Our Story

We met one summer in 2016 when neither one of us was looking for a relationship. Tori had just come off of a wonderful run of the musical 42nd Street and Paul had recently been in a few shows as well. Someone near and dear to both of their hearts, Frank Roberts, ended up persuading both of them to do a production of the musical Guys and Dolls. Paul was brought in shortly before the show opened and Tori, as the dance captain, had to get him up to speed on choreography in a pretty quick turnaround. Even though she wasn’t focused on guys at ALL, he took a shining to her and she noticed he was just always around. One day after a show, they went out to eat with the cast and ended up sharing a kiss at the end of the night. As much as Tori doesn’t want to admit it, it was a done deal from this very moment forward.

To this day, they tip their hats to Frank Roberts for bringing them together and keep his memory alive. They never ended up having a picture together with him, but luckily had a friend create one shortly after Frank passed away just a couple of years ago.

Soon after they started dating, they both knew that something just felt different with this relationship. Even though it was far past what either was expecting, it evolved into a serious relationship both by choice and by circumstance as they both lost a couple of very important people in their lives (his grandmother, one of her friends and one of her former students). While they were both mending, they leaned on each other and quickly became integrated into each other’s families, too.

Even though neither would’ve believed you if you had told them, they ended up moving in together just 4 months into their relationship. Nevertheless, the two were inseparable and fell in love quickly. It wasn’t always easy, though! Tori learned JUST how much Paul could eat in one sitting as they managed budgets and grocery trips and Paul learned JUST how important it was to not wake Tori up during a nap. :)

Thirteen months after they started dating, Paul popped the question and asked Tori to be his wife. She, of course, immediately accepted and was beyond joyful that she had found her Prince Charming.

On August 3, 2018, Tori and Paul stood amongst their friends and family and said their vows to become husband and wife.

Traveling, moving, shows, snacks, popcorn and wine nights, late nights, early mornings, showtunes, scary movies, binge watching TV shows, Paul figuring out the ending Lost from the first episode, Tori finally watching HIMYM, several rounds of New Girl and Friends, date nights, learning who does the cooking and who does the dishes, figuring out JUST how to live through the crazy and so much more…..Tori and Paul are close to celebrating 6 years of marriage. They are now hoping and praying to be matched with a birth mother so that they can adopt and grow their family. A birth mother is such a valued, cherished and honored part of this journey that they hope this website and blog will help them get one step closer to finding their baby OR babies! :) They moved into their first home on May 15, 2023 and cannot wait for the memories that will be built in this house.

In 2019, Tori and Paul started their attempts to have a child. Much to their surprise and dismay, they were faced with an unknown but lengthy journey of infertility. Due to Tori’s rare connective tissue disorder and a few other hurdles they discovered in their path, it was evident that the only change for them to have a biological child together would be through IVF. In the fall of 2022, they began their first round of IVF. Even knowing that it was going to be a numbers game with the percentage change of success, they held out hope that their transfer of their embaby (their only embryo) in February 2023. With a broken heart a few short weeks later, they announced to their friends and family that it had failed. Whether you look at it as a clump of cells or more than that, like they do, there was an amount of immeasurable pain that left them wondering what else they could do.

Through many slammed doors as they tried to continue on, there had to be another answer out there. After countless tears, many late night discussions and God’s tugging on their heart, they knew that if they could make it through the trials and tribulations of IVF, that they had to dive into adoption head first. Despite having spent five years trying to conceive naturally and going through IVF, they found the path before them blessed with movement and steps forward as they continued to set their sights onto adoption.

Today, they know that their intended baby (or babIES) is out there. So they are taking whatever steps necessary to make that calling a reality. With the incredible support of their friends and family, they know that it’s only a matter of time until their dreams of parenthood becomes a reality. No matter the hurdle, they know they’ll succeed. One of the suggested avenues to “get the word out” was to have a blog/website where they could be searched and maybe even found by an expectant mother, thus this website was born. There will be blog posts detailing the journey and updates as possible.

If you’re reading this website, you’re most likely one of two individuals: a friend/family member of the Stowicks or, with hope, an expectant mother looking into placing their child up for adoption. Please know the great amount of respect, honor, gratitude and hope that Tori and Paul feel whichever grouping you find yourselves in. Every person has a crucial part of their story and they remain prayerfully hopeful that their journey will have the happy ending they’re dreaming of.