We met in December 2014 at our Trigonometry final at the University of Arkansas. Josh showed up early to get free parking, while Zoe showed up early because she couldn’t spend any more time studying. Josh was sold immediately and wanted to squeeze in a date before Christmas break, so Zoe wouldn’t forget about him, but Zoe took some convincing. She eventually agreed to let him buy her coffee to fuel her studying, and during that first coffee date, we bonded over our shared desire for a big family and a dream of adoption. After graduating from the U of A in 2017, we moved back to Texas and began building our life together. It has been filled with incredible highs and some hard lows, but through it all, we have grown closer and continued learning that God’s timing is perfect and His will is greater than our own.

Individually, long before we met, we each felt a deep and steady calling to adopt. Zoe first felt it at 14, with no clear reason other than a strong certainty it would be part of her life. She told anyone who would listen that she wanted to adopt someday. Josh experienced a similar confidence beginning in high school. So when we found ourselves talking about adoption on our very first date, it felt less like a new idea and more like something God had already been writing into both of our stories.

Since then, we have continued asking God, “Is it now?” And over time, He has made the answer clear, that the answer is “yes, now.” We believe His timing is perfect, and that there is a baby and another family, very soon, who is already part of our story.

More about Zoe (from Josh’s perspective): I love how real Zoe is. She is incredibly wise, authentic, patient, and generous. She loves to go deep in conversation so she can truly know you and how to pray for you. She does the same thing for our children. She sees and knows each of them in their own ways. I love seeing her be a mother, and without her our family definitely wouldn’t have meals to eat, clothes to wear, or be who we are.

More about Josh (from Zoe’s perspective): Josh is the most consistent, intentional, kind, and generous man I have ever known. He is quiet, yet immensely fun. He juggles all the things for our family – all the dishes, all the trash, a lot of the laundry, and never misses making me coffee every.single.morning. He is gentle, strong, and wise, loves sarcasm and funny socks, and the show, the Office.