Our Family

I decided to start this to keep us and you up to date on our family. So a short background of us.

Kevin: Grew up as a military child, lived in Germany and Florida. He joined the air force in 1989 and was promptly sent to Japan. He was there for 4 years. After Japan he was stationed in Maryland and mostly worked as NSA (National Security Agency). After 10 years, he decided to separate from the military. He feels it was not his smartest decision (me either, since as of right now he would be less than 1 year from being able to retire with 20 years service). Oh well, we can't go back now.

Michele: Born and raised in Idaho. Went to Ricks College and got her associates degree in Accounting in 1995. I served a mission for my church in California, Ventura. After returning, I went to school at Boise State University.

Us together: In early 1999 Kevin and Michele started chatting on a website called LDSMatchmaker.com (it is no longer in existence). In May Kevin flew to Boise to meet Michele in person. She says that it was like her best friend walked off the plane that she had just never met before. We continued to chat and in early June Kevin flew Michele out to MD to see him. While there, Kevin asked Michele to marry him in front of the Washington DC temple. We even picked out rings then. Michele decided to move to MD to be closer to Kevin and continue courting one another like normal couples. On November 6, 1999 we were married in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

Children: After several years of struggling to conceive, fertility treatments, and adoption waiting lists we decided that the Lord wanted us to do foster care. In June 2005 we were licensed and immediately started taking in children. We have had 11 children assigned to our home and another 7 children we did respite for. We felt they were all our children even if for only a short moment. We went through many struggles with the foster care system too and our heart still breaks over some of the losses we had to suffer. But luckily we did have some good come out of it and that makes the journey worthwhile.

In October 2006 a 2 1/2 year old boy was placed with us. We were blessed with the fact that his parent's rights were terminated immediately after we got him in our home. However, due to some other circumstances with another child in our home we were not allowed to adopt him for almost 9 months. But on June 13th we signed the papers for him to be ours and on June 22nd the judge made it official. We had our own little boy, Tye Alan Stevens. And he is an absolute angel. He has the most gorgeous blue eyes! Everyone comments on them. He also listens so well and minds so well. People are more than willing to watch him for us because he is so good. He is very loving and makes us laugh all the time. He is learning so quickly and we are very grateful. When he arrived at our home he could only say Mommy and Car. However, now he knows his numbers, can count to 13 I think it is. He knows his letters and has recently started singing his ABC's (the first song he has ever actually sung). He also really likes doing pat-a-cake when I am making dinner. He does the actions and sings the song.

We are very happy to finally have a family that is ours forever. In September we had Tye sealed to us in the Bountiful temple. What a wonderful day that was. Tye was so cute in his white jumpsuit! My heart swells with pride over this wonderful little spirit that has been placed in our home.