Program Coordinator, Leadership Development / Music Therapist, Children’s Hospital
Iowa
Hi! We are Adam and David, and we are honored to be here and excited by the possibility of growing our family through adoption.
We met in New York City in September 2013, singing in the young adult choir at our church. David had just moved to NYC from Iowa, looking to explore his passion for songwriting and hoping to find that special person to spend the rest of his life with. Adam had been living in NYC since 2003, when he moved from a small town in Pennsylvania to pursue a graduate degree in music therapy. We were both inspired by the church’s vibrant LGBTQ+ ministry and our ability to stay engaged in the faith that has been central to both of us.
We went on our first date in January of 2014 and it quickly became clear we had found our person. Six months later, we got engaged and were married in September of 2014. Adopting children was part of our plan from the beginning of our relationship, and we came to the difficult realization that we would never be able to afford building the family we felt called to in NYC.
So, in June of 2016, we moved to Nashville, TN, where David continued to write music and worked in customer service for a startup. Adam joined the faculty of an undergraduate music therapy program, teaching classes and supervising students in their clinical training rotations. We bought a cute little house in a cute little neighborhood and looked forward to putting down roots and building the life we had always hoped for. But the COVID-19 pandemic threw some curveballs in the plan, and we found ourselves considering a move back to Iowa where David had spent 10 years before the move to NYC.
Sure enough, we made the move to Iowa in April/May of 2022 and it was one of the best decisions of our lives. We have a lovely home with a fenced-in yard for our 3 dogs and our future children. We have a close-knit group of “chosen family” who will be an amazing source of support as we progress through our adoption journey. David is a program coordinator for executive education, and Adam is a music therapist at the children's hosptial, both at the University of Iowa. We have close friends throughout Iowa and enjoy visiting them as often as we can. One of our favorite visits is spending a week with our best friends on their houseboat traveling up and down the Mississippi River. They have 4 children and we look forward to sharing our family with them as they have theirs with us!
Music is very important to both of us. When not working or spending time with friends, David can often be found at the piano, working on his own songwriting or playing something from his many stacks of songbooks. Adam gets his fill of music-playing at work, but will also pull out his guitar from time to time to entertain guests or to practice new music to use with his patients.
Adam is a handyman (not by trade), and enjoys taking on little projects around the house. He is the guts of the operation, while David is more of the decorator and cook, bringing warmth into the home. He also loves to bake, a tradition he can't wait to share with a child.
David is originally from Lincoln, NE and we travel there at least once a year to visit his mother and older sister. Adam is the 3rd of 9 siblings, originally from Hanover, PA. His parents and younger siblings moved to Danville, KY while he was in college. Over the years, his siblings have spread out across the country, but remain close and connected, and try to gather together at their parents’ house in KY as often as possible.
We understand the importance of family. We look forward to providing a safe, supportive, stable environment in which a child can thrive and grow to be the best version of themselves.
We appreciate you taking the time to explore our profile and hope we get the opportunity to know you better!
Before we got married, we were on the same page that starting a family through adoption would be part of our lifeplan. Being a gay couple, we were starting from a place of exploring nontraditional options, and while we understand the draw for many people building families, we’ve never felt that blood relation was important in accepting and loving a child as our own. On our family journey, adoption is and always has been our only choice.
We live in a lovely 4 bedroom home with a fenced in backyard for our 3 sweet dogs and our future children to play. We have plenty of room to welcome a child and are so excited to watch them grow into the space.
We live on a lovely street with lots of kids of a variety of ages and backgrounds. We’ve become very close with our next door neighbors since moving here in 2022. They are so warm and excited about our adoption plan. They have 3 children ranging from 4 - 16 years old.
Our original reason for moving to Iowa City from Nashville, Tennessee was to be closer to many of our dearest friends from David’s time living in Iowa previously (2003-2013). Our chosen family includes two couples who both live within 10 minutes. The first couple had their first child in April of 2023, and plan to try for a second starting this winter. The second couple plan to start trying for their first anytime. Outside of our immediate area, we also have dear friends that we regularly spend time with in Des Moines and northeast Iowa.
David’s mom and older sister live in Nebraska, and his father passed away in 2019. Adam’s mom and dad live in Kentucky and is the 3rd oldest of 9 kids. His siblings are spread out between California, Colorado, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. While we do have a few family members who are challenged (for religious reasons) by same-sex relationships and same-sex parenting, the majority are incredibly supportive and excited to support us and our future children.
David, about Adam: When Adam commits to something he does so all the way. Despite being an introvert, he has a commanding presence and a big personality which draws people to him. His laugh is contagious (and loud), and he gives the best hugs. The thing that lights him up more than anything is spending time with children. Whether from being an older brother to 6 of his 8 siblings or working with children through music therapy for the majority of his adult life, Adam is so natural and authentic with children. In their presence he becomes increasingly authentic, empathetic, and energetic. I can’t wait to watch him grow into his role as a dad.
Adam, about David: David is a creative and empathetic extrovert who brings energy and fun to whatever group of people he finds himself a part of. He has a song ready to sing for almost every situation and is always willing to talk through an issue to come to a resolution. He’s a rule follower and a people pleaser (in a good way, not bad) who tries to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
An open adoption plan presents so many benefits for all involved. The transparency allows the child to know who and where they come from, avoiding the question marks that could otherwise pose significant challenges to the development of the child’s self-identity. The connection between you, the adoptive family you choose, and the child can offer extra layers of support for everyone. We believe an open adoption plan can be a beautiful thing!