Patrick and Kristen were married in 2019. After Patrick completed graduate school, we moved to Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022. Patrick is a teacher of community development at a Bible college, and Kristen works at a women’s shelter and training center in Nairobi. We both had a desire to grow a family through adoption even before we met. In fact, on one of our first dates, we talked about adoption. We quickly connected because we both wanted to live and serve abroad, and we both wanted to adopt.
We live and work in Nairobi, Kenya, but have deep family roots in upstate New York, where we visit frequently. There is adventure and inspiration in our lives, but also stability and steadiness. We get to be a part of meaningful work, but also live very normal lives- shopping, laundry, dates, cooking, cleaning, appointments, etc. In all of it, as a couple, we try to bring out the best in one another and really feel that we are on a journey together. We deeply desire to adopt a child into our family, and on this journey. We want our family to be full of unconditional love, joy, and adventure.
About Kristen
Job: Kristen works at a women’s shelter and rescue center.
Hobbies: Kristen likes to cook and eat good food, read, take walks, and meet up with friends.
Fun Fact: Kristen likes to travel, dance, and create flower arrangements. She loves to have a delicious meal with a good friend. We both love animals.
About Patrick
Job: Patrick is a lecturer.
Hobbies: Patrick likes to mountain bike, play guitar, and go to the beach.
Fun Fact: Patrick loves to mountain bike and to be outdoors. He is a thinker who loves to ask big questions and to learn new things, like languages. He currently plays the guitar and harmonica in his free time.
Our Lives
As a lecturer, Pat teaches classes, attends meetings, mentors students, and does class preparation. Kristen works 3 days per week in the women’s shelter, and the other 2 weekdays she leads or prepares Trauma Healing counselling groups and retreats.
We live in a safe gated compound in a cute two-bedroom house with a yard and a community space with a playground and picnic tables. Kristen cooks, and Pat cleans. One or two nights per week, we might order food from a local Indian restaurant or pizza place. Most week nights, we are home catching up on the phone with family members, watching the sunset or a TV show, exercising, reading a book, practicing guitar, or preparing for an upcoming class. On the weekends, we like to take walks/hikes or have dinner with friends. Nairobi is a metropolitan city with lots of restaurants, international schools, movie theatres, and malls. Our lives are both exciting and simple.
Our Family
We both grew up in upstate New York, which is where we frequently visit and have a ground-floor apartment in our sister and brother-in-law’s home in Rochester, NY, with our 2 nieces and 1 nephew. The home is just 3 miles from Kristen’s parents’ house and childhood home. Kristen’s brother and his wife live in Chicago, IL, and we always look forward to time together as a family, whether for a holiday or time off during the summer months. Kristen’s family enjoys the “Bake-off,” which we do every year, the day after Thanksgiving. The family is split up into teams, and we each make a dessert creation to judge and eat together. Pat’s parents and 2 of his 3 brothers also live in upstate New York, and his 3rd brother and his wife live in New Jersey, all of whom love spending time outdoors. They love to hike, camp, snow ski, and play sports. We visit them every year when we come back from Kenya.
Final Thoughts
We are overjoyed that you would consider us to love, protect, and raise your precious child. It is amazing to think about how our paths may cross, and we would be honored to be a part of your story.
-Patrick & Kristen
