Rick and Nicole

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From Us to You

Family means everything to us and our greatest hope is to grow our family through adoption. We hope you can see through our profile that our home is a place of warmth and joy where we truly enjoy our time spent together. Growing our family has been a dream of ours for many years. Adoption holds a deep and personal significance for us, especially because Rick has two adopted siblings. Please know that we hold a deep respect for you and the path you are on. We are committed to providing a nurturing, stable environment for your child, where they will be encouraged to grow, learn and pursue their dreams. Thank you for taking the time to learn about us and consider our family.

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Why We are Choosing to Adopt

Growing our family has been a dream of ours for many years, but it hasn’t come as easily as we had hoped. While our path has had its challenges, it has strengthened our bond and made us even more excited to welcome a child into our lives. Adoption holds a special place in our family, as our future child will join a family where adoption is already a part of our story. They will grow up with an aunt and uncle who were adopted, as well as two cousins who share that bond.

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Lifestyle

We have a wonderful life together! We met at our family’s ski resort where we were both attending an Outdoor Emergency course in hopes of joining the National Ski Patrol. When our eyes met for the first time, we both felt an instant bond, a sort of buzzing, magnetic energy we had previously believed was merely the sort of fantasy reserved for “love at first sight” moments on the silver screen. We have been together for 13 years and married for 9. Our journey has been quite a ride. We have learned that we can count on each other no matter what life presents. Having been together for so long means we know how to comfort each other, how to make each other laugh and how to solve problems together. Although we always crave the next big adventure, we find joy in the simple things – quiet evenings at home, family game nights, snow days filled with sledding and playing basketball in the driveway. It is these moments that make our life truly special.

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About Nicole by Rick

Nicole is the greatest partner I could imagine. She is a wonderful mother to our daughter Zoe and exemplifies beauty and empathy in everything she does. Nicole has dedicated her life to helping others. Whether it is traveling to Haiti to help earthquake victims or her career in occupational therapy helping children with severe mental and physical disabilities in their quest for some level of independence, Nicole is truly doing God’s work. Nicole has the patience and optimism of a Saint and often times provides the much–needed balance and “big picture” reality check for both me and our daughter. Nicole was and continues to be the rock, the consistent motivating force that I fall back on from time to time. Nicole provides the same loving support to our daughter Zoe, encouraging her to chase her dreams, allowing her to fail and helping her get back up into the fight, stronger each time. If every man had a wife like Nicole and every child had her as a mother, this world would be a much better place.

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About Rick by Nicole

Rick is not only my husband but also my best friend. He is kind, supportive, and always there when it matters. One of the things I admire most is how he shows up for Zoe—his patience, encouragement, and commitment as a father are undeniable. Watching their bond grow reinforces my appreciation for him, and I have no doubt he’ll bring the same dedication to our future child. I value Rick’s calm, quiet strength when navigating life’s challenges and so do many of our friends and family. Rick is the guy people call when they need a hand, and he never turns down a chance to help. His creativity and passion for art is evident through the work he produces, from beautiful photographs to amazing stunts in our favorite TV shows. He has even inspired me to explore poetry, theater and even learning how to play the piano! When spending time with Rick, there is never a shortage of fun–or dad jokes. With Rick, our children will always know how deeply they are loved. The world needs more men like him.

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Our Home

We live on a large, wooded lot in a safe small town. What makes our living situation even more fun is that Rick’s parents and his sister’s family each have homes connected to our property, giving us a combined 40 acres to enjoy. Our shared land includes a pool, a fishing pond, an awesome playset and hiking trails that connect the 3 homes. It’s a big fun family compound where we all look out for each other. Our home is a 2500 square foot log and timber frame house with 4 bedrooms – Rick and his dad built it! We also have a dedicated playroom which is filled with games, toys and art supplies. Our yard is perfect for playdates with friends and neighbors!

Although we love the peace and quiet of living in the country, we also love the culture, diversity and great food that only a city can provide. We are less than 40 minutes from Philadelphia and under 2 hours to Manhattan. We enjoy going into the city for live shows, concerts, sporting events and trips to the museum. This country to city balance makes for a very complete life for our family.

In the summer months, we love to spend time at our beach house which is a short drive from our home. We enjoy riding bikes on the boardwalk, playing in the sand and surf and challenging our family to beach games.  Evenings are filled with family dinners on the deck overlooking the ocean followed by adventures on the boardwalk. Our favorite family rides are the pirate ship and log flume! And of course, ice cream!

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Our Daughter Zoe

Zoe is our 14-year-old daughter who could not be more excited to become a big sister. She is in her first year of high school and is a member of the photography club and plays on the basketball team. When we shared our hope to adopt, she created a “Childhood Bucket List” for her future sibling. Highlights on her list include visits to the castle park, themed family dinners and of course a trip to Disney! In the years ahead she is looking forward to helping them with their homework, Starbucks runs together and cheering them on in whatever activities they choose- though she secretly hopes basketball is one of them.

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Our Family

We are fortunate – we both come from stable and loving families who have supported us throughout our lives. Both sets of grandparents are active and live close by. They could not be more excited to welcome our future child into the family. They will be loved by 4 aunts, 4 uncles and 13 cousins as well as many other extended family members that are a large part of our lives.

In our family, there is always something to celebrate, whether it’s a birthday, holiday or just surviving the week. We love any excuse to get together. Our favorite times include game nights, family vacations and of course cheering the kids on at their favorite activities. No matter what, there is always laughter, plenty of food and a whole lot of love (and sometimes matching shirts!) 

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Racial and Cultural Diversity

Diversity is a beautiful part of our family. Through adoption and marriage, both of our immediate families are made up of different cultures, ethnic backgrounds and family structures. We teach Zoe and plan to teach our future children to embrace everything that makes them unique and to feel proud of who they are. This includes providing them with opportunities to seek out and connect with their backgrounds, through traditions, community and meaningful experiences. We strive for them to always feel a strong sense of identify and belonging.

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Our Pets

Luna is our 6-year-old Golden Retriever. She is the sweetest soul. Her best days include many treats, sunbathing on the deck and playing tug. Ziggy is our 4-year-old golden doodle. His excitement and joy for his family is unmatched.  He loves playing in the yard, snuggling and his favorite time of day- story time before bed.  We have 2 senior cats who enjoy watching the action from the sidelines.

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Our Traditions

• We love family time! Family vacations are truly special times for us and we have had some epic ones. From road trips across the West and Bahamas cruises with Adventures by Disney, to skiing the Alps in Switzerland and Italy to sitting on stage at the Grande Ol Opry we do our best to make life long memories on our travels.
• In addition to one major vacation each year, we supplement with smaller trips to indoor water parks like Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge, concerts and baseball games and multiple trips to our beach house in Ocean City.
• During the winter we enjoy skiing and snowboarding at our family Ski Resort and Ice Rink.
• As a family we value physical fitness and we enjoy going to the gym together, playing basketball and even just hiking through the woods with our doggies!
• When it’s time to relax we enjoy watching movies and TV shows (especially the ones Rick is in!).

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In Closing

Over the years, we have built a life centered around family.  One of the things we value most is the ability to both be fully present as parents. We’ve made it a priority to create a life where we both can be hands on, ensuring we are the primary caregivers for our children. Our marriage is in its 10th year and we can honestly say we have never had a single fight. Neither of us has ever raised our voices towards the other. Honest and open communication is key to our success. This approach also applies to parenting and is how we will raise our future child. Being older and perhaps more experienced give us some advantages. We are not rookies and do not need to experiment to find the best path. We have made the mistakes, and we have learned from them. We know what works. We are not a newlywed young couple, our relationship and our conviction is a rock. We are in this for the long run and together with our extensive and passionate family support system we will provide the absolute best life for our new child.

We are grateful for the opportunity to introduce ourselves and share our hearts with you as you navigate this journey. Our greatest hope is to fill this child’s life with endless joy, unconditional love, and meaningful adventures, surrounded by a family who cherishes every moment together including a big sister who is so excited to welcome our future child with open arms and a heart full of love.  

If we are fortunate enough to be part of your story, please know that we will honor your child’s story, heritage, and the love you have shown in making this decision. You will always hold a special place in our hearts.

With gratitude and love, Rick and Nicole