Paul & Haley
Marriage Length
9 Years
Home State
Texas
Denomination
Baptist
Pets
3
Children
Luke
2 yr
About Us
Paul and I met during our first semester at Texas A&M Veterinary school in 2012. We formed a study group together and would spend late nights at the library studying for tests. We were fast friends and started to build that foundation before we ever went on a date. Paul is steadfast and calm in life's struggles while Haley is goofy and always ready to laugh. We made a great team. Thank goodness Paul worked up enough courage to ask Haley out! Two years later we were engaged and in August of 2015 we were married! From a young age, Haley knew God was calling her to adopt. When we met, Haley shared this calling with Paul and he agreed but wanted to try for a biological child first and then adopt as a second or third. After 2 years of no luck and a diagnosis of endometriosis for Haley, we knew God had already called us to adoption. We never pursued any in-vitro because we knew God had a child waiting for us that was perfect for our family. God definitely followed through with that promise after meeting our first son, Luke. We know there is another child out there God plans to add to our family and we cannot wait to meet them!
We are looking forward to growing our family through any of the following adoption opportunities:
Type
OpenGender
Any genderRace
Any RaceCircumstances
- Twins
Paul's TESTIMONY
I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God who died for the forgiveness of our sins. I grew up in the Catholic Church which formed the foundation of my faith. Although I grew up going to church, I feel like when I was young my faith was not deeply rooted and I was not seeking to grow my relationship with God. In college I started attending bible studies with classmates and professors, which really helped my faith grow. Since Haley and I have been married, we have been attending Baptist church which has expanded my faith through daily bible reading and small group bible studies. My relationship with Jesus and my faith is a continuing to change and grow.
Haley's TESTIMONY
I was born into the church. My parents had me baptized at the presbyterian church when I was an infant and then around 5 years old, I made the decision to follow Christ as my personal Savior and was baptized in the Baptist church. I was in church Sunday Morning and Wednesday nights. I was in the youth choir and handbells if anyone remembers that. My parents had me in private school from preschool till 1st grade and they decided to move me to public school starting 2nd grade. I remember my first day there and I was so upset, crying, because I was worried I wasn’t allowed to talk about God now. But I can remember my teacher pulling me aside and encouraging me saying that I could talk with her about my faith anytime I would like.
But my faith was childlike. And though this is not a bad thing, it is a faith without question, without challenge. I found out in 6th grade that there was no Santa. At that point my world was shattered. I had believed there was magic in the world and I had grouped God and Jesus in that category. I had never seen any of them, so how could I know any of it was true? For that reason, through middle school I questioned my faith and if God was real.
At night I would cry in bed and plead for God to give me a sign. An overwhelming presence of him. Something huge to show me HE was real. Night after night I prayed and cried and begged for that. I don’t know the exact date but I was in bed one night praying for the sign-something big, something amazing. But something else happened, it was like a peace that settled on me. A quiet, stillness just came over me. And I remembered the story of Elijah… 1st Kings 19: 11-13
“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”
I was praying the wrong prayer. We think God only acts in huge miracles but most of the time he is just whispering to us. And do you know why He whispers? Let me quote a book called Whisper;“ When someone speaks in a whisper, you have to get very close to hear. In fact, you have to put your ear near the person’s mouth. We lean toward a whisper and that’s what God wants. The Goal of hearing the heavenly father’s voice isn’t just hearing His voice, it’s intimacy with Him. That’s why He speaks in a whisper. He wants to be as close to use as is divinely possible. He loves us that much.”
My life has changed over and over from that day. I have been through many challenges since middle school. And I could go on and on about the amazing things He has taught me and helped me growth through the years. But I learned that I don’t need the big miracles, even though they are beautiful when they come. What I need, is to stop and listen for HIS whisper.
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:9
Letter to you
Read MoreOur Christian Commitment
Our Faith is very important to us. Paul grew up Catholic and Haley grew up Baptist - but when we started dating we knew if we were to get married we needed to be able to attend church together as a family. While engaged, we attended all sorts of churches. There are many denominations but we believe the core truth: Jesus is our Lord and savior. We are Christians and we believe the Bible is God’s road map for life. We agreed on the Baptist church and plan to raise our children knowing how much God loves them.
Vision For Raising A Child
We are always praying for Luke and for our next child that they will know God’s infinite love for them. One big lesson we will strive to teach your child is trusting God in ALL of life’s trials. Whether it be big or small we know God is in charge of our lives. We may not get the promotion but God might be protecting us from something there. We may not win the race but we learned perseverance and how to help others along the way. We may not have been able to have biological children but God hand picked irreplaceable children perfect for our family. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God” - Corrie Ten Boom
our family video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY1D3Lua5Cw
ABOUT Paul
From Haley's Perspective: Paul always leads our family with thoughtfulness and love. He trusts God for all our big and little struggles- never rushing to a decision but thinking it carefully through. He is our families protector and provider. Paul is the hardest worker I know and always ready to help even at the end of his long day. He even does the dishes after meals. Plus, he ALWAYS has a smile and a snuggle ready for Luke. No matter what he is dealing with- he puts that aside to play with our son. Paul knows our time is precious and he makes the most of that. Our nieces and nephews adore him and always know they have a pool monster to swim with them! I like to call Paul my “Mr. Fix it”. The sprinkler system, the water heater, the stove top- you name it and he will figure out how to get it back in commission. I am so lucky we found each other so many years ago- I am so blessed to have him as my partner in in this crazy wonderful life.
EXTENDED FAMILY
Paul's mom and dad live in town and keep Luke regularly to spend time with him and make those special memories. Paul has two older sisters and Haley has one younger brother. Luke has a total of six cousins that he is able to play with, one of which is the same age as him. Our nieces and nephews showed us that we were ready for children and we have such a strong bond with them. Yearly, we go on family vacations- during the summers each family goes on a trip and we see them regularly throughout the year.
WORK & EDUCATION
Paul graducated undergraduate from Texas A&M University with his bachelor in biology and then continued through school to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Paul is a mixed animal veterinarian meaning he treats large and small animals. Needless to say, his job never has a dull moment! He is passionate about medicine and works hard to make sure our family has everything we need.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
I know it doesn’t sound like a hobby, but I really enjoy going out to our family ranch, checking on and feeding our cows. I already take Luke with me on weekends and we have special father son time riding around on the ATV in the sunshine. It the is a great time to just relax and enjoy the outdoors while marveling at the wonders of nature and all God created. Fishing and hunting are just a few of my favorite hobbies. Duck hunting with friends and my father each season is something I look forward to each year. I hope to be able to take my son and future children with me on these special outings when they are old enough. It is relaxing sitting in a quite blind early in the morning. I enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities though a Sunday nap on the couch is something I wish I had time for weekly I love grilling out for family and friends. I enjoy bringing people together with food and serving others. It is so fun to host events in our backyard.
ABOUT Haley
From Paul's Perspective: Haley is the perfect blend of nurturing and fun. Haley is a caring mother and a loving wife. She has a strong faith and I have learned so much from seeing her relationship with Christ. Luke lights up with a smile when he sees her and loves for her to put him to bed at night with a story and a lullaby. She works hard, both at her job and at home. It amazes me how she can do so much at work, take care of Luke, keep our home in order and yet never run out of energy. She loves being outside whenever possible - gardening, reading, eating. She even mows while I edge the yard. She enjoys baking and chocolate chip cookies are her specialty. Haley loves children and seems to always get them wound up and having fun. Whenever the nieces and nephews are around, they always find Aunt Haley to play hide and seek.
EXTENDED FAMILY
When people say “it takes a village to raise children” we know we are so blessed to be so close with our family. Though Haley’s parents live 5 hours away, we make the effort to see each other at least once a month. This past year we took our nephew skiing without his parents and we had the best time. Paul’s dad skied with us and since Luke is not old enough to ski just yet, Haley’s parents came just to spend that extra time with him. All four grandparents are always buying little gifts for Luke and wanting to snuggle and play with him.
WORK & EDUCATION
Haley graducated undergraduate from Texas A&M University with her bachelor in Aniaml Science and then continued through school to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Haley is a small animal veterinarian meaning she only does dogs, cats, some pocket pets and a few exotics here and there. She loves her patients and is so kind to their owners. Haley is part time so her job is flexible to take care of Luke and any future children.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
I love fresh flowers and planting in my flower beds. There is something so cathartic planting flowers/veggies, digging though the dirt, and then watching them grow and flourish. That must be why spring is my favorite season. I definitely wouldn’t say I’m a master gardener because I’ve killed as many flowers as I’ve planted :) but that’s what makes it so much fun. One thing doesn’t work- pull it up and work on the next. You can’t dwell on the failures but look forward to the beauty that is still to come. My favorite food would have to be pizza! I like all sorts of varieties but my favorite is just a classic pepperoni. Most Friday nights you will find us getting pizza for dinner whether at a local restaurant or picking it up for a date night in. I love shark week. When I was growing up, I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist and study sharks. Now I get 1 week of all things shark and it is awesome! My favorite hobby is running. It is a time to myself to think, pray and clear my head as I start my day.
Luke
Luke is our only son and was adopted from El Paso TX. Luke means "light giving" and we know he did just that for our lives. He has been such a blessing and we can't imagine life without him. He is very silly, active and all boy! He gets into everything which makes life so entertaining. He enjoys being outside and on the go. He loves the water whether it is from the ocean, pool, splash pad or water hose! He can't wait for a sibling to be his partner in crime!
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ABOUT OUR WORLD
ABOUT OUR HOME
After graduating from veterinary school, we moved to Paul’s hometown. We love being an hour from the coast and we enjoy trips spent on the beach and at the family ranch. Our church is 5 min from our house where we attend Sunday morning church and a couple’s Bible study on Sunday nights. Haley volunteers at the church with the puppet show and with Vacation Bible School. We live in a small town that is surrounded by rural areas. Our home is 4-bedroom on a quiet circle street. Outside our circle is a small field where you can see deer coming in and out. There is a walking trail 2 blocks from our house that leads to a small splash pad we like to visit in the summer. Our neighborhood is very friendly and the people are a joy to socialize with. We have a very small garden that Haley likes to grow tomatoes, okra, squash, cucumbers and onions in their seasons. Haley loves to bake chocolate chip cookies. In the spring, we invite friends and family to our home for a craw-fish boil. Paul is the grill master and enjoys hosting for steak and wood fire pizza nights with friends
ABOUT OUR WORLD
We have always loved to travel. Even as kids, both of our parents would take us to fun new places and explore the world around us. We were scuba certified after we got married and Paul is an expert skier. We travel to the mountains regularly during the winter and summer for both the snow and the beautiful weather. Haley studied abroad in Italy one summer of college and then made Paul go back with her. He wasn't so sure he would enjoy it but instantly fell in love with the culture, history and of course the food.
We plan to help our children have the same travel experiences we did. It's so good to meet new people and learn new things. We want them to know there is a big beautiful world out there waiting to be explored.
