We are Ryan and Alaina Zies. We are so excited to share with you our story and give you a glimpse into our lives. Starting a family means the world to us. We’ve been dreaming of building a family overflowing with unconditional love, lots of adventures and continual laughter. Welcoming children into our home through adoption has been part of our vision and dream since we both can remember. We cannot wait to share our daily adventures with a little one.

The two of us cannot begin to understand the journey you have been on. We know that you love and care deeply for your baby, and we admire your incredible selflessness. We want to say Thank You for choosing the gift of adoption. We value you and find your strength and bravery to be inspiring.

We are thankful and honored that you are taking the time to get to know us better, and we look forward to getting to know you as well.

In 2019, we were set up on a blind date by one of our co-workers. We both worked full-time for a megachurch but had never met. Our first date, this will sound cheesy, was magical. We went to Disneyland. Ryan still believes he won at the Buzz Lightyear game, and we’ll let him continue to believe that even though I believe the outcome was different. We spent 10 hours at Disneyland that afternoon/evening. After that long at Disneyland, it is safe to say we both knew a second date was in the future. Alaina says it was by the end of our second date that she knew “Ryan was the one.” Adoption and Foster Care have been part of both of our journeys. As Ryan shared his passion about his own adoption story and desire to adopt children someday, I fell in love.

We got engaged at sunset at Crescent Bay lookout point in Laguna Beach, CA. Ryan created this beautiful wood awning with flowers hung from it, with a blanket laid out in front. Ryan convinced me to go look at the sunset on our date night and somehow convinced me to walk over to this awning, but I kept saying, “but it’s someone else’s, we can’t go over there.” As soon as we approached it, the next thing I knew Ryan was down on one knee, opening a box with the most beautiful shiny ring, asking me to marry him. I was completely shocked and overcome with joy.

We were married on December 14, 2019 at sunset at Crescent Bay lookout point in Laguna Beach, CA (the same place we got engaged). We had a smaller wedding with our family and closest friends there to witness and celebrate with us. It was one of the best days of our lives being surrounded by our community, taking the next big steps in our journey.
Since getting married we have moved to sunny Arizona and bought a home where we are excited to continue to put down roots and grow our family.

My wife is incredible. She is one of the most caring, calm, loving individuals you will ever meet. She’s been a kids and youth pastor almost all of her life, teaching, encouraging, and raising up the next generation.

Alaina is the one who friends call first for advice, help, and a listening ear. Kids are always drawn to her, smiling, laughing, and telling her stories.

She loves: all things DISNEY, sweet treats, coffee in bed, a good book, our dog (Willow), and shopping for a good deal on clothes.

She loves Jesus with all of her heart and she lives a life that is defined by morals and values that display who Jesus is. Alaina is the person who kneels down to look kids in their face to hear what they have to say, she’s the person who will sleep on the couch when our dog is restless, and she is the person many call upon for advice.

Alaina is the type of person who helps anyone out that is in need, spends her time organizing our cabinets and closets, plans out our meals in her daily planner, and cares for those around her with all of her love.

One thing that most do not know about Alaina, is she makes the WORLD’S BEST chocolate chip cookies!!

Ryan is the person everyone wants to be friends with. Most would describe him as being a very loyal and devoted friend and family member. His laugh is loud and contagious. He is witty, charming, resourceful, helpful and gracious.

I love the way he loves passionately and cares so deeply for others. He makes me feel safe, secure and special. There isn’t a day that goes by that Ryan doesn’t make sure I know how much he loves me and that he’s chosen me.

Ryan is also extremely athletic, almost to my annoyance =) As a former baseball player, we turn most things into fun competitions, usually he wins. He is the most stylish guy around. He loves the great outdoors and is always up for an adventure whether that’s hiking the nearby trails or heading to the lake for boating. On a day off, you can find him at the river fly fishing or on the golf course.

Ryan is creative at heart. His day job is the marketing director for a global church which is where he gets to incorporate his creativity. He gets to work from home which has its perks, like being able to prep dinner before I get home from work, or enjoy lunch time walks with the dog. It also will give flexibility to spend quality time during the day with our future child.

We rescued Willow when she was eight weeks old thinking we were getting a mellow, snuggle loving puppy. She is now two and full of spunk, sass, energy and joy. She is a border collie/great pyrenees mix, so she is a giant fluff ball with tons of personality.

Loves the water (swimming, sprinklers, hose) Great with kids

Friends with every human and animal she meets Always making people laugh

Always up for a game of chase or hide & seek LOVES TREATS

Our goal for our home, no matter where we were, would be a home that felt: safe, welcoming, joyful, and allowed space to welcome community.

We live in a quiet neighborhood with a mixture of older and younger families. On most summer mornings you can find a few families playing at the pool. Our home has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. On the second floor we have a loft that Ryan uses as his office. The entire house has vaulted ceilings and lots of windows to let in the natural light, giving it a very spacious feel.

Adoption has always been something both of us have desired. For Ryan, he was adopted into a loving family that resembled what adoption is. He was adopted into a family that accepted him as their own son, never looked at differently, and was loved dearly from the moment they met him. For Alaina, it’s something she witnessed all of her life with her grandma and grandpa who have fostered over 80 kids over their lifetime.

One month after we got engaged, Alaina was at a routine checkup when her doctor discovered two major cysts in her lower abdomen. This led us to making the decision for Alaina to have a full hysterectomy. Alaina is fully recovered and is fully healthy.

Our goal for our home, no matter where we were, would be a home that felt: safe, welcoming, joyful, and allowed space to welcome community.

We live in a quiet neighborhood with a mixture of older and younger families. On most summer mornings you can find a few families playing at the pool. Our home has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. On the second floor we have a loft that Ryan uses as his office. The entire house has vaulted ceilings and lots of windows to let in the natural light, giving it a very spacious feel.

Words cannot truly express how we feel as we journey to begin our family. We’ve experienced waves of both sadness and joy as we take these steps to welcome a baby into our arms. Adoption has been part of our stories for years and years before we ever arrived at this place and while we are excited for the future of our family, we know that also comes with a sacrifice.

The opportunity to parent your child is truly a gift that we don’t take lightly. Our desire is to raise a child that loves deeply, finds joy in the everyday moments of life, and knows they are loved by Jesus, their family, and friends.