Family Profiles

Sam & Bryan

HI THERE!

Hello! We’re Sam, Bryan & Ellorie from Woodland, California.

We met years ago on a high school houseboats trip where we bonded over shared interests and became close friends. Quickly, Bryan fell for Sam’s sense of adventure and deep care for the people around her and Sam fell for Bryan’s kind heart and great cooking. After four years of happily dating, Bryan proposed on a hike at sunrise and we got married on a small farm under a beautiful oak tree. We’ve been on an adventure ever since: trips in our VW Bus, hikes in Iceland and snorkeling in Jamaica -- but mainly we thoroughly enjoy each other’s company and everything feels like an adventure with the other. We have built a strong marriage on a foundation of love, respect, open communication and much laughter. We’ve been dreaming of a big family since our dating days, adopted our incredible daughter, Ellie, in 2017.

Sam by Bryan

I scored big when Sam agreed to marry me! I’ve seen years of her volunteering with youth and admire how warm, patient, passionate and encouraging she is. She’s a great listener, fiercely loyal and continually makes me laugh with her quick sense of humor. She loves collecting vinyl records and is always up for a spontaneous dance party. She’s gifted at making everyday things feel like an adventure, and she makes daily life fun and meaningful for our daughter. As a wedding photographer, she has a flexible schedule and home office that allows for freedom to stay home with Ellie. It’s been a gift to see her use her talents to document our family as it grows!

Bryan by Sam

Bryan is an incredible dad! He’s enthusiastic, nurturing, and loves figuring out how things work. He loves working with his hands whether that’s building a crib, fixing an old truck or doing home improvement. He has an amazing green thumb, not just at home but at work running a farm for the University of California at Davis. It’s not uncommon for him to get muddy with Ellie planting the garden and snacking on fresh fruit from the yard. Bryan’s curious about things and loves learning by doing.

Ellorie by Sam and Bryan

Ellorie is helpful, kind, hilarious and smart. Lover of all animals, nature and gymnastics. A typical day for her is waking up, helping us make breakfast (she helps crack eggs into a pan), go to a play date like gymnastics, play outside (she loves to water the garden) and end the day cuddling on the couch with a stack of books or a dance party. We have two dogs, chickens & ducks that she loves to hang with.

We have an open adoption with Ellorie’s family — sending photos & videos and facetiming and once or twice a year we try to visit. We really love that Ellie gets to grow up knowing her family and that her family get to see her grow. Nothing makes us happier than seeing Ellorie connect with her family — it’s a very special thing to witness that love.

Interests and Hobbies

We’re active and love being outside whenever we can. One of our favorite activities is riding around town on our tandem bicycle. We look forward to hooking up the bike trailer and taking Ellie to our favorite ice cream shop. We love exploring nature in Northern California; and with all the options for camping, boating and hiking, we have weekends full of adventures. In Ellie’s first three years, she has hiked over 100 miles in her pack with us!

Really we just love being together no matter where. We eat dinner together as a family and value having “family time” built into every day.

What’s Important to Us

Our home is a center for activities shared with family and friends. Whether it’s a barbeque, making s’mores over the fire or a night of board games, we have fun spending time with the wonderful people in our lives.

Sam, Bryan & Ellorie ♥