We have an abundance of love to give.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know our family. This has to be one of the biggest decisions you’ve had to make and we would be honored to be a part of the process. Even though we aren’t in your shoes, know that you have our support and we hope to meet you and learn more about you. We have an abundance of love to give and a family that will guide you through your whole life with the support you need. Whatever situations you face, know that you will be surrounded by strength and faith.
“God has you in the palm of his hand”
Isaiah 49:46
Relationship/Journey
Adoption is something we have talked about before marriage. Ashley didn’t think she would be able to have children of her own and even after the birth of our girls, we felt there was a missing piece. Both of us have stories of adoption in our families. We see the importance of open adoption and showing the child where they come from. Our Christian home is full of love and laughter and we want to share that with a child. This child will have extra snuggles from their big sisters and two best friends to grow up with. The new addition to our family will be a prayer answered and a welcomed new member of our family.
Home
Our family lives in Troy, Ohio, famous for its annual Strawberry Festival. Downtown Troy has many small town shops, local restaurants, and a beloved candy store to enjoy. On the weekends, small festivals, non-profit events, and concerts are fun events we try to partake. Every year, you’ll find us dressed up in themed Halloween costumes walking around our neighborhood or downtown Troy. We live on a cul-de-sac with a diverse neighborhood full of friendly neighbors and lots of children. Behind our home, we have a large field and early in the morning can see deer grazing as the sun rises. Our home is within a five minute drive to Eva and Elliana’s private Christian school and makes for an easy commute. Ashley is the HOA president and is active within the community. Two ponds are located in our subdivision which makes for a nice walk and fishing time for our family as well as a nearby park.
Travel
When we aren’t at work or school, the four of us like to take day trips and plan adventures. Trips to the zoo, aquarium or a baseball game are our favorite things to do. A family tradition is to take a week each summer to go on a trip. In the summer of 2019, our family went on a vacation to Maui! Throughout the year, we also take long weekend trips to places closer to home. We are always finding new places and experiences to enjoy. Some of our favorites include Universal Studios in Orlando and the beaches in North and South Carolina. Showing our children new places and experiences helps them grow and also appreciate what the world has to offer. Our family goal is to visit all 50 states!
Hobbies
Ashley frequents farmer's markets and garden centers to find new plants for the inside and outside of our home. Gardening is also one of her passions that has been passed down through generations. The kids have also found joy in this hobby since it’s something we can all do together. She enjoys traveling as well (especially to the beach), baking, yard sales and attending sports events, especially those for Eva and Elliana. Eric is quite the handyman around the house and the go-to person to fix things. He also considers himself an amazing cook. He is known for delicious steaks and hamburgers on the grill! In his spare time, he likes to go fishing, work with his 3D printer and play guitar. Something he enjoys is sharing his passion for music with the girls and they all three play “band.” We both are active in our local church – Ashley is on the leadership committee for our mission group, creates posts for social media, and helps with the parade float. Eric participates in the men’s group and cooks weekly breakfast for them. Both Ashley & Eric participate in small group and also help teach Sunday School that both of our children attend.
Pets
We are very fond of our fur babies. Lola, our cat, was with Ashley through college and is now helping raise our daughters. She enjoys her treats, lounging around and has become a little sassy in her golden years. In the summer of 2021, we brought Kelani home. She is a very sweet Wheaton who loves kids and cuddling on the couch. She is very smart and typically learns new tricks quickly.
School & Work
Ashley works from home full-time as an Account Executive. She loves her job in sales and has been awarded numerous awards, including a trip to Hawaii! She attended Bowling Green State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a minor in Marketing. Soon after, she graduated from Bluffton University with an MBA. Eric currently works full-time as an engineer and has a Bachelor’s degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering from Miami University and an MBA from Bowling Green State University.
Our Extended Family
Extended family is very important to us. We always get together for holidays, sporting events or just a random Taco Tuesday together! Anytime we can fire up the grill and bake some treats, we are game. We each have a close-knit group of friends that also have similar-aged children, so there is no shortage of playmates when we visit each other. We are very fortunate to have such a group surrounding our family with love and laughter. Ashley’s family resides an hour away and frequent visits to the countryside are a must! Both sets of grandparents and the girls’ uncles surround Eva and Elliana with so much love and care.
Our Children
Eva is a very sweet and kind-hearted girl. She is always wanting to help and is full of questions and excited to learn. Eva is in Elementary School and her favorite part of school is Bible time, lunch, and gym time. During the school year, this girly girl loves to play basketball & volleyball and participates in Girl Scouts. In the summer, Eva enjoys art camps, pottery classes, nature walks, and the reading club. One of her favorite things is to spend the night at Grandma & Grandpa's house to make s'mores on the fire and ride horses at the neighbor's farm. Elliana is a spunky, full of life girl. She likes to be outside anywhere so she can run. She also attends Elementary school and enjoys art class as well as making new friends. During the school year, Elliana also participates in Girl Scouts and enjoys gymnastics & basketball, and frequenting the library for craft days. She loves the summer when she can go swimming, take field trips with friends, and make chalk art on our sidewalks. When she grows up, she wants to be a doctor like her favorite character, Doc McStuffins. Both girls attend Sunday School and help a lot outside of church with baking Sunday morning cookies, helping mission projects, and painting a container that goes to Haiti to create a mobile classroom. Both girls are excited for another baby sister or brother and their caring nature will help when we welcome a new baby into the family.
Family Traditions & Holidays
Holidays and birthdays have always been special events and celebrated with much excitement, so event planning is a natural hobby for Ashley. Every holiday, especially Christmas, our house is decorated and both girls love to have their own tree to personalize. Special events and holidays are important to us and we celebrate with homemade decorated cookies or a delicious turkey in the oven. Every weekend leading up to Christmas we are jumping in the car to take a look at Christmas lights around the area and sip on hot chocolate! Another tradition outside of a holiday that is special to our hearts is the Walk to End Alzheimer’s which we participate in every year. We lead a family team and raise funds to donate to a special cause. We are excited to learn about your family traditions so that we can add to our family memories!
Find Out More
Would you like to learn more about this family or the other families waiting to adopt a baby? Contact the caring counselors at St. Elizabeth. There’s no pressure—we’re just here to help you decide what’s best for you and your baby.
