Hi!
We are Bryan and Suzanne, and we are very excited about adding to our family through adoption. We want you to know of the appreciation and admiration we have for you. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us, taking a peek into our lives and understanding our dream for a baby. We have the greatest respect and admiration for parents who place their children for adoption, recognizing that our joy springs from their sorrow.
Our Beginnings
We officially met at college. Suzanne worked at the Music Library, and Bryan came in to check something out. ;) We soon attended the same Opera Workshop in Washington DC that summer. We ended up spending the whole 2 weeks of the workshop together, and took our breaks enjoying the monuments and museums that DC had to offer. Suzanne was impressed with Bryan’s knowledge of history and art. Bryan was impressed with Suzanne. ;)We spent a long time sitting in front of a Van Gogh painting taking in its vivid beauty. (We now have that same print hanging in our home, a constant reminder of that day :) When we got back to school we started dating and were married the next winter. We both couldn’t have found better matches and love just being together.
Why we want to adopt
We have always wanted a large family, we love the large families we grew up in, and want that same experience for ourselves and our children. We had planned on having a few biological children and then adopting the rest, but things haven’t worked out that way. We had Daniel right after our first anniversary, and adopted Sam a year and a half ago.  They have brought so much joy into our lives. We would love to share that joy with more children. We have been unsuccessful in conceiving over the years, and rather than pursue fertility treatments any further we want to adopt. Adoption is something that we both have always looked forward to and we are so excited to bring another child into our lives and home.
Bryan
Attended BYU in Utah and following his passions graduated in Italian and Music, in both the Trombone and Voice. He spent 2 ½ years in Italy on a church mission and on study abroad. We went to Italy a few years ago as a couple and he was an excellent tour guide! (all the natives complimented him on his fabulous, fluent Italian) He graduated with his MD and has started Residency and is loving every minute of it. He plans on becoming a Pediatric Cardiologist (I told you, we love kids!). Bryan is fond of many sports. He loves to golf almost anytime, in the summer you can find him in the pool playing games with his brothers, and in the fall he loves to play basketball with some of the guys from church. His favorite teams to watch are the Yankees, the Stealers (he lived in Pittsburgh when he was younger), and the Jazz. Bryan loves to read and reads anything from the classics to sci-fi books. Overall we would say that Bryan’s favorite thing to do is let Daniel run around with his cousins while we relax, play games and chat with his family. Suzanne- “One of the reasons I fell in love with Bryan was because I knew he would be an amazing father. His love and patience astound me. He has a great sense of humor and keeps me laughing and smiling even when things get rough. “
Suzanne
Suzanne also attended BYU in Utah and got her degree in Vocal Performance. She was heavily involved in the performing arts, performing in Musicals, Operas, Recitals, and Nationally acclaimed choirs. Her two favorite things in college were singing in BYU Singers (Choir) and performing the lead in Carmen, singing over a full orchestra. She taught voice lessons, but has stopped while our children are young. Suzanne is currently devoting her time and talents to being a stay at home Mom. We were both lucky enough to be raised in families where our Mother’s were at home during the day. We feel strongly that we want her to be able to stay home and be available for our children whenever they have questions or need a friend. She loves spending her time with our adventurous boys and can’t wait to add more children to the mix! In her spare time Suzanne loves to be creative and learn to do new things. Some of her current projects are sewing (she sells children’s clothing online), pattern making, quilting (she’s currently working on a quilt for Daniel’s bed), photography, home design and refinishing furniture. She also loves to read and some of her current favorites are the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series and pretty much anything that her Mother-in-law suggests! She loves her friends and chatting on the phone with her many sisters. Bryan: Suzanne is the perfect partner through the many ups and downs of life. Her perspective and calm make her a wonderful wife and even better mother. I love the thought of my sons spending hours with her and learning her wisdom and loving ways. I very much want to add another child to our family and give them the same opportunity that our children have.
Our Fun Times
Some of our favorite times have just been spent snuggling as a family as we talk, laugh and tickle! We like to go out to eat as a family and always stop to play a few games before we head home. We love to travel together and just spent two months driving cross country visiting family and friends. (and both coasts!) One of our favorite places to be is the beach in California, and we make it out there about once a year with Bryan’s family. We all stay in a large condo where we can play games, hangout at night and spend our days at the beach. (and take the occasional trip to Disneyland and other fun places) We love to visit historically significant places, and go on hiking trips when there’s something beautiful to see. One of the things we look forward to most is the yearly family reunion at the lake. All of Bryan’s cousins, Uncles, Aunts and Grandparents gather for a weekend of boating, sandcastles and playing. This summer we’re also looking forward to getting together with all of Suzanne’s siblings and their families for a week long party… who knows what to expect! ;)
Family and Friends
We have a huge support group of family and friends that we just love. Bryan is the oldest of 6 kids and Suzanne is the 6th of 8 kids. Our lives are full of love and laughter. Bryan’s family spends a lot of time together. They like to spend time in the pool, just kick the ball around, or sing around the piano. BBQ’s and family parties are very frequent during the summer, so we get to see the extended family too. There will be two new babies this fall/winter season and we would love to add a third, so they could all be little buddies! (Suzanne’s cousins are some of her best friends and we would love to continue that kind of relationship for our children.) Suzanne’s family loves to get together and play the card game nertz, they are all pros at the game. She and her sisters talk…. a lot. They love having each other (there are 5 sisters in a row!) to laugh and share with. Again, we would love to nurture this type of relationship in our children.
Our Home and Community
We live in Indiana, near Indianapolis, while Bryan is finishing up his Pediatric Residency. We absolutely love where we live. We are lucky enough to be surrounded by beauty year round, with summers that are mild enough to enjoy all of the parks and go swimming, and a particularly gorgeous spring and fall. Winter here never disappoints, and we always have enough snow for snowmen and snowball fights. Our neighborhood is great, our neighbors are wonderful. All of the young mothers walk with their children outside and soon there is a gathering of mothers and children chatting and playing. We just bought our first home in a nice family community. We have lots of green space for the kids to run around and a neighborhood pool and park. We have an extra bedroom that is just waiting to be filled. :) Indianapolis is a beautiful city with lots for little kids and their families to do. We go to the zoo a lot, and the kids love it!
Open adoption
We would love to have an open adoption. We have an open adoption with Sam's birthparents and cherish the time we got to spend getting to know them down in Tennessee. We keep a blog just for them full of all the pictures we take of Sam and updates on what he's up to.  We speak on the phone occasionally and have driven down to visit them.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to have gotten to meet some of Sam's biological family. We're grateful to have answers to a lot of the questions he will have later in life and to have that connection to turn to as he grows. Suzanne also has two friends who placed their daughters for adoption and has seen firsthand what a positive experience an open adoption can be for all involved. The child gets to know where they came from, you get to know that your child is loved and well cared for, and we get to know the wonderful woman who gave us our wonderful child. We recognize that an open adoption is not always best for everyone, and we will also respect that. We will still teach our child that they were placed with us by a loving woman who only wanted what was best.
Thank you!
Thanks so much for learning a bit about us and our dreams for our family. We would love to chat with you and answer any questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to ask us anything. We would love to know of your hopes and wishes for your child’s future. We wish you the best as you make this difficult decision and hope to hear from you. Bryan and Suzanne

When we get approved through LDSFS our profile will go online at http://www.itsaboutlove.org/ , and a different profile will go in "the book" that they show birthmothers. This profile consists of our birthparent letter and a collage of family photos. Since this will only be shown in our local office I thought I'd post them here too.

If you double click on the images it should bring up a larger copy of them.

Our feelings toward Birth Mothers.

Bryan and I both feel that any expectant Mother who places her child for adoption is a brave and caring person. We recognize that just because your child is taken care of doesn't mean that you will forget them or stop thinking of them. We would love to keep our child's birthmother aware of how her child is doing by sending pictures and letters and possibly occasional visits. When our child is old enough to make informed decisions on their own we will encourage them to get to know you. We believe that it would be best for our child to truly find out where they came from and what their biological family is like. Our child will always know they were adopted, they will know about their birthmother and they will know that she made a brave and loving decision. Our child's birthmother will be loved by our family.

When I (Suzanne) was in High School a good friend of mine found herself in the situation of becoming a birthmother. I saw how much she loved the child she carried, I saw how hard her decision was. I also saw the joy she felt when she received pictures of her child and got letters telling her how her child was doing. She was young and had a lot of life ahead of her, she knew that the best thing for her child would be to grow up in a family with two parents who were ready to welcome a baby into their lives. I knew then that I would love to adopt a child, I wanted to create a home for the baby and a solution to the mother's plight. I know that my experience with my friend really solidified in my mind the blessing that adoption can be.

If our birthmother chooses a closed adoption we will respect that also. Our child will still know that they were adopted and lovingly placed into our arms. If she later decides she wants pictures and letters we will always be available. I know that for some people to move on with their lives they need to feel closure and close the door on the possibility of an open adoption. I respect that and will support her silently through teaching our child to love and be grateful to their birthmother.

We have a great love for children in our home. Bryan is planning on specializing in pediatric medicine specifically so he can interact with and serve children. We work in the nursery of our church and love the time we have with the little children singing and playing. We also volunteer once a week at an inner city church taking care of children while their parents/guardians are in prayer meeting. This situation has taught me a lot about the influences of the world on little children and has again reconfirmed my desire to have a happy and healthy home for my little ones to flourish.

Hobbies and Interests

One of our favorite hobbies that we both enjoy is reading. Bryan is a more "serious" reader in that he really loves to get into the classics and pick them apart. Right now he is reading "War and Peace" for the first time and is loving it. He loves reading books over and over again and since we have been married has rotated through quite a few, with some of his favorites being, "Les Miserables," "Cry the Beloved Country," the "Lord of the Rings." trilogy, and the "Wheel of Time" series. I on the other hand am a more frivolous reader. While I do really enjoy the classics, especially Jane Austen and like, I really like to read contemporary authors. Lately I've read the "Twilight" series, "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns," all of the Dan Brown books and of course a TON of adoption books. (and who doesn't love "Harry Potter?") I'm really happy that Daniel is learning to love books too. Some of his favorites are "The Three Little Pigs," "Stone Soup," and "Go Dog, Go." I have to admit that one of my favorite things is when he comes running to me with a book and hops up onto my lap for a story.

Bryan and I enjoy watching a good comedy, with "The Office," "Thirty Rock," and "Scrubs" as some of our favorites. We have phases where we'll really like a show, watch all of it's episodes on DVD and then not see it forever. I actually think it works better than watching normal tv. There are no commercials, and there aren't other programs to tempt you when you're done!

We love to travel as a family. Bryan has traveled all over the world and is showing us the ropes. The two of us got the chance to go to Italy after he graduated from BYU and it was a complete blast. Bryan served his mission in Milan, Italy and then did study abroad in Italy too. So he was able to act as my tour guide. All of the Italians were very impressed by how well he spoke the language and it was so nice to have an interpreter! We got to see all of the incredible sites in Italy and hope to go back there many times with our family. I think Bryan would agree that Florence is our favorite city in the world, with Lago di Como a close second. We also really love Washington D.C. since that's where we really met. We love to take mini trips to sites nearby. When we lived in Utah we made it to Zion's National Park, Moab, Denver, Seattle and lots of areas inbetween. Now that we're in Ohio we've been to Pittsburgh and Kirtland/Cleveland and have plans to visit LOTS of historical sites. We're so excited to be so near all of the incredible sites in the East. We are going to visit upstate New York this summer and stop by Niagara Falls while we're there. Can't wait. One of our favorite vacations with the family is when we go to New Port Beach, CA and spend a couple of days hanging out with the family at the beach. It is so beautiful. I think everyone needs to experience the lull of the ocean while on the warm sand. Another family function that we would never miss is the annual family reunion up at Bear Lake in Utah. Bryan's paternal extended family get together to play in the water, eat good food and have a good time. It is always one of the highlights of our year. We are always there over a weekend and on Sunday have church together as a family. It doesn't get better than that.

Of course as you've probably guessed by looking at our college majors, we both love music. Bryan grew up in a family that is incredibly musical. His Mother composes music and plays the piano incredibly well. Fortunately she and her husband instilled a love and appreciation for music in their children and Bryan is proof of that. Bryan plays the Trombone exceptionally well. He played in the premier Orchestra at BYU and was asked to major in Trombone. His Father and Grandfather both play the Trombone and they have performed trios together. He also has a wonderful Bass/Baritone singing voice and was in the voice program and some of the Opera there at BYU. Bryan took piano lessons until he was a young teen and played Piano in church throughout his mission. He has an uncanny ability to recognize music and remember all the details about it. Often when we're watching a movie together he'll lean over and give a guess as to who the composer is and I'd say he's right 85% of the time. I (Suzanne) grew up in a family that wasn't particulary musical. I'd say they were more music "consumers." We always had music on at home and I was introduced to many different generes growing up. I played the French Horn and Tuba in band and orchestra in High School . (I was also the Drum Major, really cool, I know)

I started singing in High School and performed in 7 musicals and 3 different choirs. The muscials were at the High School and the Community College. I was in the chorus/smaller roles my freshman and sophomore years, and got the bigger roles when I was older. I think my favorite role was playing the lead in "The Music Man," at the Community College. When I got to college I preformed in many musicals and operas. I'd have to say that my favorite role of those was playing the Lead in Carmen at BYU. There is nothing like singing over a full orchestra. I also got to sing in almost all of the choirs at BYU and particularly loved my time in BYU Singers. I was teaching voice lessons out of my home, but have stopped while my kids are young.

I have taken a real interest in Photography in the last 5 years and am slowly teaching myself all the techniques. I have taken Bridal portraits and lots of engagement shots, etc. for other people. I mostly just take photos of my family though, they're the best inspiration!

Bryan loves sports and Daniel is following in his footsteps. He has certain favorite teams that he is undyingly loyal to and has fun cheering them on and keeping up with their stats. He likes to play basketball with friends from church and when he has time, loves to run.

Bryan's Family
I am from a family of 6 kids, 3 girls and 3 boys, of which I'm the oldest. I grew up in both Utah and Pennsylvania.

As a family we spend a lot of time just hanging out and playing games together. We all love music and are constantly called on to perform as a family for various church functions. We get together a lot with our extended families and keep in close contact with them all.

Bryan's Family July of 2007

The Siblings:

Bryan is the oldest, so this is where we fit in...
Christmas 2006
His next oldest sister is married with one child (and one on the way) She has graduated from college with a Bachelors in English and is always our proofreader. :) She is a very talented Musician as she both sings beautifully (collegiate level) and plays the piano. Of course she is also a talented writer and has had one of her stories published in a magazine. Her husband is pursuing a degree in Construction Management and is incredible at sports. (One of those people who can just pick anything up and be great at it) They love to work on projects as a family like planting and maintaining a garden or fixing up their home. Their little boy and Daniel love to play together and have learned how to share their cars with one another.


His next oldest brother is also married and has two little girls. He is working on his Bachelors at the moment and is also serving in the National Guard. He is very talented at Track and Field (competing at the collegiate level) and with the guitar. His wife graduated from college with a degree in MFHD Finance. She is incredibly organized, is a great cook and sings beautifully. Their two little girls are angels who bring new meaning to the word sweet.
His next oldest brother (sorry bud, this was the best picture I had on hand of you!) Is working and pursuing his Bachelors at the moment. He is very talented musically. He plays drums for a band, has picked up the Ukele and sings beautifully. He served as Student Body President his Senior year in High School. He is in demand with the ladies and dates up a storm. His next sister has just started college and is in the phase of trying to decide what to do with her life. She's an excellent student and an accomplished runner. She is also musically talented as she plays the piano and has a beautiful singing voice. She was in Dance Company and did a bit of cheerleading. She really has a talent for little children and works with them a lot.
This is her and our Dad.
His youngest sister is still in High School. She is an avid reader and I'm sure she has the Harry Potter series memorized by now. She plays the piano very well and sings beautifully too. She plays soccer and has taken dance classes too. She is also wonderful with children.

Bryan's Parents

My parents are very supportive of our plan to adopt and can't wait to have another grandchild to spoil and cuddle. They are very active with their grandchildren, taking them sledding, swimming, on walks, playing ball, you name it. Grandma loves to sit down and watch cartoons with them and Grandpa is a pro at getting them to eat their fruits and veggies. Mom (Grandma) is just finishing up her dissertation to receive her PhD in Psychological Theory, has her Masters in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and received her Bachelor's in Music Composition. (She plays both the piano and organ beautifully) She is a movie buff and loves to read. She also does a mean cross word and Sudoku puzzle. There is no contest when we all play speed scrabble together... she always wins. Dad (Grandpa) has his M.B.A and had his own business for years. He finally gave that up for a less demanding career and has much more time with the family. He is now in Commercial Real Estate. He loves to read Historical Biographies and church history books. He loves sports and works out every day. He is constantly working on the house, remodeling here, fixing it up there, and it shows, they have a beautiful and very comfortable home. On weekends you can often find all the kids and grandkids hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa's house. (During the summer we practically live in their pool.) We are a close knit family and love to be together.

Christmas 2006 with 3 of their (now) 5 Grandchildren.

Suzanne's Family

Suzanne's Immediate Family I grew up in a large family of 8 children. My childhood was filled with fun and plenty to keep me busy. I have 4 sisters and 3 brothers. I was raised in Washington State and really love how green it is there. I was raised in the church by parents who have strong testimonies in the gospel and have fabulous examples of righteous living in my older siblings. We have a huge family now with lots and lots of nieces and nephews. We get together as often as we can and love every minute of it. In my family there are my parents, 12 aunts and uncles and 16 cousins. (so far!)There are a few more on the way in the near future. I was very close to my cousins growing up and would love for our next child to be close in age to their cousins!

My family spent lots of time together as I was growing up. (I guess it's kind of hard not to when there were so many of us in one house!:) Family Home evening gave me some of my favorite childhood memories; from sock matching parties (and then sock wars) to going to our favorite park for picnics and playing in the stream with my siblings and cousins. We played Nertz a LOT and are all now pros at it. Our vacations were mostly spent visiting our cousins and other family, but we always made sure to do something "fun" while we were gone too. (Amusement parks, etc.) My siblings are some of my best friends and not a week goes by when I haven't talked to many of them. (and some of them multiple times... we girls like to talk!) I think it's very important to foster sibling relationships as they last a lifetime. We plan on providing our children with a wonderful support group of siblings and extended family so that they always have somewhere to turn, whether it be for a shoulder to cry on or just to have fun.

A little more about my siblings:

My oldest brother is a Computer Programmer and has 4 children. He and his wife have been married for 15 years and are still going strong. They love to play together as a family and love going to Disneyland so much that they try to do it every year.

My second oldest brother got his MBA and works in the business realm of things. (for a very well know company) He is fluent in Spanish and very talented at wood working. He and his wife have been married for 16 years and have 5 children with another on the way. His wife is amazing at finding deals on everything and is an INCREDIBLE cook. (lots from scratch!)

My oldest sister got married this last year and we just love her husband. She is a school teacher and he is an entrepreneur. They love to travel and workout together. They work very hard and have been renovating their home for the last little while. They also both have impeccable taste.

My second oldest sister is probably the one who looks the most like me. She and her husband have been married for 14 years and have two kids. Her husband is a Clinical Psychologist and she has a degree in nutrition, but she is a stay at home mother. She loves to read and study. She really should have been a doctor; her knowledge on the human body is amazing! They are also in the process of adopting. (You can reach their site and profile through the link on the right of this page.)

The middle sister is just 3 years older than me so we've been through a lot together. She and her husband have been married for 11 years and they have three children. He is a plumber and she has a degree in office management and is a stay at home mother. She is a talented scrapbooker and always has a ton of friends around. They especially enjoy attending sporting events as a family.

This is where I fit in!

My younger sister has a degree in sports medicine and is a legal assistant at the moment. She loves to socialize and go out with friends. My younger brother is in granite fabrication/installment. He is very focused on his work and exercise, but he loves to read and play with his dog. :)

My father has his degree in Business Management and he worked in healthcare for a long time, then had a career change and worked in computers. He is retired and is very talented with wood work and gardening. He has a great sense of humor and is a tease. The grandkids love to be tickled by him. (seriously, he has a talent for it!) He does family history every second he can. My mother was a school teacher before she had children and then substituted after we were all in school. Both my parents love to read and my mother also stays busy (besides with her children!) with her friends, cooking, working out and doing family history. They are serving a Family History mission in New Zealand for the next little while.

Daniel was the second wonderful blessing in our family. (The first being our marriage!) He is the life of the house and is everything a little boy should be. Curious, boisterous, happy and sweet. He was born in 2004 after a very difficult pregnancy. He is very free with his affection and friendship and all my friends tell me they love to let our kids play because he is so nice to them. He is very concerned with others and loves to interact. He especially loves babies and is gentle and kind with them. He has a real love for music, often suprising us with songs he's memorized that we didn't even know he'd heard. He also loves to play ball with his Daddy, throwing and kicking it. I know that he will be one amazing big brother who will love and help protect his younger siblings.

Here he is with his two great grandfathers when he was a week old.

(at his Uncle's wedding)

With Mom at 2-3 weeks old.

"Watching" ESPN with Daddy

Just after a bath.

How We Met:

I actually knew Bryan's younger sister a long time before I met Bryan. She and I were both singing in the Music Program at college and had become friends. Bryan and I were in the same program which only had about 40 people and we had been in the same opera, but were in different casts. (we alternated nights) So we never met. That summer I was going to an Opera workshop in Boston, but had to change to the workshop in Washington DC at the last minute so that I could attend my Grandmother's 100th birthday. The Lord must have had a plan, because Bryan was there and we spent two weeks getting to know each other. We went all over DC together and ended up at the National Gallery of Art where we spent hours, just the two of us, looking at all sorts of incredible art. His favorite artist was Van Gogh and they had a few of his works there. We spent forever sitting on a bench infront of his "Roses" piece.

I really enjoyed hearing everything he knew about art and Italian history. We started dating when we returned home and were engaged 3 months later. I always swore that I'd date a guy for at least a year before I got married, but when you know it's right, you know it's right.

Our Wedding 2003Some of Bryan's Siblings (two of them were on missions) Suzanne's SistersSome of Suzanne's best friends...

This is just one of our old Christmas Letters from Dec. 2006

(I edited out identifying information...)