Torie and Brandon

RELATIONSHIP - Married 10 years (together 13 years total)

AGES - 34 & 32

CHILDREN IN HOME - 1 Adopted Son

RELIGION - Evangelical/Nondenominational Christian

LOCATION - Utah, USA (Willing to travel within the United States)

HOME - Townhome, homeowners.

NEIGHBORHOOD - Suburban/Rural

PETS - 1 Dog

AGE - Given our son is over 2 years, we are open to a newborn/infant/toddler younger than him.

GENDER - Either

RACE/ETHNICITY - All

MULTIPLE CHILDREN - Open to twins or sibling sets.

DRUG EXPOSURE - Open, without judgement

SPECIAL NEEDS - Open to discussion

LEVEL OF OPENNESS - all contact: phone calls, texts, video chat, in-person visit before adoption placement, sharing photos, texts, letters after placement, visits and birthdays after adoption placement, etc,.

While we have a heart for open adoption, whatever level of openness the expectant parent(s) desire, we will honor and respect. The door will always be open for additional relationship openness.

We are not ignorant of the circumstances and struggles that may have led you to this consideration. We believe adoption is a beautiful thing, but we know it is rooted in heartbreak and pain. This is probably the hardest decision you’ve ever made, and we do not take that lightly.

We pray that as you read about our little family, that you feel encouraged and filled with hope. Our goal is to share details of our lives authentically, so you can envision whether your child would fit in our family. We will never pretend to be someone we are not just to get you to choose us. We long for the opportunity to get to know you as well. Thank you for considering us to be part of your story. We are so honored!

With love and prayers,

Brandon & Torie

We Believe in Jesus

Faith is a huge part of our lives, and our church community is like family to us. While in technical terms we are Evangelical or Nondenominational Christian, our faith is much more personal than gathering in a building. Our home is a place where peace and joy are a priority and God is present in everyday conversations. The life of Jesus is our example of how to show God’s love to all people. We will always prioritize teaching our children about God’s love for them.

We're Pretty Chill

We find so much joy in the simple things and being together for a home cooked meal. When we’re feeling adventurous, we love a exploring a new restaurant or an off-road mountain drive.

We're Real People

Our family is committed to adoption and the hard realities that come with it. We are not afraid of the messy stuff, and nothing will scare us away. We are imperfect people that believe in being authentic and real, and sticking it through, even when things get hard.

We're Opposites and Alike in the Best Ways

Brandon can be introverted but loves the company of a small group, while Torie is 100% an outgoing people person. While we are different in many ways, we agree on the most important things like crunchy peanut butter, the color blue, and a shared hate for mushrooms.

We're Loving Parenthood

We have fully embraced our new lives as parents. From adventures to the zoo or just an average grocery trip - it is so much fun! Our day-to-day routine is centered at home and lots of learning through play. We hope to teach our children the values of kindness, joy, and confidence in themselves and who they are.

Before dating apps were even popular, we met the good old-fashioned way- through church! It was Summer of 2013. We both served as youth leaders for separate churches at a Colorado youth camp. We were both on night duty along with several other young adults to ensure the teens didn’t sneak out of the cabins. It wasn’t until after youth camp that Brandon followed me on Instagram and began liking every single photo of me, that I got the hint. In October, our first official date consisted of a church event followed by IHOP for some late-night breakfast. (Brandon didn’t like breakfast food, but he liked me.) Right away I was so captured by his openness about God and the experiences he’d had. We spent that autumn falling in love, becoming best friends, and learning about each other's dreams and passions. Our first kiss took place at Christmas time on a horse-drawn carriage ride in downtown Salt Lake. On the two year anniversary of our first date, we married in a mountain meadow, and gathered for a reception at a coffee shop downtown.

During our 13 month engagement and early on in our marriage, we had many conversations about our future family. Adoption was already placed on both of our hearts independently, so when it finally came up, we knew it was part of God’s plan for our future family. For Brandon, he knew fostering/adopting was something he had on his heart from years of volunteering at a summer camp for foster children. For Torie, years of female-related health issues, pointed out that the road to biological children may be a difficult one, so it led us to talk and pray about the opportunity to pursue adoption for all of our future children rather than going through fertility treatments. We have always felt peace about this decision, and continue to seek God to prepare ourselves and our relationship.

Torie is an intensely passionate person. She loves and cares for every single person she meets, even if she’s only known you for a few seconds. She’ll remember your birthday, favorite hobby, mother’s maiden name, etc, all from the first time meeting you. Torie loves God and our son with the same fiery passion.

My favorite things about Torie: She is organized and a planner. She is an incredible gift-giver. I love her loud laugh, and her drive to get things done. She’s easygoing with me and she’s quick to forgive!

Torie is an amazing mom to our son Jude, she is nurturing and so attentive to his needs, and never settles for less than the best for him. She is totally rockin’ at Motherhood and bursting with so much love.

 A Few of My Favorite Things:

• Ordering movie theater popcorn to-go.
• Teaching in the toddler class at church.
• Sipping on my guilty pleasure: Coke Zero with Lemon.
• Watching Disney Theme Parks vloggers on YouTube.
• Scoring a name brand item at a thrift store.
• Getting my hands dirty - on my pottery wheel!

Brandon’s number one goal is to make me laugh – or roll my eyes at his dumb dad jokes.. He loves God and has a huge heart for people especially regarding injustice or social issues. He is very analytical and ridiculously smart. He has a passion for learning new things. Brandon is techy/geeky and an excellent problem solver —He will definitely be the one to help with math and science homework. Brandon is an awesome cook and amazing provider for our family.

My favorite things about Brandon: His sarcasm, gentleness and unconditional support. He is always my biggest cheerleader and wonderful listener.

Brandon is such an amazing dad to our son, and loves him so tenderly. He is so incredibly patient, silly and fun. (Only Brandon can get Jude to giggle and squeal so hard!) Brandon is an ultra-present and proud father.

Here's the Stuff I'm Into:

• Discovering a new off-road trail in my truck.
• Rough housing with Jude, making him laugh and squeal.
• Smoking... a brisket or ribs on the smoker.
• All things bread: Sourdough baking and a good oven fired pizza crust.
• My morning run and pour over coffee routine.
• My nerd hobbies: Magic the Gathering, Manga Books, Anime.

Our little guy is so chill. He’s always smiling and loves everyone he meets. We are loving how active and adventurous he is getting. Of course, he is beginning to gain independence and have big emotions as toddlers do. He keeps us busy and life with him is so fun.

It is amazing and wonderful to see his birth parents’ features coming through as Jude grows! Jude’s adoption will always be known to him, as we read children’s adoption books often. We have a keepsake box full of cherished mementos of his birth and printed photographs of his birth parents. Even though he cannot understand at his age, we still tell him his story and we will continue to do so at all ages.

 Jude's Hobbies:

• Snacking on Bananas and Berries.
• Dancing, Drumming, or anything with upbeat music.
• Throwing the ball for his dog, Teddy.
• Walking up and down the toy aisles at Target.
• Rough housing and jumping on the bed with Dad.
• Playground adventures; Swinging, slides, you name it.
• Watching Train Videos, Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse, Pixar Cars, or Ms Rachel YouTube.

It was Thanksgiving Week, 2022. A beautiful mother had connected with us through a mutual friend on social media. She was contemplating adoption for her adorable baby boy, who had just been born a few days earlier. After exchanging texts over Thanksgiving and getting to know each other, she decided to choose us as the family to raise her son. “Thank you for taking my precious baby and giving him a better life than what I can give him.” She said. Reading those words completely broke our hearts, as we knew this loving choice was incredibly painful for her.

We flew to Daytona Beach, Florida and went straight to the hospital to meet our son! It was emotional and overwhelming to process that he was even real and that we were his mom and dad. The next morning, the most breathtaking ocean sunrise was a reminder from God of how beautiful this story is. Our little dude spent about 2 weeks in the NICU where our corner was so heavenly, just holding him and praying over him. We made friends with some of the nurses who so lovingly cared for him, and still stay in touch to this day!

After leaving the hospital, we were able to be together with Jude’s birth parents, a time that we will always remember and cherish. We then traveled home to Utah and celebrated our first Christmas as a family of three.

Shared with Their Permission and Blessing

Our son’s biological parents, or as we lovingly call them “Mama Kae and Papa Nick” are forever part of our family through this beautiful boy. Their selfless act of choosing us to raise their son is truly the most incredible thing we have ever witnessed and been part of. We will never take their decision for granted. We are committed to updates and open communication via social media, texting, calls, and occasional video chat. They are included in celebrating birthdays and holidays. We treasure our open adoption relationship with Kae and Nick, as well as other biological family members. Though the distance separates us, Jude’s birth parents are part of our every day lives because we speak of them and pray for them often. In our home, we display their photos so our son will grow to recognize his first family and be proud of his story.

“Torie and Brandon are like our extended family. They have been very good with the son they adopted from us and provide for him in every way parents should. They have been there for us emotionally and we will have a life long connection with them.”

- Kae & Nick

Utah, our home for all our lives, offers panoramic mountain views, and beautiful seasons from snowy winters to dry hot summers. With a family-friendly culture, we can’t imagine raising our children anywhere else. Our neighborhood is a rural-ish suburb about 30 minutes outside Salt Lake City. It’s clean, safe, and full of parks, playgrounds, a community pool, and plenty of trails for our family evening walks/bike rides. We have many fun places to eat and shop nearby, our favorite being the Monday Night farmers market and food trucks. We enjoy the town rodeo and community events, and using our season passes at the kids museum and climbing gym.

We’ve owned our cozy townhome since 2020. It’s perfect for our little growing family. It features a large kitchen island for baking and cooking, plants that fill the windows, and dedicated spaces for child play and sensory learning. One day soon we hope to move to a larger home with a big yard to have chickens, a garden, and a space for the kids and dogs to run and play. We hope to be the house our teenagers bring their friends to, and to always be the place to host backyard BBQ’s and holiday gatherings. Part of our heart for adoption is to also eventually have a home with extra spaces to open up to children in need through foster care. Every child deserves a loving home.

Our neutral nursery is Sunshine theme because like the Sun, children add so much light and life to the world. While filled bookshelves and toy bins are a necessity, our favorite part is the photo of our son’s Birth Mama that we keep on display in our son’s room. We treasure her so much and want her to be visible and recognized by him as he grows. We are excited to continue to fill up the spaces we’ve created in our home and our hearts.

Torie's Family

I’m the oldest grandchild and the only child of a single mom who worked hard to raise me. Growing up as an only child, I remember wanting a brother/sister, which is why I am so excited for our son to hopefully have siblings. With help from my grandparents, I participated in activities like softball, violin, and private horseback riding lessons. My cousin, living nearby, was like a sister. My closest relative besides my mom is my grandma, who allowed Brandon and me to rent her basement for the first four years of our marriage. My mom, Grandma, and I enjoy shopping, restaurants, and sharing my love for breakfast food. My extended family stays connected through texts, social media, birthdays, and holidays. I’ve made contact with my biological dad, living an hour away, and our relationship is growing. I recently met a half-sister on my dad’s side. Getting to know her and my nephew has been so rewarding. My family is quiet, simple, and not religious, but supportive of our lifestyle and our adoption journey. Everyone’s excited for us to adopt again to spoil more kids!

Brandon's Family

I’m the middle child of three in a tight-knit Christian family. Growing up, my mom stayed at home, and my dad worked hard. We had many vacations and Disneyland trips together throughout my childhood. My parents now have a large home, and we often visit for dinners, s’mores, and grilling with my dad. He’s thrilled to be a grandpa. My brother and his fiancée have two kids close to our son, and it’s fun to see the cousins play together. My sister and her husband also just welcomed. a new baby girl. I am overjoyed that our son gets to run around with so many cousins his own age. Our extended family is large, loud, and fun. We have special holiday gatherings with activities like cookie decorating, eating, and card games. On birthdays, we have a special family dinner where you choose the meal and dessert. Grandma makes the best homemade apple and pecan pies at holidays. We’re multi-generation Christian, and God is part of heritage and our daily lives. Any child we adopt will be very loved by my big, crazy family!

Faith & Religion - Simply Jesus

We are Christians. While we do all the normal things (attend church, read The Bible, and pray) for us it is so much more than that. We don’t participate in a robotic and overly religious approach to our faith. It’s more about loving and seeing people the way God sees them. Extending to others the same grace and love that God gives us every single day. The day-to-day consists of worship music in our home, reading Jesus centered children’s books, and praying before we go to sleep. We are definitely not perfect, either, but our foundation and reason for everything we do is because of Jesus. We believe in radical joy even in the hardest circumstances, and the power of prayer. At church, you’ll find Torie serving in the Kids Ministry, while Brandon is involved in the tech and livestream. Jude is in the toddler class with Mom, or trying to get on stage to play the drums.

Open Adoption - Our Ultimate Goal

We aim to have a child-centered adoption, meaning we will always do what is best for the child. We have learned through classes and training that understanding their biology and adoption story is crucial to their development and identity. Which means that some kind of healthy relationship or connection to a biological relative is important and needed in an adoptee’s life. To us, adoption means growing our family, not just with children. Our heart is to have a relationship with our child’s biological family however they desire, with open communication and possible visits. We know that relationships can be hard, but they’re worth the effort.

Race & Ethnicity - Embracing Culture

We are open to any race/ethnicity for our future children. Our desire is to include their heritage into our family, teaching them about their culture and embracing it by celebrating new holidays or trying new authentic foods. For example: Our son’s birth mom was raised on the island of Guam, so we have learned a lot about the island and would love to visit to show our son where his ancestors are from. We understand the importance of creating opportunities for racial mirrors. While there is much diversity represented within our church family and close friends, the majority of our immediate family members are white, with the exception of Torie’s step-mom, who is from Nigeria. Should we adopt a child of color, our efforts would be always to celebrate their ethnicity. We recognize that love alone does not protect children from the harm the world can cause, but we are committed to raising our children to be confident in their identity, no matter their skin color.

A Home to Share

Our hope is to one day have a home to entertain. Torie dreams of hosting Thanksgiving dinner for our whole family. If we are blessed to have extra bedrooms, we will foster and fill them with children who need a place to go and be loved.

Country Living

We would love a property with room for gardening and plenty of space for children to run and play. Torie would love a studio space for pottery and Brandon to work on cars or have a woodworking shop. Our hope is to have animals chickens, goats, and maybe Torie’s childhood dream of a horse or two.

Vacation Often

We would love to explore abroad, as well as America. Our home state of Utah and the surrounding states are full of beautiful national parks that we would love to explore more. We have also talked about one day buying a vacation home/condo in Florida to visit our son’s biological family and Walt Disney World. Our family enjoys Disney Parks and we know we will have many fun memories taking our children to experience the magic many times.

Debt-Free

If you don’t have it, don’t spend it, is our rule. We don’t regularly use or owe on any credit cards and are making progress on our car loan. We desire to have a future where we can be a financial blessing to others.

We Promise

• To love your child with our whole hearts
• To raise your child in a stable and joy-filled home
• To protect and provide for your child
• To be authentic and honest
• To prioritize our relationship with you
• To keep our word and commitments
• To speak highly of you and never judge you
• To honor you in all we do

Thank you for taking the time to read about us and considering our family for your child. We realize this is just information in a paper book, but if you’re looking for an adoption relationship that feels like extended family, that is truly our heart. We cannot imagine adopting and raising a child without loving and getting to know who gave them life. You are an important part of your child’s life story and we would love nothing more than to see your role and influence help them grow into who God created them to be. You are amazing! We are praying for you!

With so much love,

The Bateson Family

Contact Children’s Service Society at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call/text 801-656-8527.