Meet Our Family
Stephanie (Steph)
Stephanie, or “Steph,” is a gardening enthusiast, music lover, baker, therapist, and—most importantly—a mom. A true Southern belle, Steph grew up in a big, loving family with her parents, Rich and Jennifer. Both of her parents were adopted, so from an early age she understood that family isn’t defined solely by blood, but by the people who love, support, and show up for one another. This also gave Steph a deep desire to adopt and/or foster from a young age. Steph is the oldest daughter and second oldest of six children, and she learned from an early age that caring for others was simply part of who she was.
Growing up, Steph loved to sing, write silly song parodies, and spend time with the people she loved. She always knew that being a mom was one of the things she was meant to do. In 2013, she welcomed Lilly into the world and immediately fell in love with being a mother.
Steph has also faced her share of challenges. After struggling with endometriosis from a young age, she eventually received a diagnosis later in life. The condition brought many challenges, including a difficult journey with infertility. Through it all, Steph continued to pursue the things she loved. She studied vocal performance at Southern Utah University, later earned a degree in Hospital Administration from UCF, and eventually received her master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Louisville, where she interned with Kentucky’s Child Protective Services.
Today, Steph is a gifted therapist and the owner of her private practice, Thrive and Bloom, where she specializes in helping young adults and children struggling with OCD. When she’s not working, you’ll usually find her tending to her beloved “Georgia Garden,” working on her never-ending quest to make our home her dream home, cooking or baking something delicious, or simply enjoying time with her family.
More than anything, Steph loves being a mom. She has a nurturing heart, a calm presence, and an incredible ability to make people feel safe, heard, and loved. Those qualities are at the heart of who she is—and the heart of our home.
Ian
Ian grew up just outside Seattle, Washington, with his parents, Kevin and Inge, and his four brothers—Michael, Sean, Steven, and Jeremy, his four best friends. As you can imagine, a house with five boys was rarely quiet, but it was always filled with laughter, music, and a whole lot of love. That love of family, along with a love of music, has stayed with Ian throughout his life.
At 10 years old, Ian started tagging along with his dad to rehearsals of their local barbershop chorus, and what began as a childhood tradition eventually became a lifelong passion. At 21, he began his professional singing career aboard Celebrity Cruises before returning home to pursue musical theatre and vocal jazz. In 2014, Ian put his music career on hold for two years to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Hispanic communities of inner-city Philadelphia. He learned to speak fluent Spanish during that time, but more importantly, he came home with an even deeper love for people, service, faith, and community.
His career eventually led him to the U.S. Army Chorus and the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” Today, Ian serves as an associate enlisted conductor and regularly performs as a soloist at the White House and for leaders from around the world. While he is incredibly grateful for the experiences his career has given him, his favorite role by far is being a dad.
Ian is kind, loving, goofy, and unapologetically the crier in the family. He feels things deeply and loves fiercely. He’s the dad who tears up at a school concert, a sweet note, a family milestone, or basically anything involving his girls. He loves playing, laughing, building things, going on adventures, and being there for the everyday moments that make up childhood. More than anything, he wants his kids to know that they can always come to him, that they are safe with him, and that there is nothing they could ever do to make him stop loving them. He has so much love to give and has always considered adoption to be a way to share that love more fully.
Ian loves his Seattle sports (Go Hawks!), his faith, home improvement projects, music, and spending time with his family. He is incredibly proud of Lilly and Rosie and carries Georgia in his heart every day. Being their dad has been the greatest privilege of his life, and he hopes to bring that same steady, silly, wholehearted love to whatever the next chapter of our family looks like.
Lillian (Lilly)
Lillian, or Lilly for short, was born in southern Utah but spent her early years in Florida—and she still considers herself a Floridian at heart! Lilly is equal parts funny and caring. She loves her family deeply and will go out of her way to make sure the people she loves are taken care of.
Lilly has a true passion for all living things. She hopes to become a zoologist when she grows up and seems to know something about just about every animal. Seriously, ask her a question! She loves caring for our animals—Willow the dog, Pearl and Poppy the cats, Fern and Athena the leopard geckos, and Hammy, Rosie’s bearded dragon.
One of the things we love most about Lilly is the way she notices people. She makes friends easily and naturally looks for ways to include others, especially those who might feel left out. She has a big heart and a wonderful ability to make people feel like they belong.
Lilly loves all things Pokémon and Zelda, family cruises, and having family visit from out of town. Most of all, she loves being a big sister to Rosie. She is patient, protective, and always there when Rosie needs her “bigsis.” We know that same loving heart would make her incredibly special in the life of another child.
Rosalie (Rosie)
Rosalie, or “Rosie” as we call her, was born in the land of the potato—Boise, Idaho! She is a deeply empathetic girl who is always looking for ways to care for the people around her. If someone is sick or hurting, she immediately jumps into “Nurse Rosie” mode, ready to get them whatever they need—with plenty of hugs included.
Rosie is heading into third grade, where she especially loves writing and science. Her love of school makes her want to be a teacher when she grows up.
She has a wonderful creative side and a passion for all things arts and crafts. She has a natural talent for drawing and loves singing and musical theatre.
Rosie is also fiercely loyal to the people she loves, especially her family. She loves visiting her cousins in Seattle, riding bikes with her sister, and helping take care of the many pets that have found their way into our family. She has a big heart, a creative spirit, and a wonderful way of making the people around her feel cared for.