We met and bonded over our shared love of music eight years ago. At the time, we were living in Detroit and knew each other through mutual friends, but we had never really hung out one-on-one. Jennings was planning to go to a country music concert—The Cadillac Three—at a small venue downtown, and Zach decided to join him. On the day of the concert, we headed downtown to meet up with another friend from work. After spending some time trying to find her, we learned she wasn’t feeling well and had gone home. So, we grabbed dinner together in Detroit’s Greektown and then walked over to the show.

St. Andrew’s Hall is a small, standing-room-only venue, and we ended up near the back by the bar. We spent the night buying each other drinks, singing along to the music, and dancing. At the end of the night, we Ubered back to our neighborhood and went our separate ways—but something had shifted. A strong friendship had formed, and soon we were getting together regularly for happy hours, dinners, and of course, more live music.

Several months later, we officially started dating—and we’ve been together ever since.

We both come from close-knit families that still celebrate major holidays together. Every year, we travel back to Michigan and North Carolina for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In Michigan, Zach’s sister hosts Christmas at her house, where the “kids” (now grown-ups) cook and care for our parents. The next day, we gather with cousins, grandparents, great-grandkids, and extended family—it’s always a packed house full of laughter and love.

In North Carolina, we head to Jennings’ grandma’s house, where we help her make biscuits, country ham, and banana pudding for holiday lunch. Both families love games, and you can count on a competitive match of football, cards, or something else to break out before long. We’ve also started our own traditions in Long Beach. After Thanksgiving, we make hot chocolate and pick out a Christmas tree, then decorate it while watching the Kacey Musgraves Christmas Special. On Easter, we celebrate with our Long Beach family, cooking Easter ham, scalloped potatoes, and carrot cake together. Outside of holidays, Sunday dinner has always been a meaningful tradition for Zach’s family. We’ve continued it in our home—taking time to cook, talk about the week ahead, and connect. We look forward to including our children in this tradition and sharing the joy of family meals, holiday magic, and everyday moments.

We love to travel together and experience new places, cultures, and of course food! And we’re incredibly lucky to have explored so many amazing places together. Of all our adventures, our favorite destination has to be Chiang Mai, Thailand. We spent several days there in 2019 and were completely enchanted—especially by the food, architecture, and the elephants. The regional specialty, Khao Soi, quickly became a favorite. It’s a rich, curry-like dish filled with pickled vegetables and spiced with flavors reminiscent of Middle Eastern cuisine. Absolutely delicious. One of the highlights of our trip was taking a cooking class with a local chef. She had once been a lawyer but left her legal career to follow her passion for cooking—and even appeared on Gordon Ramsay’s show! Her story and enthusiasm were incredibly inspiring. We also had the unforgettable opportunity to visit an elephant sanctuary. We walked alongside the elephants as they made their way from the jungle to the river, where we helped bathe them and fed them treats like sugar cane. It was a humbling and joyful experience. The architecture in Chiang Mai was stunning as well. We wandered through ancient temples and palaces, each one more breathtaking than the last. All in all, Chiang Mai was packed with adventure, beauty, and unforgettable moments. Even years later, we still look back on that trip with so much fondness.

We’re lucky to have a wonderful extended family full of love, laughter, and support. Jennings’ family lives in North Carolina and includes his sister, Ashley, and his parents, Angie and Dave. Zach’s family is in Michigan, and includes his brother Brett, sister, Natalie, and parents, Donna and Steve. Although we live in California and don't get to see our families as often as we’d like, we make it a priority to travel back to our hometowns twice a year. Our parents and siblings also visit us regularly. Most recently, both sides joined us for a trip to Jennings’ parents' home in North Carolina—an unforgettable gathering filled with food, games, and quality time. Both families love board games and can spend hours playing Sequence, dominoes, and cards. We are very close with all of our siblings. Each of them took part in our wedding, with Zach’s brother officiating and our sisters serving as Maids of Honor. They also often join us on family trips. We vacationed in Banff with Natalie and her husband, Lucas, where we enjoyed lots of hiking and time outdoors. When we go home for the holidays, we always spend extra time at Natalie’s house to visit with our niece, Ellie, who just turned one.

Both of our families are thrilled about our decision to adopt. Jennings’ grandma and Zach’s grandpa especially can’t wait to become great-grandparents!

We live in Long Beach, California—a community we truly believe is a wonderful place to raise a child. Our neighborhood is quiet and welcoming, with lots of families nearby and friends with young children living just around the corner. We’re a short walk from a large park with a playscape, baseball fields, and even a beach.

Our home is a 100 year old Spanish Colonial with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, full of charm and character. Zach’s favorite room is the kitchen is perfect for chatting while preparing meals. Jennings’ favorite room is the living room, where large windows let in lots of natural light, great for relaxing. time together.

Hello, we are Zach and Jennings, thank you so much for taking the time to view our profile.

We know that you are facing an extremely difficult and emotional decision, and we want you to know how deeply we respect your courage and compassion. We hope that getting to know a little more about us will give you comfort and confidence as you navigate this path.

We have been together for 8 years. We met through our mutual friends in Michigan and bonded over our shared love of live music at concerts and many horrible attempts at karaoke duets. 5 years ago we moved to Long Beach California, where we still live, and got engaged on a trip to Joshua Tree, we’ve now been happily married for 3 years.

Our circle of friends here has become like family, and we’ve worked hard to cultivate meaningful relationships that provide us with a true sense of belonging, and we still stay close with our families in Michigan and North Carolina. We travel back to visit during the summer and the holidays where we have lots of brothers, sisters, cousins and grandparents who are all excited by the prospect of welcoming a new member into our family.

We both have a love of adventure and lead very active lifestyles. We love to spend our time traveling and exploring new places and have been on some amazing trips to Italy, Thailand, and France. When we’re at home we love to try new restaurants, cook new meals, go on a hike, or spend time on the water. We love it all and hope to raise our child with an appreciation for all life has to offer, we have known since early in our dating years that wanted to someday be parents. We’re incredibly exited and a bit nervous to be here now, preparing to adopt a child, we know raising a child and parenthood will be full of challenges and unexpected surprises, but we feel prepared to face whatever may come with love, patience, and team work.

As adoptive parents, we would be honored to share your child’s life with you. We believe in open adoption and would love to stay connected through photos, emails, and phone calls, keeping you up to date on milestones and moments big and small. If it feels right, we’re also open to planning visits. We want our child to have a good understanding of where they came from and what their story is so that they grow up with the confidence and sense of self needed to become a successful adult. Of course, we understand that every situation is different, and we respect your space and needs. Our door will always be open, and you will always be welcome.

Thank you again for taking the time to learn a bit more about us and again, we are so grateful to be considered as potential parent. No matter what you decide, we genuinely wish you comfort, peace, and love throughout your journey.

Sincerely,

Zach & Jennings