Mandi & Chuck In Missouri

How we got together is a bit of a funny story. We originally met online, but it must not have been the right time for us at that point in our lives. Fast forward 5 years and Chuck's profile keeps popping up on Facebook as someone Mandi may know. That is how we reconnected. We had been messaging for a week or so when Mandi's friend had an extra ticket to a comedy show. She invited Chuck to join that night and we've been together ever since. That was 6 years ago, and we have been married for 4 years.

We are both lucky to have close, supportive families, friends and co-workers. They are all excited for us and can't wait to celebrate a new little bundle of joy! We love going on road trips and if there's a zoo nearby, we make sure to get there. Speaking of animals, we have two dogs and a cat; Jazmine, Belushi and Loki. Having these fuzzy faces in our home mean everything to us. We know they are going to make great four-legged siblings.

At the beginning of our relationship, Chuck was unhappy with his job, so Mandi encouraged him to get his CDL. He is now an over-the-road truck driver and loves it! He enjoys driving and the opportunity to see different locations. We have already talked and once we become parents, he wants to find something that brings him home daily. Mandi has been working as a business administrator for an electrical testing company since 2012 and is now one of the key personnel to fill in when others are out or help with issues and new processes.

In 2020, we moved from a townhome to a single-family home in a great neighborhood that is five minutes from Mandi's office. We are slowly making this home our own by updating the flooring, painting, landscaping, etc. The current guest room will be our future nursery. We are torn between zoo animals or the Muppets for a theme. We have a fenced backyard with a peach tree. Hopefully, we can make baby food with the peaches! We have a place picked out for a future play area too.

The school district is one of the top ones in our area. It's hard to find a home here because people don't want to leave. Our house is about 3 minutes (driving) from an elementary school and there's a high school close by as well. We live about 20 minutes from Chuck's mom and 30 minutes from Mandi's parents. Our friends don't live too far away either.

Chuck's parents, Dale and Shirlene, were married until Dale's passing in 2009. Dale had been married previously and had three children: Becki, Tom and Beth. Together, Dale and Shirlene were unable to have children, so they adopted Chuck and his older brother, Larry.

Although Chuck's family lives across multiple states, everyone gets together for holidays at the lake. There are four houses on a peninsula; belonging to each of the oldest siblings and Chuck's mom. When we are all together, each takes a meal, side dish or snack for game nights. Weather permitting, we get out on the lake and enjoy the water or just chat in the boat. Chuck's cousin, Ken, and his family join in the fun as well.

Mandi's parents are Jim and Marilyn. She has one younger brother, Aaron. Growing up, they didn't live close to other family, which created a very strong support system among them. Mandi and her family live close to each other still and get together on weekends when everyone is able. They have lunch and play games. They try to make their time together special, even when it's not a holiday.

When Mandi was younger, she and her family would visit their extended family for a few weeks during the summer. She has remained close to a few of her cousins, one specifically is her cousin, Jenifer. Over the years, they've really become more like sisters.

We enjoy visiting zoos. As a matter of fact, our first vacation together was to the zoo in Omaha. We also like road trips. If there’s a zoo close to where we are going, we stop by. We both like different kinds of music and have attended many concerts together through the span of our relationship. We have also had music nights, finding videos on YouTube of one hit wonders, annoying songs that get stuck in your head or songs to help those songs get out of your head. We also love watching movies at home or at the theater.

Chuck loves to grill and smoke meat. He has multiple grills and smokers and is always wanting to make something for friends and family. He also has a green thumb and can grow just about anything. Mandi loves to cook and bake. Mandi loves to cook and bake. She makes holiday treats for family, friends, neighbors, our vet and the boarding team, etc. It brings her joy to bring smiles to others. She also loves going to the gym, spending time with friends and volunteering for the local Irish festival, which she has been doing for the last 15 years. Chuck has joined the crew the last couple of years as well. She's also volunteered for Bra Couture, which is a local event that raises money for men, women and children with cancer and little or no insurance.

Chuck is adopted, so we decided that no matter what other paths worked for us growing our family, we definitely wanted adoption to be one of them.