Smitty & Justin

Our days are steady and simple. Weekends often mean hiking nearby trails, cooking big family meals, and watering the jungle of houseplants. We love collecting art that tells a story, traveling to new places, reading on the porch, and filling our home with music. The dogs lobby hard for park time, and we almost always give in.

We’re both nurses. Justin works in an infusion center giving patients chemo therapy, blood transfusions, and other IV medications. Smitty works in drug development and critical care research. He also teaches research methods to medical and public health students at local universities.

In our free time, Justin is happiest experimenting with sauces and stir-fries; Smitty is usually planning the next small project or repotting something leafy. We make time for friends, cousins, and game nights because connection is what makes a house a home—and what we hope a child will remember most: curiosity, kindness, and humility practiced in everyday moments.

Family is the heart of our lives, and we’re lucky to be surrounded by people who show up with love, laughter, and plenty of food. We live in a multi-generational home with Smitty’s Aunt Nancy, who brings warmth, wisdom, and the uncanny ability to always find the ice cream.

Justin and his three brothers grew up in Massachusetts, but his family moved to South Carolina to be closer to extended family in 2007. You can find everyone together having a meal at mom’s or grandma’s, having a game night, or taking a day trip out to the mountains.

Smitty grew up in South Carolina and is one of three. His parents live a short drive away and visit often to help with house projects, swap stories, or enjoy Justin’s latest recipe. This will be their first grandchild, and they are overjoyed to welcome a little one.

Beyond family, we have a strong circle of friends nearby, and we regularly host dinners or meet up for game nights. Your child will grow up surrounded not only by two loving dads, but by an entire community ready to cheer them on, pick them up, and love them unconditionally. If you chose, we’d want you to be part of that community, too.

We come from two cultures we love and actively celebrate. Smitty is German; Justin is Hmong. In our home, heritage is a living tradition shared through food, language, music, crafts, and holidays. From the Hmong side, that might look like folding egg rolls with grandma, learning a few phrases, and attending cultural festivals together. From the German side, that might mean baking holiday cookies, video calls with friends in Europe, listening to music, and–whenever possible–joining a local Oktoberfest.

Most importantly, we promise to honor our child’s own heritage. We will seek out community, mentors, books, and celebrations that reflect who they are, and we’ll make space for their full story—past, present, and future. Our goal is simple: to raise a child who knows where they come from, feels proud of every part of their identity, and is celebrated for exactly who they are.