Katy & Justin

“Katy and I became friends in French club freshman year of high school, nearly twenty years ago. Her unwavering support through life’s challenges has always amazed me, especially during my own battles with bullying because of my religion and my cancer diagnosis in college. Justin, from the moment they began dating, has shown the quiet, compassionate love that you dream about. I have no doubt they will be incredible parents to any child lucky enough to join their family.” -Zara “I am honored to say that I played a role in bringing them together over 13 years ago, and it has been incredible to see their relationship grow and flourish. Throughout the years, I have seen them demonstrate unwavering commitment, love, and support for each other. I've had the pleasure of witnessing Katy & Justin’s exceptional care and love towards my own children. They have consistently shown up for my kids, they’ve even hosted my daughter’s birthday party at their house. Katy and Justin's kindness, compassion, and dedication to family will provide a child with a stable, loving home where they will thrive." -Joey “Any child in their lives will have the opportunity to experience love, education, travel, and food that every child should have for a wonderful childhood. I cannot attest to which house of Harry Potter the child will be accepted into; however, I do believe Katy will cherish them no matter what. A child’s formative years should only exist to experience new and exciting things. With Justin and Katy as parents, that would be the focus; to love, nurture, educate, protect, and live life to the fullest.” -Ryan “Katy and I bonded over the show Alias in Law Studies classes junior year of high school and today she is one of my closest friends. She was the first friend my husband and I trusted to care for our then eight-week-old son. We are protective of him after his rather dramatic entry into the world two months early. As he reaches all his developmental milestones, they cheer as much as I do…. Several years ago, an extended family of theirs had a baby that had to have an extended stay in NICU. The baby’s mom and dad's ability to parent was in question, and Katy and Justin expressed a willingness to raise the child should it be needed. Katy visited the baby in the hospital nearly every day to ensure that someone was there for the child and showed it love.” -Whitney

We have two dogs, 14-year-old Loki and 9-year-old Isy. Loki is a 19lb terrier mix whose favorite things are cuddles and car rides. Isy, the social butterfly, is a 40lb chocolate lab mix who loves to play and make new friends - human or animal. Loki lives up to the “God of Mischief” moniker and Isy also goes by the name of Floof. Both dogs are spoiled but gentle and well-behaved. They make the perfect furry companions for any child.

We are close to both sides of our family and are fortunate to live within a half hour or less to the majority of them. Katy has three older brothers, who are all over six feet tall. Justin has one older brother and three younger stepsiblings, two of which are twins. Between all our siblings, we have two nieces, six nephews, and one grandnephew. We also have an amazing group of friends who we consider family. We are honored to be “Aunt KK and Uncle Justin” to their young children. Although we plan to only pursue having one child, they will never lack playmates or close sibling-like relationships.

The future nursery is a large room with two windows that let in plenty of natural light. One window faces budding citrus trees in the front yard that will hopefully one day produce enough fruit for homemade lemonade or orange juice, while the other looks out onto the land beyond our property.

We feel incredibly fortunate to have a home that offers the perfect mix of peace and convenience for raising a family. We built our custom “forever home” on over an acre in a quiet, semi-rural area of Louisiana that’s only a few minutes of a drive from city amenities. With Justin's skills as an electrician and his good friends in other trades, we love that we live in something they have helped create. Our home has three bedrooms, and two and a half baths, with an office, theater, and pool. It has a big front porch and a large back patio. We envision future birthday pool parties and sleepovers in the theater. We designed our home to not only suit us now but also as our family grew. We share our home with two spoiled dogs who probably think they’re doing us a favor by allowing us to live with them.

Hobbies: Gaming, all things technology, exploring new places, foodie. Fun Fact #1: Loves unwinding to music. Fun Fact #2: Has made lasting friends worldwide from online gaming. Fun Fact #3: Was in the marching band in high school.

Justin is the kind of person who will drive across town just to help a friend fix something or surprise me with my favorite snack after a long day. He's always singing goofy songs to our dogs, and I can't wait to see him channel that same silliness and love into being a dad. Justin is everything I could have ever hoped for in a life partner and more. Even outside of all the reasons that make him a wonderful husband - and there are many - I cannot overstate what a truly phenomenal person he is. He is considerate, honest, hardworking, and incredibly loving. Raised partially by his grandparents, he embodies “old school” kindness and is always thinking of others before himself. He enjoys the challenge his work presents and takes pride in making his clients happy. He is one of the most authentic people I have ever met. He has a quiet but reassuring presence and likes sharing new experiences with those he loves. A child will have love, support, and adventure with him as a father. -Katy

Hobbies: Reading, crochet, painting, swimming. Fun Fact #1: Her right eye is blue and left eye is green. Fun Fact #2: Designed her own Harry Potter Monopoly. Fun Fact #3: Loves sour candy or anything lemon-flavored.

Katy was born with neuroblastoma - a type of nerve cancer -wrapped around her spinal cord, resulting in her being paralyzed from the waist down. She’s been in a wheelchair her entire life. While it would be wonderful if the world was able to cater to disabilities, that’s not reality. She’s learned how to creatively adapt to the world around her, and make it so she is just as independent as anyone else. Although her physical caring for a child sometimes may look different from the norm, it’s something we’ve actively thought about and planned for. If we weren’t confident in her ability to parent a child as well as an able-bodied person, we wouldn’t have pursued having children. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please ask. We’re an open book.

"Katy's ability to turn the most ordinary moments into something special amazes me. Whether she's crocheting a thoughtful gift for a friend or staying up all night getting lost in a book, she brings a sense of wonder and joy to everything she does." Katy is one of the most compassionate and loving people I have ever met. She constantly shows how much she cares, whether through thoughtful gestures or simply listening after a tough day. She is supportive of me in anything I do, and she makes me feel understood like I never thought possible. She shows compassion when I’m not perfect. All qualities that I believe would make her a perfect mother. She was not at all what I had imagined in my head for my future wife. After our first date, I realized how incredible of a person she was and how capable she could be. She has overcome any obstacle thrown at her with grace and dignity. She loves to watch our friends’ children and be a positive influence on our nephews as they grow into their teenage years. I feel incredibly lucky to share my life with Katy and I know any child would be equally as lucky. -Justin