Meet the Families
OUR STORY
We met on a dating app in April of 2018. Our first date was at a nearby restaurant, and Katie refused to let Steffen pick her up because she “needed to make sure he was a safe human”. Our first date lasted well over 3 hours and we have been inseparable ever since. We truly are each other’s best friend, and love the simple things like taking walks around the neighborhood with our dog, and spending time with our close friends.
STEFFEN
Steffen works for the Department of Public Works, focusing in the water and sewer department. Steffen loves spending his free time out on the golf course with his buddies. He enjoys spending time outside walking our dog through the woods, and doing landscaping work. Katie describes Steffen as kind, compassionate, and hard working. He goes above and beyond for the people he cares about. He is funny and engaging, making friends wherever he goes. We often refer to him as the honorary Mayor of the town we live in. He is so great with children and she has absolutely no doubt he will be the best Dad.
KATIE
After completing a Masters program in special education and after working as a teacher for five years, Katie is now working her dream job as the head trainer at a local horse farm. She trains horses using customized methods suited to their unique and individualized needs. Katie loves musical theatre and seeing shows with her friends, as well as spending as much time as possible outdoors. In describing Katie, Steffen says that she will be the most amazing mother. She is one of the most caring and compassionate people he has ever met. She sees everyone as the best versions of themselves; she just draws that out of people. She makes the most of every moment. She genuinely wants the best for the people around her, and loves them for exactly who they are.
OUR LIFE TOGETHER
When we imagine our future as a family, we picture family dinners, singalongs to our favorite musicals in the kitchen, time spent outside together, gatherings with close family and friends, and trips around the northeast. Our goal is to raise a child with strong values—kindness, compassion, and a strong work ethic. We are fortunate to have flexible work schedules that will allow us to have quality family time. Katie hopes to have plenty of time with her future child by her side at the barn. Steffen looks forward to his early afternoon walks home from school with our child, and we both are excited to cheer on our child with whatever activities they choose to participate in.
OUR PUP
We adopted our dog, Buddy, in 2019. He’s an Irish Wolfhound–Labradoodle mix from Arkansas with a big heart and an even bigger personality. Buddy absolutely loves living by the water—swimming is one of his favorite pastimes, and we often joke that he must have been a fisherman in a past life, with his wiry coat and expressive bushy eyebrows. One of the sweetest things about Buddy is his nightly ritual of bringing a stuffed animal to bed, he always needs something to snuggle with! He’s gentle, affectionate, and especially attentive around children. If he hears a child crying, he becomes instantly alert and concerned. We know he’ll be a loving, protective, and watchful big brother.
Katie has always loved children and knew from an early age that she wanted to be a mother. When we discussed what our family would look like, Steffen often brought up the idea of adoption. The more we explored this option, the more it felt like the right choice for us to build our family. We perceive adoption as a purposeful decision we have made in our family-building journey. We believe that family is fundamentally about love and connection, and adoption will enable us to honor a child as an individual, and witness their growth and development into their own person.
RACE & CULTURE
Steffen is biracial, with a Black father and a white mother, and our support system reflects a beautiful mix of backgrounds, including Black, white, and biracial individuals. We deeply value the importance of racial and cultural identity and are committed to raising a child who feels proud of and connected to their heritage. We will make sure our child has meaningful ways to explore and celebrate their background, and we will always support them in understanding where they come from, who they are, and the richness of the culture they belong to. Helping a child embrace their identity is something we take seriously and are prepared to support with care and intentionality.
OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
We are incredibly fortunate to have a strong and loving support system surrounding us. Our families are deeply involved in our lives and are so excited to welcome a new child into the family. From grandparents eager to babysit, to siblings and close friends who are always just a phone call away, we are surrounded by people who will offer encouragement, love, and practical help every step of the way. Our community is one where children are cherished and supported, and we know this child will grow up with a wide circle of people cheering them on and loving them unconditionally.
OPENNESS
We believe that open adoption is an important part of a child’s story. For us, it means that our child will always know where they come from, feel a deep sense of connection, and grow up with a fuller understanding of their identity. We feel that your love and presence, in whatever way feels right to you, can be a source of strength and confidence in their life. We want to build a relationship based on mutual respect, openness, and trust—because we know that our shared love for this child is what truly makes us a family.
