Greetings from the beautiful state of Utah! We are Kevin, Chrissy, and Kayson, and we are happy to share with you about our family.
Our story begins at the church where we met. We spent a lot of time together with our friends going to fun places, hosting or attending parties, and seeing outdoor movies. We discovered that we felt comfortable around each other and had many common interests. We also just so happened to work together at the same grocery store. Coincidence? We think not!
Some of our friends noticed something more in our friendship and nudged us to start dating. Our first date was on a beautiful fall day in October. We went to a park, grabbed some sandwiches and played on the playground like we were kids. Our friendship quickly grew into love. Kevin proposed on Friday the 13th in February so now that’s our lucky day! We were married on May 21, 2009.
Adoption has always felt like something we were called to do, we just weren’t sure of the timing. We struggled for years with infertility and were approved for adoption in 2014. In 2015, we were surprised by the arrival of our biological son, Kayson. He is truly a miracle, a gift from God whom we cherish every day.
We have been unable to have another biological child but we know that children can become a part of a family in many different ways. We have prayed fervently and received an answer from God that now is the time to adopt. We are so excited for a child to join our family through adoption.
ABOUT KEVIN
I’m the biggest fan of Calvin and Hobbes comics you’ll ever meet! My family and I enjoy watching movies together, and I’m kind of a geek with books and movies like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Marvel and DC Comics. My music interests are just as diverse, and I like just about every type out there.
I like planes, trains, and automobiles (the real things, not the movie). I wanted to be an Air Force pilot when I was a kid. Today, I’m still obsessed with aircraft and classic cars. I love taking Kayson to visit classic car shows and airplane museums.
I have a bachelor’s degree and work from home for an essential oils company.
I was born with a birth defect called spina bifida. It affects my balance and the way I walk but I lead a healthy lifestyle and should have a normal life span like everyone else. There are some
things that I have to do differently. I use leg braces to help me walk. My wife affectionately calls them my “Star Wars Stormtrooper legs.” Too bad they don’t give me superpowers!
I try not to let my disability get in the way of having fun and enjoying life. I always tell people that they don’t need to be afraid to talk to me about it. I want to help the children in my family understand that it’s okay to ask questions about the differences they see in others.
ABOUT CHRISSY
Three fun facts about me:
- Chrissy isn’t my real name! It’s a nickname.
- I never grew wisdom teeth!
- I speak French! Well, sort of…
I earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and then later received an endorsement in school library media. I am passionate about education and learning and it’s something I want to instill in the children in my family. I recently started homeschooling our son and discovered that it’s something I really love.
My favorite subjects are music, geography, literature, science, history and, psychology. I never stop learning! I have a used violin that I have been wanting to fix up and learn how to play. I would love to learn an instrument alongside a child. I enjoy making photo books, decorating, shopping, organizing, and reading books with my son.
I love chocolate, Disney princesses, new shoes, and hummingbirds. I don’t like snakes, heights, and seafood. I work from home part-time as a medical coder and have flexible hours that make it easier for me to be a mom. I work early in the morning so I have the majority of the day to be with our son.
I absolutely love being a mom. It’s the best thing in the world. My favorite thing to do with our son is to read books with him on the couch with his favorite blanket. I like to take him to the bowling alley or the arcade. At night when I tuck him in bed, I call him a “bug in a rug” and talk about what type of bug he can pretend to be. I can’t wait to welcome a new little one into our family!
ABOUT KAYSON
My name is Kayson and I’m eight years old. My mom and dad say that I’m very sweet and smart. I love all types of vehicles and can tell you all about them, including how they work. I even know how a V-8 engine works. I especially love monster trucks and have a big collection. My favorite monster truck is Grave Digger. I’ve been to a couple of monster truck shows with my family and had so much fun!
I love to build things with my toys or other objects I can find. I build car washes, buildings, garages, bridges, and monster truck shows. My grandpa says I’m so good at building things that he wouldn’t be surprised if I grow up to be an engineer.
I write love notes and give them to people to make them happy. I’m really good at drawing hearts. I’m interested in science and like to learn about animals, the earth, space, and the weather. I love stuffed animals and cuddle with my Pound Puppies. I named them Stella, Chip, Marshmallow, Brownie, and Ghostbusters. My favorite color is green,
my favorite animal is a puppy and my favorite food is peanut butter and honey sandwiches. I give the best squeeze-y hugs and kisses. I am very excited to be a big brother!
OUR HOME
We live in a three-bedroom condo next to some beautiful mountains in Utah. There is plenty of space for children to play outside. Our son loves riding his bike on the basketball court and on the walking trails. Our complex has two private playgrounds, a clubhouse, and an indoor swimming pool. We love music and books and have quite the collection of both! Music is often playing in our home.
What makes our home special are the people that live there and what happens inside. The living room is where we study the scriptures and enjoy watching movies together as a family. It’s also the perfect place for building forts made from pillows and blankets. We strive to have the love of God in our home. The atmosphere is peaceful, it’s a refuge and a safe place away from the stresses of the outside world.
Our kitchen table is always open for family, friends, and neighbors. We like to invite people over for dinner. It’s also not uncommon for our kitchen table to be used for playing our favorite board games.
Our home is surrounded by a beautiful community, and is in a safe area; it’s a great place to raise a family. Our neighbors are wonderful friends. We like to attend city celebrations and be involved in community events.
OUR FAMILY
Our extended family is awesome – dare we say…the best?! We have many nieces and nephews between both sides of our family so there are plenty of cousins to play with and never a dull moment. Kevin has five siblings and most of them live close by.
Chrissy has two biological sisters and eleven step-siblings. One of her sisters lives in Florida, so we like to visit when we can. We have two adopted nephews and two adopted nieces. We also have cousins and an aunt and uncle who have adopted. Our family is very supportive of adoption.
Kayson loves his cousins! He always asks to have a sleepover with them. He also loves grandma’s house because she has fun toys and treats.
We get together with our extended family frequently for reunions, celebrations, birthday parties, holidays, and sometimes just to have fun. We are passionate about traditions and have a long list of all the fun and sometimes silly things we like to do as a family. For example, we have a Christmas gift exchange as an extended family and have a reunion every other year. Another favorite tradition is the Thanksgiving cranberry rock-off. We play an intense game of rock, paper, scissors. The loser gets a trophy and has to eat cranberry sauce (or any other disliked food).
We have so many great family traditions and can’t wait to create some more!
HOBBIES, INTERESTS, & TRADITIONS
It doesn’t matter what we do as long as it’s with family. We know that good memories are often the simple ones. We are laid-back and easygoing so a night at home in our PJs with a good Disney movie, popcorn, and M&Ms is a favorite pastime.
We enjoy doing things in our community like visiting the library, learning something new at the museum or zoo, going out for ice cream or snow cones, swimming at the pool, having picnics at the park, or watching a parade.
Holidays and birthdays are big events at our house. We love to celebrate. Usually, our celebrations involve food and lots of it! Our favorite 4th of July tradition involves delicious homemade sloppy joes and root beer.
Christmas is also a big event. The Sunday before Christmas we gather with extended family for what has been traditionally called “The Tasting Table.” It’s a tradition handed down from Kevin’s grandmother. It involves a lot of food and socializing. Some other traditions include family breakfast on New Year’s Day, a red party on Valentine’s Day, a green party on St. Patrick’s Day, and a visit to the pumpkin patch in the fall. Those are just some examples, we have many more!
We belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints and are active, faithful members. We love the community and so many of our church friends have become like family. Our religion is important to us and we strive to teach our son by living what we believe.
THANK YOU
We want to work with you on an adoption plan you are most comfortable with, whether it is open, semi-open or closed. If you decide to place your baby with us we promise you three things:
1) We won’t judge you and we will welcome you with open arms to our family.
2) We will strive to be honest with you and keep our commitments. If we say we will do something we will try our best to follow through on those promises.
3) We will love you, your baby, and your family.
We do not pretend to understand what you are going through. We can only imagine that it must be scary and hard. We want you to know that we care, that you are not alone, and that you are loved. You are a child of God. He loves you and He has a plan for you. Even though you are going through a difficult time right now, He will never give up on you. We know this because He has never given up on us.
Sincerely,
Kevin, Chrissy, and Kayson
