We are Justin and Alison, and we have been married for seven years. We knew instantly when we met that there was something special there between us and were engaged within eight months. We both grew up in the Midwest and have continued to build our home, family, and lives here. Justin has worked in logistics at the same company for the past 15 years, and Alison has worked as a part-time consultant for the same firm for the past 11 years. We are blessed to have found both enjoyment and success in our careers. Justin is extremely loyal and protective of his family, is driven, and loves dogs. Alison is full of energy, very caring, and honest. We are a great balance to each other and are equals in our relationship. We enjoy spending time outside, traveling, and landscaping and decorating our new home.

We are both the firstborn in our families. We both have two younger sisters, and all four sisters have a pet or two. Our families love animals!

We vacation yearly with Justin’s sisters, their spouses, their kids, and his parents. We have gone to Hilton Head Island; Napa Valley; Saugatuck, Michigan; and Wisconsin lake houses! Every year we choose a different location. Alison’s parents live on a lake, and we spend many weekends there in the spring, summer, and fall. We spend July 4th week with Alison’s family every year, going to the parades, getting ice cream in town, playing ping-pong, and boating.

We celebrate the holidays at each other’s homes, taking turns hosting, and everyone bringing dishes to share. Christmas is Justin’s favorite holiday, and each year he tries to put up a bigger and bigger tree in our home. Last year the tree almost did not fit on the car! Justin’s family tradition is that in lieu of presents, we go to dinner and a holiday show, such as A Christmas Carol. Aside from holidays and vacations, we spend a lot of time with our families throughout the year with monthly Sunday dinners.

We love our home! It’s a newer home with a large, fenced-in yard and a covered porch. Our backyard opens to the elementary school playground and all its fields. It is like looking out at a park! The schools in our town are top rated in the state, and we have an amazing park district with many parks, pools, library programs, and more. We are within a half hour of an airport, an hour from city life, and just four houses down from Alison’s cousin and her family. We spend time in our backyard barbequing and eating on our picnic table, hosting bonfires, and playing with our two dogs, who are the best of friends.

Our journey to grow our family biologically was challenging, but we believe good things can always be found. Those years increased our patience, faith, and love for each other, and after three years of infertility, we were blessed with twin girls. Their birth came early, the delivery was complicated, but everyone is happy and healthy today! The greatest gift in our lives is our children and extended families. We are so hopeful to add another personality to the mix to love. We have friends and neighbors who have grown their families through adoption, and all three stories are unique and full of love. We have such excitement and hope in the opportunity to expand our family in this way.