we are
Samuel & angela
Dear Birth Mother,
We want you to know how deeply we respect and admire the incredible choice you’re making for this child. YOU’RE CHOOSING LIFE! It’s hard to put into words how much your love and selflessness means, and we are determined to make sure your child knows how much they were loved (not abandoned). We also recognize the strength and courage it takes to walk this path. We can only imagine the emotions you’re experiencing right now. We are committed to walking alongside you with support as we navigate this together.
- Samuel & Angela
why we chose adoption
In the very first week of dating, we sat down for a heartfelt conversation about our shared dreams of having a family. Sam and I had been friends for 6 years prior to dating, and it was clear to both of us that our relationship was not merely for funsies; we were destined to build a life together. Our love for one another had blossomed years earlier, but we had to wait for the stars to align and for God’s timing to move onto the next chapter of our lives together.
A previous battle with cancer had left me unable to carry more children, and although I already have three wonderful grown children from before my life with Sam, he and I had a strong desire for children together, and I couldn’t wait to embark on that journey with him. As a child myself, I had always dreamed of having a large family.
We explored the possibility of surrogacy, and over the next two years, we transferred five embryos to two incredible surrogates. Despite five unsuccessful transfer attempts, we came to understand that God had a different plan for us.
We sought solace in prayer and navigated the depths of grief. But, we remained steadfast, knowing that our Heavenly Father had a unique plan destined for us.
about angela
I’m a Web Developer by trade, with a deep passion for my craft, and I feel truly blessed to have an outlet that feeds my creative spirit. Today, my primary focus is caring for our son, Simon, our family farm and the beautiful life that comes with it.
I was blessed with three wonderful biological children prior to my cancer diagnosis. Brandon is 27, Grace is 24 and Ella is 21. Watching them grow into adulthood has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey as a mom. Brandon lives in Arlington, TX with his long-time girlfriend (one day, hopefully our daughter in law). Grace and Ella live close here in Central Arkansas. We actually see more of our adult children since Simon joined our family. They’ve all naturally made more of an effort to come around, and it’s been sweet to watch them step into the role of his big siblings. They absolutely adore their baby brother, and he lights up when they’re around.
Now that I am not working full-time behind a screen, you’ll usually find me working with my hands. Whether it’s woodworking, gardening, crocheting, sewing, baking, caring for our animals, or simply sitting in the pasture with our lambs… outside is our favorite place to be!
about samuel
Sam was made to be a dad. Children are naturally drawn to him, and it’s no surprise. He’s sensitive, kind, and always finds thoughtful ways to show how much he cares and truly wants to serve.
He’s the kind of person everyone can count on, the one who’s always there to lend a hand or a listening ear. Sam has an incredible ability to see the good in people and situations, no matter what. He often helps shift the perspective for me when I struggle to see the good.
By day, Sam works in IT and proudly embraces his inner tech nerd. He’s brilliant at solving problems, resourceful, and one of the hardest workers I know. On top of that, he has served our country for over 20 years as a member of the Army National Guard.
Sam’s imagination keeps him young at heart. He loves the outdoors… What used to be hiking, camping or just relaxing in a hammock with a good book is now him just out on the farm, working hard and keeping our home operating smoothly.
The world could use more people like Sam. He’s the perfect mix of strength and gentleness, and I’m so grateful to have him by my side.
Our Simon
Simon’s adoption story is simply divine. ❤️
After our final embryo transfer, we had already made the decision to pursue adoption for a sibling journey. I immediately started getting things in order, beginning with our home study. Our initial meeting took place in mid-November, and the woman completing our study told us it would likely take until January to finalize everything because of the holidays and upcoming travel. We were completely fine with that — we assumed it could take months (or longer) to be matched.
Then, at the beginning of December, I remembered how we had connected with our surrogates through Facebook match groups and thought, “Surely there are adoption match groups too!” So on December 4th, I shared a short paragraph about our family along with this website.
Just four days later, on December 8th, Simon’s birth mother sent me a long, heartfelt message. She shared that she had known all along she would place her baby for adoption, but had been feeling overwhelmed during the pregnancy. She said that when she came across our post, she immediately knew in her heart that we were meant to be his family. And here’s the wild part: Simon was due just EIGHT days later.
Everything moved so quickly after that. We rushed to find an adoption attorney, and our home study worker somehow managed to condense the process enough to satisfy the judge in time. Every piece fell into place in a way we never could have orchestrated ourselves.
It was truly a God thing from beginning to end.
our values
We want our values to align, so it’s important to us to be honest about where we stand and how we live our lives. More than anything, we want to raise children in a home that feels safe, grounded, and full of love. A place where they can grow into exactly who God created them to be, without so much of the noise and pressure the world pushes today.
Love, kindness and honesty are deeply important to us. We want our children to always know they can come to us with anything and that they will be met with love, even in moments where we may not always agree.
God is at the center of our lives, and we try our best to live that out daily, not just in words, but in action. We are far from perfect, but we try to live with grateful hearts and open hands. We pray over our meals, pause often to appreciate God’s wonders all around us (just walk out on the farm — it’s hard to NOT see Him everywhere!), and do our best to give thanks for the life we’ve been blessed with. We also deeply value rest and family time.
Family time is something we protect. Sitting down together for meals has always been important to us. When my children were younger and all still at home, we used to go around the dinner table and each share three good things from our day. Life can be heavy sometimes, but we’ve always tried to look for the good in it anyway.
We also live a very holistic lifestyle and believe God gave us so much of what we need to be healthy and strong. While we recognize there are times and places for Western medicine, we prefer natural approaches to nourishing and caring for our bodies.
Our wishes
You face the significant decision of choosing the perfect parents for this child. Here’s what we hope for in the journey. Although none of these are deal-breakers, they represent our ideals.
We lean towards a semi-open or an open adoption, where updates and photos/videos can be shared often. We currently have a similar relationship with our son’s birth mother. That said, we also understand that every situation is unique. If you feel a closed adoption is best, we will respect your wishes and trust that we can navigate that journey together with love and care for the child you are entrusting to us.
We wholeheartedly welcome babies of any and all races into our family! If this child happens to be of a different race, they will be embraced with love by our entire family. While Sam and I are white, my son is bi-racial. Our unique, culturally diverse backgrounds extend beyond our immediate family, as a large part of my family is Eastern Indian.
We tend to take a holistic approach to health and daily living, and it’s important to us to be aligned with birth parents on newborn care preferences. At birth, we prefer to avoid the standard vitamin K injection, erythromycin eye ointment, and the Hepatitis B vaccine. We also strongly prefer delayed cord clamping and either delayed circumcision or no circumcision at all. We understand these are personal decisions, and we value open, respectful communication around them so everyone feels heard and comfortable. We are happy to discuss our reasoning if you’re interested in talking it through.
Why you see a yellow heart...
You may notice a yellow heart covering our son’s face in many of our photos. While we love sharing glimpses of our life and adoption journey, we also believe children deserve privacy and protection online. The internet can be a beautiful tool, but it can also be a very broken and exploitative place. For that reason, we choose to limit our son’s digital footprint and protect his identity as much as possible. 💛
we'd love to
meet you
Thank you sincerely for taking the time to delve into our lives. We recognize the weight of your decision and pray for your peace in choosing the best path for your child. We’re open, transparent, and willing to address any questions you may have. Our thoughts and prayers are with you throughout this difficult journey.