We were both born in the same city, and upon further discussion and discoveries, we realized our lives had been intertwined the whole time while growing up while visiting many of the same places as well as living in the same areas. We met five years ago through a mutual friend. Alma was working as a NICU nurse while Joe was studying hard at nursing school. Our friendship blossomed due to our genuine connections with each other, our background as nurses, and our goals as nurses leading to our marriage in 2020. Alma has been working as a nurse for fifteen years, mostly as a NICU nurse. Joe has been working as a nurse for three years, focusing on the geriatrics community. Our family enjoys spending time with other family members, hosting events, exploring nature, and, even though we are no Gordan Ramsey, dabbling with food in the kitchen.

We believe a devoted, loving family is the essential backbone of any successful relationship and upbringing for a child. We are fortunate to say the majority of our family resides in the same city as we do and are about 15-20 minutes away. Due to the close proximity of family, we are able to meet up multiple times a week and enjoy time together that often includes video and board game nights, family dinners, and chit-chatting to catch up on our lives.

Alma’s brother is in the United States Air Force, so when we are able to, we visit his family. Communication between his family and ours is strong through text messages, calls, and FaceTime.

No holiday is left hung out to dry with our family, although we never really need a special reason to get together. It is the holiday spirit instilled in us that makes get-togethers that much better. Holidays also bring out the family's competitive side, as we like to play sports and hold mini competitions for bragging rights. As it stands, Joe and his nephew have been egg-tossing champions for 13 years; they have yet to be dethroned!

Our story is, without question, written in the stars…but we’ll stick to the basics. We live in a two-story, three-bedroom house nestled in a new community right outside the city noise. With our dogs, we frequent parks within walking distance and love feeling the fresh country breeze on our skin and enjoying Mother Nature together. Our dogs, Kenobi and Duchess Satine, crave the daily walks throughout the beautiful city as well as country trails. A stone's throw away, our community has plenty of farmers markets, community shops, and open markets that not only provide goods but also entertain with dancing and eating. We have a competition between our neighbors to see who can decorate their house with lights, with an emphasis on Halloween and Christmas.

Ever since we met we started talking about sharing our love, not just with each other but also by expanding our immediate family to share it with. Once we got married, we tried to become pregnant through natural means, IVF, and holistic ways. However, infertility issues with us both presented a barrier in which we were not able to get a single positive result in multiple attempts over a two-year period. Through countless tears, the hurdles and misfortunes helped us to persevere and has only strengthened the relationship and bond we share. Luckily, we are fortunate to have a strong and close connection with our family that helps in supporting us through everything life has to offer. Through thorough discussions, we know adoption is the right path for us!