David and Simonne

Dear family,

We are excited to learn more about you. Who you are, your interests, your traditions.  We want to know as much about you as you feel comfortable sharing.

We are both excited and nervous but fully trust God in this process. We know he is in control. 

I met Simonne in Northwest Indiana during a softball tryout for a group of new hires at the company we both worked for. We began to talk and were also on opposing soccer teams in the same league. I accidentally ran her over at soccer and after I apologized, she made me take her out for ice cream. After that we became friends and eventually started dating.

We think the best way that we nurture our relationship is that we can both realize when the other needs help. We both take equal share of the responsibilities in the household and there is no division in our duties. We often serve together which allows us to be a team and strengthen our bond. We also like to go on hikes and walks and be out in nature together to talk and enjoy each other's company. Our shared dreams would be to have a family, to raise a child up in the faith loving Jesus, to continue to give generously, to continue to serve faithfully, and to continue to grow in love with one another and with the LORD.

Dave has a servant’s heart.  He wants to fix things and make them better. He is a great artist and really creative. He loves babies and has always wanted to be a Dad. He helps me think through things and solve problems. He is strong, both physically (running a marathon) and mentally. He is super smart, but doesn’t think he is. He loves me, even when I’m not at my best. I love it when he prays for me. He is super passionate about his sports teams, and can instantly connect with people through them.

Things I Love About My Husband:

I like football/watching football (Go Bengals! Go Penn State!). Football helps keep me connected to my family. My brother and a couple of cousins would go to games together and have a group chat related to our favorite teams. I like to run because it seems to give me more energy whenever I can get out there and makes me feel good. I like to cook because I have fun trying and making new recipes and to feed others. I like to golf because it is challenging and it is fun getting better. Also I enjoy drawing/painting because it focuses me and calms me down.

Favorite TV show would be a crime drama or a comedy. I don’t have a specific favorite but we’ve been watching Only Murders in the Building, JAG, Elementary, and Warehouse 13 as of late. Favorite Movie Character is Yoda. I like him because of how you get to see his character grow and understand where he was in the original trilogy after seeing the prequel trilogy. He is shown as wise and powerful in the beginning and he is some of those things but you get to see how he has regret on how he didn’t see something going on right in front of him. My favorite vacation spots would be Hawaii with Simonne’s family and the New Jersey Shore with my family. Both places are full of fun memories. My favorite color is Orange (Go Bengals). My favorite food is Pizza. My favorite animal is the duck.

I love gardening and am amazed at how tiny seeds can become beautiful plants.  I am a big reader and think books are an adventure but also can be an opportunity to learn and grow.  I like to volunteer because serving others makes me happy.  I bake sourdough because it tastes yummy and there is a calming routine in making it. I go on walks / hikes because it clears my head and helps me appreciate the beauty of nature. I lead a women’s bible study because connection and community are important to me. I also like to sing in the church choir.

My favorite animal(s) are my cats, Julian and Olive. My favorite Holiday is Thanksgiving, because I was born on Thanksgiving day, and it was fun to celebrate birthdays with my whole extended family.  My favorite hobbies are reading and growing things. My favorite vacation spot is anyplace near water, whether ocean, lake, river, stream, or pond! Color is purple. Favorite food is dark chocolate.

Things I Love About My Wife: 

Simonne is smart, determined, compassionate, giving, she always gives 100%, she’s great at asking questions. She is willing to try new things. She is a good cook. She is beautiful inside and out and she is a woman of God.

Faith is paramount to our relationship.  It allows us to sacrifice for one another and to have love and compassion for one another.  Our faith helps us to trust in God and not our own strength, to seek forgiveness when we are wrong, and to find peace when things are tough. We grow in faith through our study of the Bible, attending our Church and small group, and praying for and with one another. 

We like taking walks and hiking together, hosting game nights for our friends, watching musicals, kayaking, and cooking for one another.  We do enjoy traveling, whether to warm locations (Dave) or on active adventures (Simonne). We also love and spoil our two kitties. We spend most holidays with Simonne’s family, as her aunts and uncles come in town to stay with her parents. We like watching Science Fiction, Mystery, and Courtroom drama TV shows.  Church is a big part of our life whether serving at sports camp, leading a biweekly young adult small group, or attending service on Sundays.

Our circle of support would start with Simonne’s parents. They are willing to go over and above to help us when we need something, whether fixing something at our house or meeting contractors for home projects when we are at work.  We get together with them once a month and they want to celebrate every milestone in our lives. Our church friends / church family typically are the first to hear about challenges and struggles, and to pray for and provide encouragement.  They also are the ones that we spend time with for game nights, girls weekends, and sporting events.  Our small group co-leaders Sola and Felicia are our friends and spiritual mentors. They are from Nigeria, are incredibly loving and hospitable, and powerful people of prayer. 

Our home is a split level in neighborhood with a big backyard and mature trees.  Simonne wanted an active neighborhood with sidewalks and a house that had character.  Dave wanted something in easy driving distance between both their jobs with a space of his own. We love that we are close to our Church, parks, nature preserves, the library, and not too far from downtown amenities like sports, music, and theatre. Our community has pool with a splash pad for kids, and fireworks and parades on major holidays. Our neighborhood has an annual block party where we get to learn more about our neighbors.