Who We Are

Hello, nice to meet you - we’re Ryan and Tammie. We’re a North Carolina couple who desires to grow our family with a child through adoption.

We met in college, and while we both had zero fashion sense at the time, genuinely clicked and became fast friends, bonding over our mutual interest in art and design, and ultimately our shared love for Christ. Throughout the years we became closer and closer until God opened our eyes and we realized that the Lord had more than friendship in store for us.

We enjoy movie nights, spending time with our extended family and friends, playing games, and a little bit of shopping (our fashion sense has had a bit of a glow-up from tie-dye t-shirts and anime polyester button-ups). We have cultivated a safe culture founded on openness and honesty that we would love to share with our little one(s).

Ryan and Tammie smiling and sitting together on a sofa, dressed in casual attire, with blue cushions in the background.

How We First Met

We first met at a cookout at our college campus. Ryan wore a nerdy anime shirt, shorts, and socks pulled up way too high. Tammie wore a long, denim skirt and tie-dye t-shirt. Needless to say, our fashion sense was not the thing that caught the other’s eye...but we were fast friends and over the years became so much more. 🤍

Ryan and Tammie smile in their wedding attire, Tammie holding her flower bouquet.

Why We’re Adopting

From the beginning of our marriage, adoption has always been on our hearts. The Bible says that we’ve been given the “Spirit of Adoption” when we joined God’s family through Jesus. We’ve always wanted adoption to be a part of our story and we’ve decided now is the right time!

Outline of North Carolina with a heart

Where we live

We live in central North Carolina (best BBQ)

Illustration of an open book with a cross above it

Our beliefs

We are Christians who worship Jesus as the center of our lives

Outline drawing of a baby hand holding an adult finger on a black background.

Other kids?

We currently have no other children (yet!)

Ryan is a design manager for apps while Tammie works on websites

White sketch of a light bulb with rays on a black background.

What we do

We have been married for over a decade (and have known each even longer!)

Illustration of two interlocking wedding rings on a black background.

Our marriage

Tammie wears a pink shirt smiling, in front of a floral background

Tammie

Tammie's superpower is finding ways to make people feel loved and special. By combining her creativity, pride in detail and care, and passion for hospitality she crafts experiences for people that are second-to-none. This passion translates to her full-time job as a User Experience Designer, working on websites and digital experiences that impact millions of customers.

Tammie smiles in a restaurant holding utensils, ready to eat a Caesar salad on a plate.

Enjoying a caesar salad, one of her favorite foods.

Group of four smiling women at an outdoor event, seated in a stadium or arena setting. The women are diverse, wearing casual attire, with the crowd visible in the background.

Girls night out to enjoy some live music locally.

Tammie setting a dining table with elegant place settings, white linens, and decorative lantern centerpieces in a warmly lit dining room.

Doing one of the things she does best (decor and design).

Tammie’s Hobbies + Interests

Tammie spends her time on interior decor and design projects. She loves exploring new cultures by trying foreign foods, movies/shows, and languages. And while she is an incredibly deep-thinker who enjoys journaling, she also loves to laugh, a sound that can be heard throughout the house as she talks on the phone with family, rewatches an episode of her favorite sitcom, or the occasional reality TV show.

Illustration of books and vase with flowers on a shelf
Sketch of a woman in a short dress and heels, standing in a circle

Decorating

Fashion

Illustration of an old-fashioned film camera on a tripod
Minimalist line art of a person in a stretching pose, mainly using curved lines, inside a circular frame.

Movies

Gymnastics

Illustration of a sneaker with laces and a circular patch, resembling a high-top canvas shoe, inside a circular frame.
Paint palette and brush icon

Walking

Painting

Ryan smiles in a blue shirt with folded hands, with a white circular background featuring doodle stars and lightning bolt.

Ryan

Ryan is intensely curious. Whether it is exploring science/nature,
history or other cultures, he is always learning something new, often being quick to share whatever random thing he's learned that week as a fun conversation starter. He is a people person who thrives on connection, making sure people feel seen and understood. He brings those skills to work as a Product Design Director where he manages a team of designers at a top digital product agency.

Ryan smiling while preparing chicken in a kitchen

Prepping some BBQ chicken for the grill/smoker.

Three people swimming and playing in a pool, two children and one adult.

Teaching niece and nephews to swim in community pool.

Ryan interacting with an exhibit at a museum

Learning about clouds at the science museum in DC.

Ryan’s Hobbies + Interests

He is also a self-described nerd who can effortlessly go from gaming and marvel comics, to 90s hip-hop or politics. Ryan also loves to cook and can often be found trying a new recipe or throwing something else on the grill/smoker. The problem is that he often makes too much of whatever it is, which means that we have to find people to share it with (which we love to do!).

black and white illustration of a video game controller
Illustration of a charcoal grill with smoke rising

Gaming

Cooking

Sketch of a superhero figure with a flowing cape, standing confidently.
Sketch of an American football helmet in a circle

Comics

Football

Illustration of a swimmer doing the butterfly stroke
Illustration of a pencil inside a circle

Swimming

Drawing

Our Family Trees

Meet the family that will be the support system your baby (and the new parents!)

Tree with leaves falling

Tammie’s Branch

Tammie’s family tree is enormous - her grandma had 10 children! Much of her family is nearby, and despite it’s size, there is plenty of love to go around!

Three people posing indoors with smiling faces, standing close together. The woman on the left is wearing a floral dress, the woman in the middle is wearing a green top, and the man on the right is wearing a light hat and shirt. They are standing in front of a window with decorative panes.

Tammie with her mom & dad. She is the baby of her family.

Group of four boys and a woman in a car, smiling and making peace signs, bright day visible through the windows.

Auntie Tam (Tammie) on a trip with her niece and nephews.

A large group of people gathered outdoors in front of a building with brick walls and trees. They are posing for a photo on a sunny day, with a mix of men, women, and children. Some are wearing casual summer clothes, and there is a variety of expressions and poses.

The annual family reunion gets bigger and better each year.

Ryan’s Branch

Both of Ryan’s parents are childcare/education professionals. His family is close-knit and nearby, providing a great support system for our new baby (and the new parents!).

A group of five adults and one child posing together in a casual setting. The child is seated in a stroller and is wearing a red outfit. The adults are standing around the stroller, smiling at the camera. Some are wearing sunglasses. The background features a stone wall and some plants.

Ryan pictured with Mom, Dad, Sis and Niece on a trip to DC.

Ryan and his niece drawing on a large sheet of paper on the floor. The child is wearing a navy dress with white polka dots and ponytails. Ryan is holding a pen and both are focused on their drawing. They are indoors, with a couch in the background.

Uncle Bear (Ryan) is drawing with his niece, little Zoë.

A family group portrait with multiple people wearing white shirts, posing indoors. Some are sitting on a couch while others stand behind them. There's a television mounted on the wall in the background.

Family beach trips are always incredibly memorable.

Living life to the fullest

We believe life is about the relationships you build, the experiences you have, and the purpose you pursue. We strive to make the most of our time here on this planet focusing on those things and we are excited to share this with our future baby!

Looking to find loving, Christ-devoted, and family-oriented adoptive parents? Consider us!

Ryan and Tammie smiling and holding a caricature drawing of themselves
Tammie wearing neon glasses and a black shirt, seated indoors, playfully posing for the camera.
Ryan pointing to a Triceratops skeleton in a museum exhibit.
Tammie playing golf at an indoor driving range, holding a club, with targets on the field in the background.
Tammie and Ryan smiling outside the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.
Tammie enjoying pink ice cream outdoors at a park, wearing sunglasses and casual attire, with trees and a blue tent in the background.