Welcome!

Thank you for taking a minute to learn more about us. We were so grateful to adopt Emery and hope to see our family continue to grow. When we first started discussing adoption, it just felt right - it felt like our little miracle. There were several birthmothers who contacted us in the adoption process and it was amazing how fast we loved them. Whether or not our family was right for their baby, we wanted the best for them. When we met Emery's birthmother, everything fell into place. We could not understand what she was going through, but we knew that she made an incredibly difficult choice and one that required great sacrifice. We knew how much she loved her son and we were in awe of her selflessness. Emery is truly a gift and we love being a part of his life and watching him grow.

How We Met

For us, it all began in kindergarten. No, really! We grew up a few blocks from each other and attended the same elementary, junior high, and high school. Though we always knew of each other, we both have different memories of our first interaction.

Chase remembers a 4th grade glasses and braces covered Holly yelling at him, "Smart kids are people too" when he took over the basketball courts that Holly and her friends were so innocently playing on during recess. (Though Holly is sure this never happened, Chase probably deserved getting yelled at!) He steered clear of feisty intellectuals for a while after that.

Holly remembers sitting by a handsome hunk in 9th grade Geography class. The shy introvert couldn't believe that such a hottie was conversing with her on the first day of class. Holly fell further in "crush" over the next two years before tiring of him playing hard-to-get and finally asked him on their first date.

Though we were driven apart by a mission (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and college (Utah State), Holly never dated anyone that made her forget about Chase. When he returned, we found that we had grown and changed into different people than we were before. But we discovered that the new Chase and Holly were even more compatible than before. His friendly, hard-working, even tempered personality meshed perfectly with her stubborn goodness.

Eleven months later, the commitment shy heartthrob put a ring on his delighted, hopelessly romantic wife.

About Chase

Age: 28

Height: 5'10

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Brown

Education: BS Interdisciplinary Studies

Utah State University

Occupation: Dental Student

A.T. Still University

I have a background in construction work, and can basically fix anything in the house. (It's one of the things Holly tells me she finds very attractive about me!) I love getting out and being active. It does not matter what I'm doing, as long as I'm doing something. I'm not afraid of a little adventure and have always enjoyed the outdoors. A few of the things I like to do outside include hiking, biking, climbing, and anything to do with water. My idea of a great vacation is anywhere where there's a beach. I also enjoy participating in sports. I played just about every sport growing up, and still love them all. Currently, my favorites are golf and softball. My mind is always working! I love reading about and learning new things because I like to know why and how things work. For some weird reason I don't like eating breakfast, but I have to snack before I go to bed. No matter how late I get home, I have to pull out something and munch. I guess it is my way of unwinding for the evening.

My favorite thing about being a dad is playing with Emery. I love swinging, flipping, and tossing him around everywhere, taking him to Costco (I call Emery my shopping buddy), and taking him to the park. My favorite time of the day with Emery is when I get home from work. Emery is excited to see me and gets really hyper. It is fun to chase him around and making him scream and laugh.

About Holly

Age: 28

Height: 5'3

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Blonde-ish

Education: BS Music Therapy

Utah State University

Occupation: Mom

I love music and am happy just sitting at the piano and singing. I love cheesy romance movies - the cheesier the better. I love anything to do with holidays. I decorate our house for all the major holidays. On the actual holiday, I get happy and festive and have to do something to make the day special; like eating all green foods for St. Patrick's Day, getting heart shaped pizzas for Valentine's Day, or making red, white, and blue pancakes for the Fourth of July. I love eating healthy and exercising, but also love to bake. Cookies, brownies, cakes - you name it! I love going on walks and being outside of the house. I love cleaning and organizing things - mostly I love how the house looks when it's finished. I enjoy playing board games. I am completely addicted to countdowns. If I start watching or listening to countdowns or contests, I have to stay tuned until it is completed. I just have to know how things end! I also love impromptu dance parties and dance around the house a lot during the day.

My favorite thing about being a mom is watching Emery grow. It is amazing how one day he can suddenly do something new. Emery makes me laugh all the time and I love getting into laugh-fests with him. My favorite time of the day with him is first thing in the morning. I drag into his room with my eyes half closed, but a smiling, giggling face is looking back at me. I can't help but be happy when I see him (no matter how early it is sometimes!).

About Emery

Age: 4

Height: 

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Reddish-blondish-brownish

Education: Preschool

Occupation: Adding a little extra joy to the world

I absolutely love swimming. Last summer it was my very favorite thing to do. I love books and enjoy either reading with Mom or looking at them myself. I also love trucks and dogs and get excited whenever I see one. I laugh a lot and am very easy going. I love exploring and learning new things. I am very inquisitive and observant and I want to touch, hold, and play with everything I can get my hands on. I think Big People stuff is way cooler than toys so I enjoy playing with pots and pans, measuring cups, vacuum cleaners, mops, brooms - you get the idea. My parents say that I never learned to walk - I just started running - and I don't stop unless I'm sleeping. Besides ice cream, frozen GoGurts are the best dessert ever! I love soft things and will rub my face into blankets or stuffed animals. I will only fall asleep if I am on top of something comfy and cozy. I enjoy taking long walks in the stroller and being outdoors. When I leave the house, I love observing and listening to all the new sounds and sights. I notice every airplane that passes by and stop and point whenever they fly over my head. I like to play independently, and am very determined at trying new things.

Madeline