Dustin and Wilson

Your journey is unique to you, and we truly honor the strength and love for your child that brought you here. We’re excited we may have the chance to get to know you! If we end up walking down this path together, we would be honored to build a relationship that feels right for you. We’re open to sharing updates and staying connected in whatever way brings you comfort. Your child will grow up knowing their story and knowing you, and that will never change. We want to know you so that we are ready to be the storytellers, describing your journey, your personality, your life, and your love that brought them into this world.

As we’ve built our life together, one dream has always been constant: becoming parents. We didn’t always know what that path would look like, but we’ve always known how deeply we wanted to share our lives with children. We’ve filled our days with work, travel, and hobbies, but we’ve always felt there was someone missing that we know will be the center of our world. We find ourselves imagining the little things most, like the first smile, the tiny footsteps across the living room, or hearing “Dada” or “Papa” for the first time. We picture movie nights filled with songs from The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, laughing, singing, and creating traditions that will become theirs too. We’re ready to pour our hearts into raising a child, to guide them, support them, and love them in every stage of their life.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We understand that the decisions you are facing are not easy, and we have so much respect for whatever path you choose. No matter what, we are grateful for the chance to share a small part of our lives with you.

Weekend mornings in our home often start with soccer: coffee brewing, breakfast on the table, and a Liverpool game on TV with friends gathered around to cheer and laugh together. We can picture a little one in a tiny jersey, clapping along before they even understand the rules. One of our favorite memories is winning a trivia contest that took us to Liverpool to see our first match in person, an experience we can’t wait to share someday with a child. Dustin dreams about the moment they walk into that stadium for the first time, eyes wide with excitement, while Wilson is already planning to sing them to sleep with “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

We also love exploring new places. We got engaged in Portugal and Dustin spent a year teaching English in Taiwan, both places that we hope to visit as a family one day. For now, we picture starting small with trips to the beaches we grew up going to: Port Aransas, TX and the Outer Banks in North Carolina. We imagine holding their tiny hands as waves roll in, dipping their feet in the ocean for the first time (Wilson loves the water!), while cousins run nearby building sandcastles and laughing.

At home, our favorite nights are movie nights! Dustin is known for watching the same movie agin and again, so we’re fully prepared (and excited!) to watch Zootopia five times in one week if it becomes their favorite. We even pick movie names out of a bowl to keep things fun, and we can’t wait for the day a small voice insists on adding their own favorites to the mix.

We value our family time at home. Most nights, you’ll find Dustin cooking dinner while Wilson bakes something sweet. Dustin’s mom is a great sous chef, but we can’t wait to start teaching another! We imagine a child on a stool between us, “helping” stir, sneaking a taste, and proudly announcing when dinner is ready. Will they love Indian food or ask for cheeseburgers every night? Either way, Dustin’s got it covered. We always eat as a family and spend the evenings watching our favorite TV shows or playing board games. Because we both work from home, we’ll have the flexibility to be present for all the little moments, like morning snuggles and afternoons spent playing in the living room. And our home wouldn’t be complete without Dustin’s mom Elaine, who is so excited to be a hands-on grandma.

Dustin loves working out and staying active, while Wilson can often be found curled up with a good book. We’re excited for days with a child that start with disc golf at the park and end curled up in bed reading them their favorite books. Dustin has also found a new love for performing in local musicals and plays, which has connected us even more to our community and highlighted for us the importance of trying new things and putting yourself out there. We love that our town offers so many opportunities for kids to explore the arts, and we’ll be right there cheering them on, whether that’s on stage, on a field, or wherever their interests take them.

Dustin is confident, intelligent, respectful, and loyal. He makes a genuine connection with everyone he meets, whether starting conversations with strangers or making everyone laugh as the life of a party. He is competitive at heart, having spent so much of his life excelling as an athlete and student. He isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in, passionate about politics, movies, soccer, and above all else a lifelong learner. He fills our life with joy, planning trips and fun nights at home. He pushes us to be grateful and enjoy the little moments that really matter. Dustin loves fiercely and with so much loyalty. As a father he will be a protector for your child that helps them avoid danger but still encourages curiosity and exploration. Children are always drawn to him, seeing his joyful inner child. He always speaks to them with honesty and respect, never disregarding their perspective or “babying” them. I can’t wait to see him as a father!

If we get the opportunity to meet, you will sit across from Wilson, a kind, intelligent, engaging person I am proud to call my partner. I say “partner” because that is truly what he is; he is what helps me navigate this world, and I can’t wait to embark on fatherhood with him. Wilson has the perfect balance of intellect and curiosity. He was valedictorian of his high school, graduated college in three years (I was lucky to finish in 4), and yet he has a warmth to him that most people of this type don’t have. He is someone who wants to see “justice,” someone who has a strong sense of right and wrong and uses that to guide his opinions on work, politics, and the world around him. He consistently wants to put his best out into the world, and will always be a consistent provider for our family. We both feel it is important to take stock of what you have and give thanks for the people around you who helped make that happen. I am forever grateful for my husband.

We live in a safe, quiet neighborhood in the Austin, TX suburbs. We’re fortunate to live in a large home with Dustin’s mom and our dog, Freyja, and we love that it already feels like a place where your child would fit perfectly. We picture a little one running between rooms, playing on the floor while we cook, or curling up with us on the couch for movie night. Out back, we have a big yard where Freyja loves to play, and where we host family barbecues filled with friends and lots of laughter. It’s easy to imagine a child chasing bubbles or playing soccer with the other kids.

We often go on evening walks around the neighborhood as a family, catching up with neighbors and enjoying the sunset. We’re so excited to share our community with your child! There is a lot of natural space close by, parks where we walk or play tennis and disc golf, as well as hiking trails and lakes for more outdoor fun and exercise. And when we want something livelier, Austin is close by, with live music, museums, and amazing food. We love that a child here can grow up with room to explore the outdoors and access to an energetic, creative city.

Family is at the center of everything we do. We’re both incredibly close to our moms, and we’ve intentionally built a home where we can lean on their wisdom to guide us as parents. We live with Dustin’s mom, Elaine, who is already so excited to be a hands-on, doting grandmother. Even beyond our home, family is always close by. Dustin’s relatives all live nearby in Texas, and we spend a lot of time together celebrating birthdays, holidays, and other fun family get-togethers. Wilson comes from a big family, with six siblings and a growing group of young nieces and nephews. We travel to Virginia throughout the year to be with them, and we love imagining a child running around with cousins, growing up with built-in best friends just like we did.

We’re also lucky to have close friends who feel like family, some we’ve known since childhood, and others that we’ve built deep connections with together. Many of them are raising young children, and we can’t wait for your child to grow up alongside them, going to birthday parties and playdates and creating the kind of friendships that become lifelong. Our family is almost as excited as we are to welcome a new baby. They are waiting to embrace your child and shower them with love!

We’re so ready to pass on our favorite family traditions! Every Christmas Eve, we stay up late together and watch movies. First, we need snacks: pigs in a blanket, queso and fresh fried tortilla chips, sausage balls. Next, we pick at least two movies to watch. The cherry on top is falling asleep watching “Meet Me in St. Louis” and Judy Garland belting out “Have yourself a merry little Christmas.” This tradition started in Dustin’s childhood and we can’t wait to see it all through the eyes of a child. Our other special traditions involve annual family events with multiple generations that have been going on for decades. Wilson’s mom’s family spends a week at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, going to the beach every day, playing Charades, and eating delicious home cooked meals. Dustin’s dad’s family goes camping every Easter weekend, with 60 or more together for good food, good conversation, card games, and an egg hunt to end the festivities. Plenty of young cousins around your child’s age will make these trips fun just like they were when we were kids!

More than anything, we want your child to feel completely at home in our family, loved for exactly who they are while also deeply connected to where they come from. We believe those two things can and should exist together. Our education in psychology and experiences living in Washington, DC and Taiwan have shown us the importance of a community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Because of that, it’s incredibly important to us that your child grows up surrounded by diversity. We will intentionally build a community around them that reflects their racial and cultural background, so they see themselves in the people around them, in the stories they hear, and in the traditions we celebrate.

We picture this showing up in small, meaningful ways: reading books that reflect their identity, listening to music that connects them to their roots, celebrating traditions that matter to their story, and having open, honest conversations as they grow. We will learn alongside them, ask questions, and make sure they always feel proud of who they are and where they come from. At the same time, we will help them understand how deeply they belong in our family. They will always know their story is something to be honored and shared, and that they are an essential part of our lives.

We believe that learning about the world will help our children practice the simple but important values that guide our family: empathy, honesty, and loyalty. While we’re not connected to a specific religion, we do believe there is something meaningful that connects all people and that it is important to honor the natural world. We want to raise a child who feels that sense of connection, who is curious about the world around them, and isn’t afraid to think for themselves.

Freyja is our 8-year-old Italian Spinone, a sweet girl that is well behaved and loves people. Our nieces and nephews always want to play with Freyja because she is so gentle. She follows Dustin’s mom around the house, cuddles with Dustin on the couch while he’s playing video games, and sleeps in the office as Wilson’s honorary co-worker. She also enjoys playing outside in our backyard, going to local parks, and joining us on hikes. Freyja is patient and loving with children. We feel fortunate that Freyja will make our home that much more special for a child.

Your child will have two dads, a grandma with enough love for 10 grandbabies, and the sweetest dog. We will support them in learning about what interests and excites them – we’ll be their cheerleader at sporting events, their audience at recitals and plays, their partner in games, their tour guide on trips, or anything else they can imagine. Before they even speak their first words, they’ll have a Liverpool jersey and a nursery full of books. We promise to encourage their curiosities, getting them to try the papaya salad at the Thai restaurant, and if they like it, learning how to make it with them at home. We’ll encourage their kindness and heart, talking with them after a Pixar movie made them cry (Dustin already cries during most of them). Most of all, our community of loved ones will do everything in our power to make sure they always know they are loved, no matter what.

We will welcome your child into our family with unending, unconditional love. Our lives will be dedicated to their happiness and security. We will support them with everything we have through every challenge and success. We don’t know your child yet, but we have dreamed of the joy that they will bring into our home. We will embrace them as they are, teaching them compassion, self-worth, and curiosity. We honor your love for your child and promise that you will always be a part of your child’s history and future strength. We are grateful to be considered as parents to your child, and look forward to giving you contentment and peace, knowing they will be forever safe and loved in our arms.