Thank you for taking the time to get to know our family! We have been touched by adoption before with the addition of our youngest son, Wyatt, and are looking for the remaining piece of our family that we feel is still missing. We know that having a sibling close in age, who also joined our family through adoption, will be a great strength for them both.
We hope this is the beginning of a cherished friendship. We want to get to know YOU the best we can so we can laugh, cry, and support each other. We promise to do our best to provide the best home possible and we will love, care, and teach your child the best we know how. We understand the great responsibility you are placing in us and we are up to the challenge. Also, whatever your reason for considering adoption, please take comfort in knowing that your sacrifice is an answer to years of prayers and preparation on our part.
We are big fans of open adoption. We have seen the tremendous benefits it has and hope you will consider an open adoption. We understand that your involvement will change naturally over time but some things that have worked for us in the past include emails, texts, visits, phone calls, and video chats. We view an open adoption as a way for more people to show love for a child.
About Kari
I am 31 and the youngest child in a large family. I loved growing up with so many siblings because there was always someone around to do stuff with. I especially loved hanging out with my brother who is two years older than me. He let me tag along with his friends frequently, and we even worked together at our first job. What a great brother! Growing up we enjoyed going camping often. Those fun memories have continued, as you will still find many of us camping together as siblings with our children. I also played softball for many years on a competitive team, something I miss as an adult.
Now, some of my favorite hobbies include exploring the outdoors, reading, watching movies, and spending time with my family. I have always loved kids and learning, so when it was time to decide on a profession, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. In pursuit of this goal, I received my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and spent three years teaching first grade. I loved every minute of it! The only thing more rewarding than teaching has been becoming a mom. Since the kids were born I decided to be a full time mom so I can enjoy every second with my kids. I cherish all the moments we have as a family and make sure that we do as much as a family as possible. I know how powerful the friendships are that you develop with family and I want my kids to have strong friendships with each other.
I am shy at times and because of it you won’t typically find me enjoying being the center of attention. I still love getting together with friends, both old and new, and try to hang out weekly. Friends seem to always know how to make you laugh the hardest. The friendships I have developed at girl’s nights mean the world to me.
My home is my happy place and I try it make it a happy place for everyone who comes here. The neighbor kids frequent our house and my goal is make sure they leave feeling more loved than when they came. Our kids prefer to be at our house and I will always work hard to make sure it remains that way. Everyone needs a safe place to feel accepted and loved.
About Brett
I am 32 and grew up the middle child in a large family with six siblings. Feel free to send sympathy my way, we all know the middle child has it the hardest of anyone in the family! My hobbies include doing anything outdoors. I exercise regularly (running is my favorite) and when I am not doing that you will find me outside in the mountains hiking, or enjoying the great outdoors. There is always a new place to explore and the kids love our adventures together.
For work, I am a software engineering manager and I love all things tech. To me it’s fun to analyze how to make people’s lives easier with technology. You might be wondering how a nerd like me loves being outside/athletic while still banging out some code and although it’s an unusual mix, it’s me! Also, my work allows me to maintain a great work/life balance which is very important to me.
Kari is my high school sweetheart and I am madly in love with her. She stole my heart in middle school and has had it ever since. Honestly, knowing that she knew me clear back then, at the height of my immaturity, and still decided to marry me speaks to what a kind and forgiving person she is. Together we enjoy going to shows (Cirque du Soleil and plays at the Eccles or Hale Center Theatre are our favorites) and my favorite play is Newsies.
I love listening to anything and everything. You will find me listening to books and podcasts like This American Life. When listening to music you will always find me listening to Michael Jackson mixed in with my latest favorites.
I do my best to be a good dad by always being present at home. I’m a mix of silly, crazy, fun, and still manage to set good example for my kids.
Our Kids
Peyton & Daxton are 7-year-old twins and are in first grade. They both love school! Peyton is a fantastic reader and is already reading chapter books. She is a snuggler at heart and she always makes sure she has a snuggle buddy on the couch. Daxton has about the sweetest heart of any kid you will meet. You will always find him making sure everyone is included and he will give you anything he has if he knows you don’t have it. Dax loves being silly. His favorite thing is to get his brother Wyatt to laugh and he does a great job of it!
Wyatt is 1.5 years old and we are so excited he joined our family through adoption! He may be a little dude but he has made a huge impact in our life. Wyatt is a dancer, like his birth mom! He will dance to just about anything but if the song has a quick beat, he enjoys it even more. Wyatt is also the biggest flirt around. He brings sunshine to everyone he meets and loves to flirt with people whenever we go out. Wyatt is also unbelievable strong and can lift more than any kid his age. Brett likes to take credit for his strength but we all know he gets it from him his birth dad.
Our Family
Here a few other things we thought you might enjoy knowing about our family.
• We live in a family friendly cul-de-sac: With 30 kids between all of our families our backyard firepit and trampoline get a lot of good use! We love having one big cul-de-sac family that celebrates most holidays together.
• We try new things: We love some of our traditions but we are always on the look out to explore a new place, try a new restaurant, or experience something we have never done before. One of our favorite new experiences from this last year was getting to meet and feed penguins.
• You will always find us outdoors: We love to camp, hike, 4-wheel, kayak, go on walks, play at the park, and be up in the mountains as much as possible. We love that we can be in the mountains in minutes and take advantage of it often.
• We take education seriously: Learning and being creative take #1 priority at our house. When you have a teacher for a mom you are bound to learn the importance of education!
• We travel: We enjoy letting the kids experience new places. Whether it be sunny San Diego, a cruise, or New York we love to find places we have never been and see what they have to offer.
Love,
Brett, Kari, Peyton, Daxton & Wyatt
