Our Story
We met in 2016 when we both worked at the same community college. We learned that we are both pretty laid back people who enjoy board games, crafts, plants, and spending time with our families. We got married in 2021 and bought a house shortly thereafter. Our home was selected with kids in mind and we have been waiting to grow our family.
Why We're Adopting
We want to adopt to give a child a safe, loving, and supportive home. Candice has always wanted to adopt children, due to the comparatively worse maternal healthcare outcomes for black women. For Ryan, adoption is something he has always wanted to do.
About Candice
Candice is caring, compassionate, loyal, and loves to laugh. She enjoys various crafts such as knitting, crocheting, and sewing, and her latest obsession is making polymer clay jewelry. In 2021, she started her own side business and sells her items at local craft fairs. Candice also enjoys being outdoors in the summer and frequently spends time in the backyard. She loves animals and often times visits the local cat café to play with the rescues.
Candice is the assistant director of admissions at a community college, and has been there for the last 11 years. She has worked her entire career in higher education and finds it very rewarding to help both high school students as well as adults start or continue their college journey. Candice holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in higher education.
Candice grew up in a suburb of the Twin Cities with her mother and has two half brothers, three nieces and two nephews. Candice is close with her family and loves taking her nieces and nephews on fun adventures. She also enjoys spending time with her mom.
About Ryan
Ryan is patient, kind, funny, and smart. He enjoys Star Wars, board games, and his latest obsession is painting miniatures. He is also into sports such as hockey and football. Ryan never misses a St. Cloud State University hockey game or a Vikings football game. He also enjoys biking on local trails.
Ryan is the assistant director of a career center at a community college. He has worked his entire career in higher education. Before working in the career center, Ryan worked for 8 years in TRIO programs, which is a federally funded program that supports students who are low-income, first-generation students and/or have a disability. He has also spent time teaching college English. Ryan holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing and a master's degree in English.
Ryan grew up in central Minnesota with his parents, brother, and sister He has two nieces and four nephews. Ryan is close with his family and often spends time with his brother. He has been traveling back home frequently to help his father fix up his house and move into an assisted living facility.
Our Home and Neighborhood
We live in the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. We moved into our home in 2021. When looking for a house, it was important to us that the home have multiple bedrooms all on the same level, have a big backyard for children to play, and be in a diverse area. We live in a quiet neighborhood that is still close to Minneapolis and St. Paul and all they have to offer. There is a community park a couple of blocks from our house where many neighborhood children play. We are also close to many lakes and trails, museums, a community center, libraries, and other fun places to take children. There is a big garden in our backyard where every year we plant a variety of vegetables. We worked really hard to find a perfect home to start our family and hope we can welcome a child here soon.
