“Some people are worth melting for.” –Olaf, Frozen
Our Community
When we think of community, we picture people — those we keep in touch with, the people we walk through life with, and those that surround us throughout our day.
Our Family
Most of Katelyn’s family lives in western New York State. Her mom, dad, younger brother, and grandma all live outside of Rochester. The Buffalo area is predominantly composed of Katelyn’s extended family (not really, but it feels like it — it’s a big family). Growing up, her family regularly visited relatives in Buffalo for holidays, birthdays, and get-togethers. We typically see Katelyn’s immediate family every couple of months (here or there!), take vacations with them every few years, and visit extended family for special events.
Between visits, Katelyn’s mom regularly sends care packages and thoughtful gifts (toys for Simon, Stephen’s favorite Death Wish coffee, or Katelyn’s chocolatey desserts). This has only increased since having a grandchild to lavish love on. When we want to find the best product (at the best price!) or complete a home project, a brainstorming session with Katelyn’s dad is almost always in order.
Stephen’s mom, dad, and older brother all live outside of the Raleigh, North Carolina area. While it may seem far away, his retired parents are able to visit at least twice a year. Stephen’s mom makes the best Christmas sugar cookies (just as good 600 miles away!) and her passion for teaching special education for over 30 years laid the groundwork for Stephen to follow. We are always prepared for the unseen projects in life, as Stephen’s dad always knows the tool for the job and it’s on our doorstep before we know we need it.
Our families have helped shape us as individuals and influenced the values we have as our own family team. We are grateful for their support, which we can always count on.
Our Friends
Both of us have close friends we stay connected with virtually — some from our individual college years and others who have moved away more recently. These friendships are deeply rooted into our lives, shaped through seasons of growth, self-discovery, and meaningful milestones. Though distance separates us, we remain closely connected through phone calls, virtual gatherings, and occasional weekend visits. Each time we reconnect, it feels steadying and life-giving.
A big part of our community over the past years has come from our local church. We are heavily involved in the ministries there, both individually and as a family. Our family helps to meet community needs through a ministry our church is involved in, and we help with the multi-media during services. Stephen is involved in leading the men’s ministry, Katelyn manages social media for the church, and Simon makes sure to supervise all our media and sound settings during service. We gather weekly with our church small group, where we can dig deep into big questions, talk through struggles and decisions, and live life with each other. Seeing our Church friends is one of the highlights of Simon’s week. He regularly asks to go to church outside of Sunday, thinking they will be there waiting for him. As soon as we arrive he’s handing out fist bumps, chasing his friends, and dancing to the music.
These groups of people, whether near or far, are all essential parts of our community and we feel better off having them in our lives.
