We are Joe and Alysha from Ohio. We met in 2018 and have been happily married since 2021. Joe is a very thoughtful and easy-going guy who enjoys reading and learning new things but is also a huge sports fan and loves rooting for the Cleveland Browns. Alysha loves to have fun and is a kind and caring soul. When Joe isn’t busy being a lawyer, he likes to watch Jeopardy! and spend time tinkering with his old wooden boat. Alysha enjoys her job as a nurse practitioner, but she most looks forward to spending time with her nephew and two nieces. On the weekends, we love to camp, be on the water, travel, and enjoy a quiet morning cup of coffee together.

Alysha is close to her parents and has one older brother, who is one of her best friends. Her brother is married and has three children who light up Alysha’s life. We see each other multiple times per week and are there to help out whenever anyone needs anything. Alysha is blessed to come from such a loving family, and they are looking forward to supporting us on this journey. Alysha’s nephew and nieces are excited to have a cousin to play with!

Alysha comes from a huge extended family of over 70 people who all live within a 15-mile radius of one another. Growing up, they spent Sundays at their grandparents’ house making memories they still talk about. They love getting together for holidays, going on vacations, and their yearly cookie exchange at Christmas!

Joe has a close relationship with his parents, who live about two hours away in Joe’s hometown. He has a married younger brother he talks to every day. Joe’s mom and dad have been married for over 40 years and are looking forward to spoiling their first grandchild. Joe has a large extended family that includes aunts, uncles, many cousins, and his 94-year-old grandfather. He has memories of spending holidays and summer weekends at their cottage.

We live in a cozy, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in a small rural town where everyone knows everybody. We have a large backyard and great neighbors. We are walking distance from our church and the school Alysha graduated from, and Alysha’s parents live less than five minutes away. Our little town has nearby parks and playgrounds, a walking and biking trail, and even a river to fish from. We are very involved in our community, and in fact, Joe was just elected mayor! We love living in our village, where we have so much love and support.

Before we met, we both considered adoption as a way to grow our future families. Unfortunately, years of infertility and a late pregnancy complication turned into the loss of our twins. We were then drawn to adoption as the best way to welcome a child into our family. We look forward to giving a child a lifetime of love, care, and support in all aspects of their life.