Waiting Parents: Steven and Lauren
Thanks for taking the time to review our profile! We are Steven, Lauren, and Samuel; a bunch of goofballs who can’t wait to be part of another adoption story. Every day, we ask the Lord to bless you and your little one(s) with His presence, kindness, and wisdom as you navigate this process. We hope you feel loved and supported in every step of your journey, and that we have the privilege of joining you.
We met later in life than we would have liked, but we both agree it was worth the wait. Our first date was a simple conversation over coffee that turned into lunch in early 2019. Within a few months, we knew we wanted to be lifelong partners. So we started premarital counseling that summer and married in the Spring of 2020… just in time for the world to shut down. The last six years have been a whirlwind of the unexpected, and every new obstacle makes us more grateful to have found each other. We’ve been to Iceland, Hawaii, and a handful of National Parks together, but building our family is our favorite adventure so far!
Adoption has been part of our plan from the beginning, and we were thrilled to add Samuel to our family in early 2025. Believe it or not, we were on vacation in Big Bend when his birth mother chose us! We raced across Texas that day and met his family around 10:00 pm. His birth family has been a huge blessing to us, and it’s hard to imagine a better way to experience the open adoption process for the first time. While we have enjoyed shaping Samuel’s joyful, quirky, and clever personality, it’s especially sweet to hear his birth family explain which of his unique mannerisms come directly from them. We can’t wait to add even more amazing people to our circle in the years ahead.
We see our family as a team with different backgrounds and shared goals, so we asked a friend to design a soccer-style family crest as a wedding gift. It was the perfect metaphor for our decision to merge two families into one, and we even had uniforms made. At the time, we joked that we could announce our “Number One Draft Pick” when the time came to adopt. Now, we think there’s no better picture for our family because we aren’t the only ones choosing a new teammate: you are, too!
Lauren is a Physician Assistant who lined up a more flexible, part-time schedule to spend most of her week with Samuel and his future sibling(s). She is a nurturer who loves plants, animals, and adventure. She can often be found watching hummingbirds or digging around in one of her garden beds, but you’re just as likely to spot her curled up with a book.
Steven is a Communications and Marketing professional who also runs a soccer league for at-risk boys. He is a natural storyteller who thinks in narratives and can’t resist a great pun. His friends describe him as honest, dependable, creative, compassionate, and funny… although they sometimes ask him to tone down the dad jokes.
We live in an old-school neighborhood near a few excellent elementary schools, a handful of awesome playgrounds, and a group of soccer fields within easy walking distance. Our home is built for friends, family, and community, but we like to visit Steven’s relatives in the area or take a quick road trip to see Lauren’s in South Texas when we aren’t hosting. No matter where we are, we think it’s important to make time for games, hijinks, and great conversations.
