Introduction
Hello from Stephanie and Seth! Thank you so much for considering adoption. We can’t begin to understand what it’s like for you in these moments as you consider potential families based on a few pages and try to decide the best choice for you. As we tell you a little bit about our lives, we want you to know we appreciate the strength you’ve already shown, and we hope you feel the support you deserve as you navigate the path you choose.
About Us
Both living in Cleveland, Ohio at the time, we met on a dating site in 2010 when Steph messaged Seth asking who was going to win the Super Bowl that day between the Saints and the Colts. Seth picked the Colts. He was wrong, but 10 days later she still agreed to go on a pizza date. On our second date we spent six hours watching the Olympics, something that’s still one of our favorite things to do! Seth did the perfect, intimate proposal in 2012, and we were married in 2013 in Cleveland Browns Stadium, a place where we’ve spent many Sundays!
These days, we love grabbing a great meal at one of our favorite local spots We also like to head out on Lake Erie in our little boat, hike in the national park, and attend local concerts or festivals with friends. At home, we enjoy lighting the fireplace and watching documentaries, sports or our favorite shows (reality TV!) with some pizza.
Our strengths as a couple are that we have fun together, are adventurous, and are always up for trying new things. We try not to take life too seriously. We’re a great team and our strengths and weaknesses complement each other. There’s nothing we can’t overcome! We like to dream big and then figure out how to make each dream a reality.
We’ve always wanted children, and we have discussed adoption for quite some time. Growing up, Steph’s family had children from other families live with them for short periods of time, including her cousin. Having a family in which not all members were immediate or biological felt normal. As adults, this is how we want our family to be. The more we talked over time, the more we realized that adoption was the best fit for us and was how we wanted to grow our family. We have a lot of love to provide and we’re so excited to bring a child into our family!
About Him
I’m from a very small town in central Ohio. My mom is a teacher and guidance counselor and my dad is a firefighter. My favorite childhood tradition happened each Christmas. My parents have a wind-up angel that plays Silent Night, and as children during the holiday season the last thing the family would do every night was sit on the couch in the living room with the whole room dark except the Christmas tree, wind up the angel and let it play until it ran out no one speaking a word. It was full of Christmas magic.
I graduated high school, then went on to earn my bachelor’s in computer science. I’ve been a software developer since 2004. I love problem solving and creating and building. Software development allows me to create and build without any constraints. I have lots of interests but am most passionate about family, friends, sports (especially my Cleveland Browns!) and travel.
I’ve wanted to be a parent for as long as I can remember. The relationship that I have with my parents is something very special to me. I’ve always valued our relationship and have wanted to share that closeness, along with my own passions and life experiences, with my own child. I can’t wait to show my kids the proper way to throw a football, give them my favorite mystery novels to read, and use them as an excuse to go out for ice cream way too often!
About Her
I grew up in Stark county, Ohio — the kind of place where you could ride your bike or walk most places. My favorite childhood memories include the college right next door to our house. I loved walking over to the stadium to catch a football game or ordering pizza and breadsticks at the student center.
In my free time, I enjoy being active and will hop on the Peloton for a dancing-biking-workout or play tennis on a local school court with Seth! Shopping is also a stress-reliever for me, and I love exploring the small business districts with my aunt then grabbing a bite at a local restaurant. While I am passionate about many social issues, I am most passionate about mental health awareness and placing equal value on both physical and emotional health. In 2012 I lost my brother to suicide. I joined the mental health wellness committee at work and am involved with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Walk and have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to support education in our community and bring awareness to suicide.
I’m excited to become a mom and have my own family. We will be a team and tackle life together as each others’ biggest support system. I had such a joyful childhood and I’d like to recreate those moments with my child, as well as create new, special memories.
About our Home/Pets
We live in a diverse, progressive suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, about 10 minutes from downtown. Our city is home to a mixture of immigrants and people of different ethnic backgrounds, as well as a diverse small business community. We are just up the hill from museums, colleges, and world-renowned medical facilities. Our home is in a pretty neighborhood of 100-year-old houses, with plenty of trees and big backyards, and a small lake and nature center a short distance away where we like to take walks. An elementary school and middle school are just a short walk from our house as well. We look forward to walking to and from school everyday and spending that quality, uninterrupted time with our child. Because of the proximity to schools, there are a lot of kids in our neighborhood.
Our home is a larger, old colonial-style house. Our favorite part about our home is the wood burning fireplace. The fireplace is the centerpiece of many cozy nights during the fall and winter. The house has four bedrooms, three of which have their own bathroom. We have a large backyard that is fully fenced-in and a fire pit with Adirondack chairs around it where we love to roast marshmallows and make Steph’s favorite treat — s’mores. We love decorating our home for Halloween. Our neighborhood is known for its epic trick-or-treating. This last year we had over 1,000 trick-or-treaters come to our house!
We have two cats named Minus and Pauly. They are both 14-year-old male cats whose front paws are declawed.
Minus is an active and curious rescue cat. He loves to be next to you, on you, in front of you, and tangled in your legs. He is shy and hides when new people enter our home, but once he gets used to someone he is sweet and loving.
Pauly is a ragdoll breed. He is a big cat with a thick, soft coat. Ragdolls are known as “puppy cats” due to their tendency to follow people around and their ease when physically handled. Pauly is very social and wins over everyone who comes in our house by rubbing on them and flopping on their feet.
