We are a hardworking couple—Justin is a mechanical engineer and Barbie is a project manager—who prioritize family time and community involvement. Our lifestyle is active, fun, and rooted in a belief in giving back.

Beyond our careers, we dedicate time to supporting causes we care about. Barbie serves as a volunteer lead at her company, organizing team initiatives. We are passionate about animal welfare and frequently foster animals from our local shelter. Additionally, we run our own non-profit dedicated to supporting families who experience tragedies. Justin continues a long family tradition by volunteering as a camp counselor for a week each summer.

Our weekends are spent enjoying our son's activities, swimming, exploring new trails, or relaxing in the backyard with our dogs. We love attending sporting events, food festivals, and hosting game nights. We also enjoy weekend getaways and our annual extended family vacation, where we look forward to campfires, barbecues, watching our children play, and creating joyful family memories. We also love gathering with friends to cheer on our alma mater, West Virginia University.

We are college sweethearts, together for twelve years and married for seven. We truly balance each other out: Justin's extroverted nature pulls Barbie out of her shell, and Barbie’s patience helps Justin see the big picture. Our family includes our son, whom we adopted four years ago, and our loving "zoo" of pets: two lab mix dogs and three cats, all rescues, and often a foster dog in the mix!

Our families and friends are incredibly supportive. Barbie’s family (mom, sister, niece, and nephew) live in our hometown in West Virginia, while Justin’s family (mom, dad, and sister) are in Pittsburgh, PA. Despite the distance, we make time for each other, and our son considers his cousins his best friends. We have built a wonderful circle of friends here in Georgia and coordinate trips with our college friends across the country so all our kids can grow up together. We visit Justin’s hometown each spring for a scholarship fundraiser—a special weekend we love. For holidays, we split Thanksgiving between both families and enjoy a quiet Christmas in Georgia, featuring Justin's Christmas Eve seafood dinner.

We live in a 4-bedroom, two-story family home in a vibrant, engaging neighborhood. The house offers plenty of space for play with a dedicated playroom and a secure, fenced backyard—perfect for enjoying the screened-in porch, time by the fire pit, and our son’s favorite - the trampoline.

Our family is highly involved in the community, and we are members of a private park and swim club nearby. We spend our summers at the community pool, actively participating in neighborhood events, and enjoying the small lake and fishing dock. It is an environment built on safety, friendship, and childhood fun.

Adoption is a cornerstone of our family; it was a choice driven by the belief that every child deserves a loving, safe home, and that family is not made by blood. Our son, whom we adopted at birth, has been the biggest blessing in our lives.

We share an open adoption with his birth mother and work hard to ensure the lines of communication remain open and consistent. We have immense love and respect for the courageous choice she made. We will carry this same love, respect, and commitment to transparency with our future child’s family as well. Adoption has profoundly impacted our lives, showing us that love truly creates a family.