Nick & Maddie In Pennsylvania

We describe ourselves as understanding, fun-loving and hard-working. We value happiness above all and work hard to achieve our goals. We strive to maintain a positive attitude and an optimistic outlook for our future. We both come from loving, close-knit families. Maddie’s mom is a pillar in our lives, while Nick’s family forms the walls and ceiling of our support structure.

We have been together for 5 years and are only getting stronger. We met online, as most people do nowadays. After talking for a bit, we met in person and quickly realized this dynamic was something special. We complement each other, filling in the gaps that we each lack. We are both very open with communication between us, and we talk things through as much as possible.

We have many shared values, and respect each other’s differences. The same applies to our interests and hobbies. While we both lean towards artistic activities, we cover a large range of hobbies. Maddie loves music and woodworking, while Nick paints and writes. We try to stay active and maintain a steady line of good health. Financially we put our needs first, focusing on saving money second, then use what’s left to enjoy life.

We have 2 pets in our family. Alorus is our 9 year old cat that Nick rescued roughly 7 years ago. She can be a bit aloof, keeping to herself mostly, but she is very vocal and cuddly when she wants to be. At night she comes alive, racing around the house, playing with her toys and finally cuddling up with us on the bed. Mishka is our 2 year old dog, still a big puppy. She has boundless energy and loves to run around the backyard. She’s a sweetheart and absolutely loves when we have company over. The more people to play with, the better!

Over a year ago we moved to our house in an average American suburb. We live roughly 30 minutes from Philadelphia, a major city, yet where we are is full of lush green fields and trees lining almost every street. Within 10 minutes we have a vast array of restaurants, stores and activities, however sitting outside at night you hear nothing but crickets. When moving, we made sure to pick a good school district and many close parks, some even within walking distance of our house. Speaking of which, our house is a nicely sized, 3 bedroom home with a large, fenced in backyard. We have plenty of space to grow our family for years to come!

Maddie: My side of the family is small but strong. My mom is a pillar in our lives, and is an exceptional woman who raised both my brother and I as a single parent. She is selfless, kind and funny. She is always learning new things and truly knows how to find enjoyment in anything. My brother is very athletic and works as a school teacher. My grandmother lives with them and is a wealth of stories and recipes. Food is important to my family, and we always celebrate occasions with delicious home-cooked meals!

Nick: My side may seem small at first glance, but we have a large extended family spanning all ages. My parents have been married for over 30 years and are still going strong. I have a younger sister and a 2 year old nephew who is full of energy and happiness. My family is very close, seeing each other at least once or twice a month, and we are always there to help each other whenever we need it. We celebrate every occasion and enjoy having bonfires outside during the summer and autumn. I see my extended family throughout the year for holidays and birthdays. As the years go on, more and more people get married and kids are born, meaning the family is growing and there’s always something going on! We’re very close to my cousin Chris and his wife Jen. We see them much more frequently and love having game nights together.

As a family we play board games, video games and enjoying gardening. Our leisure time is spent flexing our minds more than our muscles, however that’s not to say we don’t exercise as well. Maddie swam for her whole adolescent/young adult life, and Nick played a variety of sports up through college, including basketball and volleyball. We run around outside with our dog, Mishka, and play backyard sports during the summer at family events.
We also have a thriving social group, small but dedicated, that we see throughout the year. Whether its game nights or just someone’s birthday, we never leave without planning another night together!

We’ve always wanted to raise a child and watch as they grow and learn. Maddie always knew adoption was her way towards this goal, while Nick has long held the desire to adopt a child as well. Together we embarked on this journey without hesitation so we can have a child of our own to raise into a wonderful person.