching our child explore the world, develop their own interests, and grow into their own person. We can’t wait to share the things we love — traveling, running, hiking, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family — and see how our child adds their own passions and personality to our family. We’re also looking forward to creating new traditions, celebrating milestones, and enjoying everyday moments full of laughter and connection. Being parents, for us, also means being present, patient, and flexible, ready to support our child in whatever they need. Most importantly, we want to provide a warm, stable, and loving home where our child feels cherished and confident in who they are. Parenthood, to us, is about love, adventure, and building a family together — and we can’t wait to start that journey.

Our families are full of personality, so there’s never a dull moment when we get together. Most of our family live about two hours away, but they make regular visits, and we love every chance to see them. There’s even talk of both of our families moving closer. Everyone is so supportive of our adoption plan and over the moon about welcoming the first grandchild into the family! We’ve also built a wonderful group of friends nearby who have really become like family.

They all bring so much joy, and support into our lives. We spend a lot of time together—playdates, cookouts, or just casual hangouts—and it’s comforting to know our child would grow up surrounded by this loving, supportive community. A favorite memory from this year was starting to host Easter at our house for both sides of our families. Everyone came together for a barbecue and just hung out outside all weekend. Tyler and I ran around helping with little tasks, laughing with everyone, and enjoying the sunshine. It was exactly the kind of happy environment we hope to share with a child. What makes our family unique is that we come from blended families. One of Tyler’s brothers is adopted, and I have a large stepfamily, so we’ve seen how love and connection can take many forms. Everyone has different personalities, but there’s so much humor, loyalty, and support. We’re excited to bring a child into this mix and start making our own traditions together!

Our home is in a welcoming, family-friendly neighborhood in O’Fallon, Illinois, where kids are always outside playing, neighbors help each other out, and there’s a real sense of connection—making it easy for our future child to grow up in a caring, supportive environment. Our comfortable, modern home, built in 2012, has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and one of our favorite spots is the family room with its vaulted ceiling and big windows that open onto our deck and fenced backyard—a place for watching sports, hanging out, or just relaxing, where everyone is always welcome. O’Fallon is a great place for kids, with highly rated schools, supportive teachers, and a strong foundation for learning. Beyond school, the community has fun events like District Nights, seasonal festivals, and family gatherings that bring neighbors together and help kids make friends. There are also parks, trails, and community pools where a child can run, swim, explore, and play safely. Plus, we’re only about 20 minutes from all St. Louis has to offer, from museums and theaters to sports and cultural attractions. We love imagining our child playing in the backyard or biking with friends—surrounded by caring people in a home full of love and possibilities.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We can only imagine the strength, courage, and love it takes to consider an adoption plan for your child. We understand that this journey can be overwhelming, emotional, and deeply personal, and we know that nothing we say can fully capture what you may be feeling. What we can promise is that you will never walk this path alone - we are here to support you with compassion, respect, and care every step of the way.

We live in a welcoming, family-centered community in southwestern Illinois, where kids play outside, neighbors look out for each other, and there’s a true sense of connection. Our three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which includes a fenced-in backyard, has plenty of space for our child to grow, explore, and feel safe. With great schools, nearby parks, trails, pools, and family-friendly events, and just a short drive to St. Louis for museums, theaters, and sporting events, we hope to provide a childhood full of fun and adventure. We are deeply, wholeheartedly ready to be parents. This desire has been with us for years, growing stronger every day. We yearn for the moments that come with raising a child - the first giggles, the bedtime stories, the scraped knees we can comfort, and the milestones we can celebrate together. We dream of holding our child in our arms, teaching them, guiding them, and watching them discover the world with curiosity and joy. Parenthood is not just something we want - it is something we feel destined for, something that fills our hearts with anticipation and love even before our child arrives. We are eager to give a child everything we have: patience, guidance, encouragement, and an unwavering presence through every stage of life.

We’re excited to make everyday memories with our child - taking them along on stroller runs, cheering as they run beside us, or watching from the sidelines if that’s where they feel happiest. We can’t wait to travel together, whether it’s our yearly trip to Disney World and seeing their face light up when meeting a favorite character, or exploring new foods and cultures around the world. We also love quiet weekends at home, reading together, watching sports, and enjoying slow, cozy moments as a family.

We’ve been together for almost six years and married for two. Even though we officially met as adults, we’ve always felt connected by an invisible string - we grew up just five minutes apart, went to the same high school, and shared many mutual friends. Our love feels both fresh and lifelong, built on mutual respect, shared values, and a deep commitment to family. Both of our careers give us flexibility, allowing us to be home one to two days a week. With Alyssa’s experience caring for children in pediatric healthcare, we feel confident in our ability to navigate illnesses or medical needs calmly, safely, and with knowledge.

Adoption has been in our hearts from early in our relationship. We’ve never felt called to have biological children, but our desire to become parents has only grown stronger with time. With Tyler’s brother being adopted, we’ve seen firsthand how important it is for adoptive parents to be prepared, open-minded, and committed to supporting both the child and their birth family.

We honor you - your story, your journey, and your love for your child. We know adoption is a lifelong journey, and that communication between birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive parents naturally changes over time. We hope to maintain a connection that feels comfortable for everyone, sharing photos, notes, videos, and updates in ways that support both you and our child. We promise your child will always know where they come from and will grow up in a home filled with love, laughter, learning, and encouragement. They will be supported, respected, and cherished for exactly who they are. And if you choose us, you will always be a part of their story - and ours.

Tyler & Alyssa