We are Jake, Elli, and Colton. We want to start off by saying how blessed we feel that you have chosen to learn more about us. We are truly in awe of how brave and loving you are, and we hope that this profile will give you a small glimpse into who we are and the joy we get from being parents.

We have three biological children, one here on Earth and two in Heaven. In April 2018, our first child, Rori, passed away unexpectedly at three months old. Then, our son, Colton, was born in December 2019. We always wanted to have more children, and our daughter, Ryann, was born in April 2022. When she was born, she had a lot of medical complications, and we learned she had an extremely rare genetic disorder. She passed away when she was three weeks old. Later, we learned that Rori had suffered from the same genetic disorder.

We will always cherish the short time we had with our daughters, as they showed us immeasurable strength and love. We have so much love in our hearts to welcome another baby, and we are incredibly excited at the thought of adding to our family through the precious gift of adoption.

We met through mutual friends at Elli's job in the fall of 2014. There was an immediate spark, and we found any time to be together because we knew Jake would be leaving for basic training in the new year. We wrote letters back and forth for ten weeks and grew much closer. We were so excited to see each other again when our families attended Jake's graduation in South Carolina.

During his six-month-long schooling, Elli went with Jake's family to visit in May 2015, and there he proposed in front of his family. Elli did not see it coming but was so excited, and it felt so right. We were married the following June in the presence of our family and friends. We knew we wanted kids and were so excited to get pregnant the following year.

Jake is a very hard-working and fun-loving dad/partner. He is protective and loyal, and you never have to question if he has your back. We are always joking around with each other and just having fun. While he may come off as quiet and tough, he is a softie, especially when it comes to our son. I am so grateful for the way he works so hard so that I can stay home with Colton; it's a blessing I don't take for granted. After nearly a decade in the Military, he retired in July 2023, happy for all the extra time he gets to be with family.

He is always intentional in how he spends time with us. He is very hands-on with our son and loves spending quality time with him, whether that's playing, doing science experiments, taking him out to run errands, or doing something special with him. Jake loves teaching him new things, and nothing makes him happier than being a dad. He loves outdoor hobbies and is excited that Colton is getting to the age where he can bring him along and show him all the things he loves. At the end of the day, you are sure to find Jake reading Colton a bedtime story and snuggling with our dogs.

Elli is the glue that holds our family together. She ensures that everything is always taken care of, whether making the meals every day, coordinating the calendar, doing the shopping, and accomplishing all the daily activities that keep our house and family functioning. Elli has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She is always trying to see the best in people or find the good in a hard situation.

She loves being able to spend her days at home with our son. I love that she's the one who gets to teach and show him everything. She creates a safe and supportive place for him to learn and grow. We've learned that time with our kids is so special and fleeting, so every moment with him is a blessing. Elli loves to do special activities with Colton, whether it be something simple like making play-dough at home or taking him to his favorite indoor play place. She loves to make new traditions with us and make normal things extra special.

She loves her people deeply and is sure to show that love by doing something special to show she's thinking of you. She loves to sit down as a family to eat dinner every night. Elli's sense of humor and silliness brings joy to us every day. She loves baking and creating new recipes for us to try, playing pickleball/tennis, and reading a good book.

Colton turned four at the end of 2023. He is so smart, considerate, and affectionate. He is always saying the funniest things and loves to play jokes on us. He has the best imagination and spends hours playing make-believe with all his little toy characters. He loves to go to the park and be active; you rarely see him sitting still! He also loves doing arts and crafts, building things, helping mom in the kitchen, and being outside with dad. Colton also gets to spend a lot of time with his grandparents, who love him so much. When we talk about a baby joining our family, he expresses all the ways he'll help and how he's going to show them all his toys. He is very excited to have a sibling and already takes such good care of his baby dolls as practice.

In 2023, we moved into our home in our dream neighborhood. We live in a three-bedroom home with a finished basement. We love having a second living area downstairs where Colton has a big playroom. During the warmer months, we spend a lot of time in our backyard, where we have a swing set and a trampoline where Colton is constantly playing. Jake loves to have bonfires, so we have friends and family over often to sit around the fire and roast marshmallows for s'mores. We also have a hot tub that we use year-round; we especially love using it during the winter months.

One of the best things about our house is the neighborhood and community. There are many parks nearby that we go to often. We have great neighbors with lots of young kids and babies, so it will be a great place for our kids to grow up. During the summer months, we love going to the ice cream shop, which is just a few minutes' walk away.

We are lucky enough to live close to both of our families. Jake's parents and his younger brother, sister, and their spouses live nearby. Elli's parents live a few minutes away, and we see them a couple of times a week. Her younger brother and his wife live in Minnesota, and we love to take a couple of trips every year to visit them.

We are blessed to spend lots of time with our families/extended families, including every holiday. We have such a supportive family and friends who are beyond excited to have another baby in the family. Colton is the only grandchild and nephew on both sides of the family, so it's safe to say our families love to spoil him and can't wait for another child! Family is so important to us, and we love getting to see Colton grow up with the best support and love.

Winter: The best tradition is Christmas cookie day. Every year since Elli was little, her aunt, cousins, and grandma have gathered to make all kinds of Christmas cookies. Having Colton help decorate has been fun. We decorate the house and drive around with hot chocolate to look at the lights around town. Jake's dad has raised sled dogs for over 30 years, and we travel to a few sled dog races every winter. Grandpa even built Colton a kid-sized sled so he can practice. Every other winter, we take a trip to Florida with Elli's family, where we look forward to making memories.

Spring: We are so excited to camp and enjoy the lake on Jake's parents' pontoon boat. Every spring, we go to the cemetery to plant flowers at our daughters' gravesites. It's been special to have Colton help pick out and plant flowers for his sisters.

Summer: Our favorite season! Countless hours are spent playing in the backyard on the swing set, trampoline, and waterslide. At Elli's grandparents' camp, we love to swim, sauna, spend time with family, and enjoy the 4th of July. Everyone on the lake buys fireworks, and we have a big lakefront show. Yearly, we take a trip to Wisconsin Dells with Jake's family, which they've done since he was a toddler, and we love continuing the tradition with Colton.

Fall: We are big football fans and look forward to watching our favorite teams play, often with friends and family. Jake loves fall because it's hunting season, which he shares with both of our dads. We enjoy carving pumpkins, getting dressed up for trick-or-treating, and making fall treats with apples from Elli's parents' trees.

We can't thank you enough for taking the time to get to know our family. For a long time, we have been thinking about the baby who will join our family and of the birth parents. Regardless of how a relationship with them may look throughout the years, the child will always know of the loving sacrifice that was made so they could have a life with our family. The birth parents will always be celebrated and talked about with respect in our home.

We are so excited to love another child and promise to give them a home with support, trust, guidance, and lots of fun. We promise to provide frequent updates through letters and pictures and even periodic meetups if that is something mutually desired - we look forward to knowing more about the child's birth parents and family.

We pray that in this difficult time, you find clarity and peace, even if your path lies elsewhere. You will make the perfect decision for you and the baby.



With love,

Jake and Elli