Joshua & Kiara

Our story began in 2010, when our eyes met across the drum cage. We served together on our church’s worship team. Joshua swears that Kiara would sashay in front of the drum cage to grab his attention but that has still not been proven. Joshua was drawn to Kiara’s beauty, inside and out, and her incredible voice. Kiara loved Joshua’s smile, his blue-eyed charm, and his confidence. We were both head over heels and knew immediately we never wanted to be apart.

Fourteen years later, we are still best friends and partners in everything. People say the honeymoon has to end, we’re living proof it doesn’t. We choose each other every single day. We love laughing together—we even play a silly game where we hide a tiny purple duck around our house for the other to find randomly. Kiara is a loyal, loving wife and mother who brings sunshine wherever she goes, while Joshua is hardworking, generous, and fights for and never gives up on the people he loves.

We live in a spacious four-bedroom home in a quiet, tree-lined community in Southern Maryland. Our small town feels friendly and welcoming while staying close to restaurants, shops, the beach, and a nearby island with plenty to explore. We have a large backyard where our son loves to play, along with a little dog named Paisley who absolutely adores him. We are happiest when our home is filled with family and friends, and we prioritize gathering around the table for dinner as a family each night.

Our everyday life is simple, Kiara stays home and homeschools our son so days are filled with crafts and playdates. Joshua gets to work most of the time in his home office and is able to be very present in family life.

Family and community are at the heart of our lives. Both of our parents live out of state, but we are sure to book a trip to spend a week in the summer by the pool and enjoy all the laughter and snuggles for their grandbaby. We are known to place the random facetime call to ask a simple question that could have easily been answered via text just to hear their voice and see their faces. While our extended family is not nearby, we are deeply blessed with a strong circle of “like family” friends. Dan and Jenna are our ride or die best friends and we go on many adventures and are the self-proclaimed escape room champions of the world.

Our church community has stepped in to be a true extension of our family and have often grabbed a package off the porch in the rain, watched our son during a meeting, and brought meals after Kiara’s surgery in November. We do life closely together—supporting one another, celebrating milestones, and sharing everyday moments.

Each fall, we look forward to our tradition of traveling to Yosemite with all of our extended family. Hiking, camping and creating memories we talk about all year long. Our son is surrounded by love, and we are excited to grow that love by sharing our lives with a precious new child.

Our favorite activity is packing bags and flying halfway around the world. We love exploring this world together-especially the FOOD!! We’ve added stamps from Rome, Greece, and Turkey to our passports and have plans for London someday. We will never forget the excitement and laughter of climbing the side of a mountain on a donkey in Santorini. We looked hilarious but had the time of our lives. Wherever we go, we enjoy experiencing different cultures and making memories together.

Our everyday life is our favorite simple adventure. Day trips to museums, picking strawberries, and exploring our community. Joshua’s speaking opportunities often take us around the world, and we love going as a family. No matter where we travel, our favorite destination will always be “together.”