Stephanie and Blake
Hello! We are Stephanie & Blake. We met in kindergarten, growing up five miles apart near a small town in Southern Oregon. While we went through school together, we didn’t start to date until we both attended the same university. We got married in our hometown in 2010 and moved to the Mid-Willamette Valley a year later. Blake works as a project manager for an automation company, while Stephanie is a director of accounting at a nearby university. We have two labradoodle dogs Harley and Bernadette who love to snuggle and go for walks.
Blake has been best described as a tenacious problem solver. He loves to pursue and conquer challenges. He will go to any length to get the information he needs, be it referencing the driest text books, browsing forums, or finding a mentor. This makes him feel self-reliant and able to be decisive. In this way, Blake has become a proficient beekeeper, brew master, and fabricator. Blake demonstrated his laser focus and dedication when he saved up to buy a new wire welder in middle school, which he has to this day and used for many projects.
Stephanie is kind, patient, and the planner of the family. An introvert, she is quiet when first meeting people or in large groups, but later her dry humor and random movie quotes come in strong. She and her sister have seen the alternative rock band NEEDTOBREATHE in concert more than five times, usually outdoors. Stephanie enjoys traveling, near or far (she has been to ten countries). She enjoys a hike with a view, eating gluten free take out, and playing strategy board games. While Blake is in the shop, she is usually cuddled up with a cup of herbal tea and a good book. Stephanie always wants to be capable and competent. At work, she loves to problem solve with her team. Her coworkers know she wants to look at all angles of an issue, and then tackle it with clear communication. She has several favorite quotes; one is used in the show Ted Lasso: “Be Curious, Not Judgmental”.
Blake’s two brothers and their families live locally, and Stephanie’s parents and sister are a mile down the road. We enjoy family dinners, particularly BBQs in the summer. Blake’s dad and step mom live in our hometown and visit often. Blake loves his “big tent” family, those related by blood or by choice, and we frequently visit our large extended family living around Oregon, which include many young extended cousins.
After some infertility struggles, we turned to open adoption. We are so thankful to be a waiting family for an open adoption, knowing that our child will know their birth story as they grow up and have connections with their birth family. Having this relationship built on mutual love and respect is important as we build our “big tent” family. As first time parents, we are looking forward to raising a child in a home full of love and connection with our child’s first family. We appreciate you taking the time to learn more about us.
With gratitude,
Blake & Stephanie