We are Ryan, Kate, & Ronin (who we most often call Ro). We have been married for 13 years; our relationship continues to be built on love, laughter, and teamwork. One of our favorite sayings is, “teamwork makes the dream work,” and our daughter, Ro, loves to echo this too. Speaking of, we welcomed our amazing daughter into our family in July 2021. We also have a very laid back dog named Murphy, and a cat, Hobbs, who is a socialite.
Ryan works in product marketing for a global healthcare company, where his leadership skills and passion for his career shine. Kate works part-time as a recruiter in the supply chain space, a role that fits her natural talent for connecting with all kinds of people.
As a couple and as a family we have many memories from traveling, attending live music, enjoying the outdoors, sporting events, exploring our city, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends. But our very favorite thing to do is spend quality time together as a family. If you were to peek inside our home, you’ll likely find the three of us laughing, sharing a meal at the dining room table, enjoying our backyard, snuggled up on the couch, or having a dance party.
We met 16 years ago over our shared love of music. Just three years later, we got married! We couldn’t wait to start a family. After years of fertility struggles, we decided adoption would be the best way to complete our family. We were chosen to be Ronin’s parents by a wonderful birth family, and we are forever grateful.
We have very close knit and supportive families, and they are a huge part of our lives, including Ro’s birth family. We are lucky that most of our family lives very close to us, and even those who live out of state, we talk to on a weekly basis and see each other multiple times a year. We are also so fortunate to have a vast network of friends who are also like family to us.
Ryan is a dreamer, in the best way possible. He is the type of dad who will encourage our child(ren) to pursue their dreams. He is also a dad who will learn anything and everything he can about whatever interests a child. I know our child(ren) will be able to approach Ryan with anything, and he will meet them with open arms and understanding. He is without a doubt the most patient person I know! To Ro, he is not only Mr. Fix It, but also a safe space. In addition, Ryan has an innate ability to make me feel peaceful, even in the most stressful situations. Oh and he has the best laugh and biggest hugs!
Some of Ryan’s favorite hobbies are reading, cooking, listening to music, enjoying a cup of coffee, volunteering, and playing basketball. He also loves to travel and learn about new cultures too.
Kate is extremely loving, caring, fun, thoughtful and a great partner and mom. Kate was born to be a mom, and it is amazing to see the bond that she has with Ro. Kate is extremely goofy and fun-loving, which makes every day a fun adventure. The genuine joy she has when she is with Ro is so fulfilling to see. Kate also has the ability to light up an entire room with her smile and laugh and is typically the highlight of any social gathering we have. The world is a better place with Kate in it!
Kate loves being outside. I always say “It’s a Kate day” because I know regardless of temperature, sunshine, and being outside, it absolutely fills her soul. Maintaining close relationships is very important to Kate and that’s very clear with the abundance of friends and family she has close relationships with. Like me, Kate also loves music and traveling.
Where do we even begin?! Our daughter, Ronin, who we most often call Ro, is 4 and is the coolest little human! We adopted Ronin when she was ten days old. Ronin was her birth name, which we kept to honor her birth story, as this was something we were very passionate about, and it was very important to her birth parent as well.
Her teachers have always shared how joyful she is. In fact, one of the teachers calls her “sunshine girl.” Ro is curious, independent, so smart, laid back yet determined, SO fun, and such a light in our lives. Ro loves listening to music, swimming, gymnastics, painting & drawing, riding her bike, and nature. She also loves the moon! In fact, most nights, we go outside to see if the moon is out. She is a confident gal and her bravery to try new experiences is always astounding. Ro has incredible emotional intelligence, and we’re always amazed by how tuned in she is to the feelings of others and also in how she processes emotion. She is very drawn to babies, and we know without a doubt she will make the best big sister!
We have a very close bond with my family; in fact, for the first three years of Ro’s life, my parents watched Ro 1 day per week, and it was the highlight of their week and Ro’s too. My parents live within 15 minutes of us, which we love! My mom is a retired teacher, so she’s always coming up with creative ideas for Ro or cooking with her. Ro is definitely a grandpa’s girl, who she lovingly named “Papa.” He is her #1 playmate. My sister is Ro’s godmother, and this is a role she puts so much love into. Ro has a unique bond with each of my siblings’ families, including my brother’s wife and really looks forward to seeing them. Even though my siblings live states away, we prioritize seeing each other multiple times a year and communicate as a family throughout the week.
We have many special traditions, including our love of Notre Dame sports, especially football. At Christmas, my parents spend hours decorating the house inside and out, turning it into a winter wonderland. My dad has read “Twas the night before Christmas” on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. My mom creates fun games to play that are similar to Minute to Win It, but we call them “The Reindeer Games.” Faith has always played a role in our family and continues to be a part of our lives. My family is one of my greatest treasures.
We are so fortunate to have the love and support of my family. My mom, sister, and brother-in-law all live close to us, and we get to see them often. My dad lives in Florida with his girlfriend, and we see him a couple of times per year. Ro has a very special relationship with my family, and often asks about seeing them. My family has always been so supportive of me, whether it was playing basketball in college or welcoming their first grandchild into the family.
Holidays are a special time for our family. Kate and I host Easter and Thanksgiving for my immediate and extended family as well as Kate’s parents. We have a blast during our annual Easter egg hunt, and Thanksgiving is an all-day celebration. We run in the Drumstick Dash in our neighborhood and have brunch at our house after. Then, we clean up and prepare to host Thanksgiving dinner. It is one of our favorite holidays.
We are incredibly lucky to have a vast and close-knit group of friends, some who live close and others who live out of state. It is nearly impossible not only to describe how important our friends are to us, but their families as well. Most weekends are filled with seeing them, and it is something that we really look forward to. One of our very best friends, who we consider as family, also adopted and has a son who is only 6 months younger than Ro! We know they will forever be a part of our life and are thankful to share this special bond. We’d definitely say that we have the most loyal friends, and our fun times together are unmatched!
We live in a neighborhood that is very walkable. With the uniqueness of our location and our love for reading, we added a Little Free Library to our front yard. It gets so much use and we enjoy the interaction it provides with our neighbors. We live close to a trail that allows great connectivity to all over the city. We have multiple parks within blocks of our house. Additionally, we live within walking distances to several schools, including the school Ro attends. Our neighborhood is very welcoming and culturally diverse. We are so fortunate to live on a block with closely connected neighbors who are a big part of our lives. Several of them also have kids and are families we spend a lot of time with!
We are so fortunate to have a really close relationship with Ro’s birth family, who we consider as our family as well. We have a relationship with Ro’s birth parent who we call Mapa and her birth grandma. We were also really close with her birth great-grandma, but unfortunately she passed away in April of 2025. We miss her so much and still talk about her often. We communicate with Ro’s bio family on a weekly basis and see them at least quarterly. We celebrate Ro’s birthday and also Christmas with them. Ro’s birth family not only outpours love to Ro, but to us as well. It’s been so fulfilling to see our relationship prosper!
“Kate and Ryan are some of the most loving parents that I know. The life they lead provides their daughter, Ronin, with amazing life experiences, even at a young age. I know whoever they add to the family will be blessed. The love they share is abundant. I am so grateful to be a part of the family. They are so inviting and supportive of our relationship. They encourage Ronin to know who I am, and I feel very respected and loved. I couldn’t have chosen a better family.” – Ro’s Mapa (biological parent)
“It is an absolute privilege to have Ryan and Kate in our lives. The love they and their family have for Ronin is amazing to witness. They are a family filled with kindness, thoughtfulness, and so much love. And I love them dearly.” – Ro’s Birth Grandma
We are both so fortunate to have very flexible and understanding jobs. Ryan is able to take 16 weeks paternity leave, and Kate would plan to take off a similar amount of time. We would likely stagger our time to extend it even more. We are so fortunate because Kate works part-time and can really tailor her schedule to our family’s needs. For childcare, we plan to send a baby to Ro’s school part-time. Then, Kate would have the baby 1-2 days per week, and her parents may help out a day as well. This was the schedule we had for Ro, and it worked out wonderfully!
If you choose us to raise your child, we promise to love, protect, and care for them with all of our hearts. Your child will be surrounded not only by our unconditional love, but also by the love of our family and friends. We will always honor and respect the boundaries you set, while keeping a place in our lives and hearts for you. Your child’s individuality and cultural identity will be celebrated, and we will provide experiences that help them connect with who they are. A lifelong relationship with you is deeply important to us. However, we understand and respect that may not be your choice, so no matter what that relationship looks like, we will make sure your love is always a part of their story.
We cannot begin to imagine what you are feeling right now, but we hope you find peace in knowing you will make the right decision for your child, and we support whatever that may be. We will be sending you continued strength and comfort during this time.
Kate, Ryan and Ronin
No updates at this time.
