Tom and Stephanie

Our Message to Expectant Parents

2010-01-19T17:38:00.015-07:00

Welcome!

We are excited to have the opportunity to share a little about our family with you. We know that you are making difficult decisions right now, and we are praying that you will feel peace as you decide what is best for you and your baby. We hope you will feel of our love as you learn a little more about us.

Our Story
Tom and I met in 7th grade English class and our teacher told me after school one day that I should really get to know Tom because “we would be a great couple”. I wasn't convinced, but I guess she knew what she was talking about! We were in the same group of friends throughout junior high, but didn’t really get to know each other until high school when Tom asked me to Junior Prom. We quickly became good friends (with a lot of romantic interest), but didn’t become an official couple until after his mission. We were married in 2005 and got to be students together at Utah State for one semester before I graduated and became a kindergarten teacher. Tom graduated the next year with his Bachelor’s degree and a year after that with his Master’s in Accounting. During that time, we became frequent visitors to our infertility clinic for about two years before deciding that adoption was the best option for our family.

In August of 2008, we met Krista's sweet birthmom and were able to build a relationship with her and her family while we prepared for Krista’s arrival. Krista showed up at a surprising six weeks early, weighing 4 lbs. 5 oz. and looking absolutely beautiful! We continue to have an open relationship with her birthmom and love having her and her family in our lives. I am now a stay-at-home mom and enjoy my daily adventures with Krista and our son Tommy. Tom is a CPA and works for a local accounting firm, but also loves coming home to Krista running out to check the mail with him.

About Stephanie From Tom
Stephanie can be summed up in one word, sweet. I have always been attracted by her kind heart and love for others. Before she was a stay-at-home mom, Stephanie was a Kindergarten teacher. I used to help out sometimes in her classroom, and she always amazed me with how loving and patient she was with her students. Because of her kind heart she makes friends very easily. We cannot even go to the grocery store together without her running into someone that she knows. As a teacher, Stephanie obviously has a strong commitment to education. She earned two degrees in her four years of college (Early Childhood and Elementary Education). Besides teaching, Stephanie has many other talents. She plays almost every musical instrument imaginable from the piano to the harp. She also plays all sorts of sports. Some of my favorite memories have come from playing “horse” with her on a school play ground using our car headlights for lighting. I also love the fact that Steph is an avid reader. She reads everything. Her favorites are young-adult books and fantasy. Most of all, Stephanie is an extremely supportive wife and mother. Watching her grow with Krista and Tommy has been an amazing experience. She loves her job as a stay-at-home mom, and is very good at it (I once jokingly asked her if I could trade her and become a stay at home dad, and she answered with an emphatic No!). She has a special way about her that encourages me to be my best self. I could not ask for a better person to be with forever. She is a person who is easy to love.

About Tom From Stephanie
I am head over heels for Tom. He is a genuine gentleman. After an especially long week of overtime at work for him, Tom came home that Friday with a bouquet of flowers. He said they were for me making it through such a hard week. I thought he should be the one getting flowers for all of his hard work, but I felt so loved that he would think of me instead. Tom has a natural sense of humor, full of both one-liners and ongoing stories. He keeps me laughing, and he can turn any situation into a better one with his jokes. Tom loves sports any way they come. He mostly plays basketball, but watches whatever sport is in season. Actually, football games are his favorite to see in person, but once again, he loves them all! One of my favorite things about Tom is how he plans surprises for me. He even planned our Valentine’s date before Christmas this year. Tom also knows how to work hard and wants everything he does to be done well. He received very good grades in school and loves to teach himself new skills. One time the spark plugs on our car needed to be replaced, so he figured out how to change them and took care of it himself. I have really enjoyed watching Tom as a dad. One minute he will be wrestling with Krista, and the next minute she will be snuggling on his shoulder. I love seeing that he is very fun and also very tender with our children all at the same time.

About Krista
Krista is our little Miss Independent. She wants to do everything "all by myself". She loves to sing and dance and can actually carry a tune really well, especially to her "Krista songs CD" that we listen to while we are driving. She speaks very well and says the most hilarious things. The other day she told us that she needed a baby wipe so that she could wipe the frown off her face! We love seeing her grow and develop. She truly is our little miracle.

About Tommy
Tommy is just an easy going guy. He smiles constantly and has become very ticklish. With a little help from his dad, he has already figured out how to be a brother by pulling Krista's hair when she gets too close! Lately he has been rolling all over the house and we are getting ready for him to start crawling any time.

From Us To You
Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. Once again, we are praying for you to find peace in your decisions. We wish you the best in this journey and hope you know that we think of you often. We hope it is clear from our letter that all of our children's birthparents will be loved, respected, and honored in our family. We would love to hear from you or answer any questions you may have for us.

With Love,
Tom and Stephanie

Just For Expectant Fathers

2010-01-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

Although we do not have a lot of experience with expectant fathers, we would welcome the opportunity to have you as part of our lives. We know that if you are reading this, you are probably very interested in providing the best life you can for your child and we appreciate your involvement in this decision.

From Krista's Birthmom

2010-01-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Where do I begin? As a birthparent we have so many concerns running through our minds. But possibly the biggest is, who am I going to place my child with? Who will give this child everything I can’t and more? What do I want in a couple? Who is going to understand my child and my decision? I am familiar with these questions, and so many more. Tom and Stephanie however, seemed to be the answer to all my questions. From the moment we met, Tom and Stephanie let me know of their appreciation for who I am and the sacrifice I was making in Krista’s behalf. It wasn’t always about the baby, (although that’s what we liked to talk about most :) ), but it was also about me. They got to know me on a personal level. They knew what my interests were, what my dislikes were, what my background was and so much more. The two of them understand adoption more than I would have ever expected. They appreciate and understand the sacrifice that you are making. Tom and Stephanie have also been very respectful of my privacy and my boundaries. I have never once felt uncomfortable or pressured in any way. These two are such a genuine couple, they are aware of you and your needs and will strive to help you in any way they possibly can. I know that throughout Krista’s life I will never be forgotten. I have grown to love the two of them more than I thought I ever would, and I am forever grateful for their love and support for me.

Love,

Krista’s birthmom

Some Of Our Favorites

2009-12-17T00:27:00.005-07:00

Tom's Favorites

Animal: Tiger
Color: Blue
Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake
Holiday: 4th of July
Number: 5
Restaurant: Cafe Sabor
University: Utah State

Steph's Favorites

Flower: Daffodil
Number: 3
Restaurant: Winger's
Colors: Blue and Yellow
Animal: Monkey
Shoes: Flip Flops
Dessert: Anything Chocolate

Krista's Favorites

Song: Fireflies by Owl City
Food: Chicken
Clothes: Dresses every day!
Toy: Dolls
Movie: Tangled
Outside Toy: Swings

Education

2009-12-17T00:24:00.001-07:00

Open Adoption

2009-11-30T13:00:00.009-07:00

When we started learning about adoption, we knew very early that openness was something that we wanted in our adoptions. When we met Krista's birthmom, we discussed what each of us wanted in our relationship and have been very happy with the results of following through with those commitments. With our next adoption, we are committed to emails and pictures and are open to visits.

Family on Steph's Side

2009-11-25T12:15:00.007-07:00

I am the oldest of six kids- 5 girls and 1 boy at the very end. Growing up in a big family was awesome! We always had someone around to play with and there was always something going on around the house. We also spent a lot of time together camping, boating, going to Disneyland and Lake Powell, taking care of animals, going to each other's concerts and recitals (we all play the piano), and just hanging out around the house. Lately my dad has been having fun taking us canoeing after he collected enough canoes for all of us to fit in. My mom loves it because we all get to spend that time together.

My family members are so excited about their new roles: grandparents, aunts, and uncles. It is cute to watch them try to be the "favorite" to Krista, Tommy, and our niece Sarah. We are excited to see them continue to spoil all of our children as they join our family. My extended family is also very supportive of adoption. I have two cousins who were adopted and two different cousins who placed their babies a few years ago. We love adoption!

A Funny Memory:
I remember going on a ride at the state fair with my mom and we got spinning so fast we were pushed against the very edge of the cart and thought we were going to fall out. We were the only two people on the ride and the person in charge thought we were screaming because we were completely enjoying ourselves, so he let us go longer and longer! We were really screaming, "Stop, stop, enough already!" We came off laughing about it and have been laughing ever since.

Family on Tom's side

2009-11-25T12:14:00.004-07:00

My family is so much fun. I am the third of four and the only boy. Unfortunately that meant that my choice of movie at the movie store was always outvoted for a chick flick. My dad works for the airlines, which meant that we got to fly for free as kids. We had fun flying to places like Hawaii, San Antonio, Florida, etc for our family vacations and are still close to this day. We enjoy getting together for Sunday dinner, family parties, and other special occasions. I have a 5 and 2 year old niece and nephew, so it is fun for Krista to have cousins her age. My parents are now officially empty nesters, so they love any chance they get to play with their grandkids. It is fun to watch them play together.

A Funny Story:
My sister and I made up a game in our driveway that was a mix between baseball and basketball. It was with a little bat and a very big ball. My sister threw the ball to me at eye level and I swung at it as hard as I could. The bat came straight back, hit me square in the head, and knocked me straight over. My sister also fell over, but hers was due to laughter. I couldn't get the world to stop spinning for three days. I went to the doctor and told him what happened, and he had to stop laughing before he could tell me the problem. The problem was that I had given myself a skull fracture and had to take Dramamine for a week so the world didn't continue to spin. Let's just say that the fact that I was 15 in the story makes it even funnier.

Where We Live

2009-11-25T11:18:00.013-07:00

We own a cute, three bedroom home, and our neighborhood is perfect for us! We have a little playground right outside our door, and we are within walking distance of several parks, a movie theater (and a Redbox!), the elementary school, the grocery store and a few small shops, and lots of families and children. We are also within 30 minutes of the zoo, many museums, amusement and swimming parks, walking and biking trails, hiking, downtown Salt Lake, and both sides of our family. We love it!

A Broken Nose

2009-11-25T09:40:00.002-07:00

Tom and I were both in band in high school, and as part of the pep band at basketball games, we were expected to help clean up the stands after the game. I was cleaning down on the ground while Tom was up cleaning with a few other friends. He decided it would be really funny to put his hand on the back of our friend Leah's head as she was bending over so that when she tried to stand up, she was stuck. Leah started yelling, "Come on guys, come and help me" and I decided that I would be the good friend who went and freed her. Tom's back was toward me as I ran up the bleachers and I stopped directly behind him, one bleacher down. I knew he was very ticklish, so I reached up and tickled him, not even thinking that his reaction was going to be to throw an elbow backwards. It caught me right in the nose and I just remember falling backwards. Luckily, Leah was very quick and caught me as I fell, while Tom went running after my glasses. I laid there in shock for a few seconds before I heard Leah whisper, "I think her nose is broken." I reached up and my nose wasn't where I expected it! Tom picked me up and carried me out to another friend's van so that they could take me to the hospital. My parents showed up a few minutes later at the hospital and my dad (who used to work in the ER) took one look at me, shook his head, and walked back out of the room for a minute. You can imagine the grief Tom got from everyone! Because it happened at school, I think everyone had heard the news by the next morning and Tom even had to stand up in our English class, tell the whole story, and have our teacher lead the class in teasing him about it. He felt so bad. He came to visit me a lot and brought me a huge gift bag of coloring books and crayons, games to play, and mostly chocolate. Mmmm. Amazingly enough, my nose is very straight once again thanks to a nice surgery, and yes I still married him!