Our story started seven years ago when we met online. Sarena was at her best friend’s house, which happened to be an acceptable distance from Thomas’s house for the app to consider him. After no communication for a week after our first date, Thomas showed up at the restaurant where Sarena waitressed and requested to sit in her section. For the last five years, we have had the opportunity to build a strong marriage in Christ. Music is Tom’s passion, and becoming a music teacher was his plan. Although God led him in another direction, he can still play every instrument to an extent and specializes in bass trombone. He also enjoys a weekly pool league. Sarena works as a nurse in an addiction health center. She enjoys planting a yearly garden and reading. Together, we work to use the gifts we’ve been given for good.

Both sides of our families live close by and are close in our hearts. We live a half hour away from Sarena’s mom, stepdad, and second oldest brother, while her dad and younger siblings are twenty minutes away. Her oldest brother is in Iowa. Tom’s family lives ten minutes from us, on a hobby farm.

Sarena has five brothers and a sister. Growing up, they lived near a big woods that was explored frequently, and her dad still owns that house. Having a bonfire there a couple times each summer has been a tradition since we’ve been married. Fireworks on the 4th of July are always a joy to watch from the spacious backyard!

As a child, Tom was involved in 4-H and usually showed sheep at the fair. While they no longer have sheep, there are cows, chickens, dogs, and cats to keep them busy. Camping has always been a family tradition—but never too far from the farm so they could run home to do chores! It’s become a tradition to help plant their big garden on Memorial Day. Parents, two older sisters, and two nephews make up Tom’s side.

We live in a rural town that’s a half hour from the big city and boasts a highly rated school district with special education services. Across the street and a block down, we have two couple friends with kids whom we have grown close to over the last five years of living here. A three-bedroom, ranch-style house with a big porch and fenced-in backyard has kept us comfortable. Our two husky mixes, Vader and Ahsoka, love it too. A patio area with a firepit in the backyard offers the option of putting up an above-ground pool in the summers. Surrounding our neighborhood is a biking trail that connects us to the towns around us and is great for walking, rollerblading, and biking.

As we have not been able to have biological children, we have accepted that it may be God’s will for us to take a different path. We are licensed for foster care, which made us realize we wanted children of our own. We feel more ready emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially than we ever have before. Having five years to get to know each other has also helped us build a solid foundation for our relationship. We are looking forward to raising a child with the qualities of a kind, honest, and genuine person.