Mike and Sarah met while working together at a hospital in the ICU, but it wasn’t at all like Grey’s Anatomy! Mike was a nurse and Sarah was the unit’s social worker. Although Sarah was hesitant to date Mike, when he had to take time off for knee surgery, we began dating (we would not have been given the rights to a TV show script, but the love was real and deep).

By the time he was back at work we were a couple. About a year later we got engaged, then the following year we got married in Italy. Sarah can be shy and doesn’t love crowds so a ceremony in the Tuscan hills with our parents and siblings was a perfect fit for us. Getting married in our 30s, we had a good sense of who we are and what we wanted in a spouse and that included considering that adoption might be in our family’s future. Six years, two daughters and a lot of adventures later, we are ready to embark on the journey to complete our family.

Sarah was born Honduras and raised in Panama until the age of 11, where her father was a pastor. Looking “American” but feeling as if there is so much more to her than her white culture, she has a deep love for multiculturalism and connecting with racial and cultural minorities.

Additionally, having grown up far away from her extended family, Sarah’s family cultivated a “chosen family” of non-biological grandparents, aunts and uncles as a natural way of life. Although Mike’s cultural heritage is less diverse, he has a strong family culture of “togetherness” involving regular extended family gatherings and connecting often to share their day to day lives. By embracing these aspects of both of our family histories, we are blending our cultural heritages to intentionally shape our children’s upbringing.

Mike has a deep, unwavering love for his family which creates an environment of safety and security. Once Sarah asked him why he still wanted to cuddle after a disagreement and he said, “Because I will always love you more than I am mad at you.” That unconditional love comes through in his love for his children too!

Sarah is one of the most empathetic people that I have ever met. She has this uncanny ability to listen and hear what I am trying to communicate while making me feel completely safe and understood. Sarah is able to meet people where they are at and emotionally attend to their needs in good times and bad. These qualities are evident in her parenting and I love that she makes our children feel heard and respects their wishes.

As for our girls, Ellie is so empathetic and accepting of those around her. She is shy but in a way that is observant and sensitive to others. Little Izzy is a bundle of charisma and courage with a sparkle in her eye that we are still learning about. The love we see between our girls makes us very excited to bring another kiddo into the mix to be loved, snuggled and surrounded by giggles and adoration.

Sarah and Mike are blessed to have families who are supportive and ready to love on this new family member. We have some extended family living in the area including Mike’s parents, sister and brother.

Mike’s parents live on a small, rural hobby farm where they have cows, goats, chickens, and pets. We enjoy traveling to the countryside for family picnics especially during the spring months when there are little baby goats running around. Additionally, Mike’s sister and brother are close by and enjoy their roles as aunt and uncle.

Sarah’s family is more spread out, however, we video call them at least weekly and they are a deep source of support. We enjoy hosting Sarah’s family throughout the year and visiting Sarah’s brother in Michigan in the summer. Trips to see “Unc D” and visit his local beach are always a kid favorite!

Regardless of the distance between family members, with the use of FaceTime and other digital connectivity, we are able to keep a close family bond and maintain a meaningful connection with them that our daughters look forward to.

We bought our home sight unseen when we were moving back to the area from out of state. Sarah wanted a "baby walking neighborhood" where she felt safe to pack the kids in a stroller and walk in any direction. Sarah also dreamt of a kitchen window that looked out on the backyard to be able to finish up dinner while the kids played outside. We feel so blessed we got all of this and settled in a place that is a home. We have amazing, diverse neighbors who look out for our girls, babysit and get special gifts for them regularly. In summer, we love splashing in our above ground pool and our 5 year old has an imaginary restaurant called "Basil & Mint" where she picks herbs from our raised garden to eat as a snack. In the fall, we have many beautiful maples that turn amazing colors which provide an abundance of leaves to jump in. In winter, we build snowmen and pull the sled through the yard while Mike enjoys decorating the house with way too many Christmas lights to make his girls smile. In spring, we watch our hard work bloom as tulips and daffodils pop up. We sincerely feel that being in this home was meant to be. We have a beautiful, spacious home with kind neighbors and so much love. We are so excited to be able to bring in another child to enjoy these blessings!

As you’re reading through profiles, we can only imagine the complex web of emotions you must be feeling. You are in the midst of an incredibly hard journey that is forged by love for the life you’re carrying. We have been blessed to have two biological daughters, so we know, pregnancy is not easy. We also have not been in your shoes but want to start this letter with love, acceptance and encouragement. You’re taking the road less traveled and it has brought you here; you're strong, determined and you’re setting aside other options to give your baby a beautiful life.

Sarah’s passion for adoption started at a young age and there was no question in her mind that someday she would adopt because her womb did not need to carry a baby for her heart to hold that baby forever. Mike began considering adoption when he started dating Sarah. We have now been married for 6 years. After the birth of our second daughter, we were both wholeheartedly in agreement that the completion of our family would be through adoption. Loving a little soul that was carried through a pregnancy and gifted to us to parent was the only missing piece of our family. Our 5 year old can’t wait for her sibling and draws pictures of our family including her “new brother or sister”. Our 2 year old is full of life, loudness and love. We envision all of our kids on the floor in the living room playing with toys, chasing each other in the yard or comforting each other when they’re sad. We currently see that with our two girls and can’t wait to grow that with their sibling.

After our marriage, Mike earned his doctorate and now works at a local hospital as a Nurse Anesthetist, allowing Sarah to be a full-time stay at home mom (with a little virtual counseling practice on the side). We are both living our passion, professionally and personally. We look at our home and see that there is more love to give, space to be used, giggles to be shared, hearts to be cared for, and sibling love to be extended. We also see the special place for you to be recognized and honored in our family. Your choice and love for your child will be respected and revered.

As we imagine our future, we see three car seats on road trips, visits to beaches making sand castles, all our kids holding hands walking in our neighborhood, all of us gathered each night for family dinners, the kids working on homework at the dining room table, traveling to see the world and experiencing new things together, comforting our children through scraped knees and later broken hearts; living life through the fun adventures and mundane routines. And we promise to share these moments with you. Through letters, emails and texts with pictures and stories highlighting the milestones of your child’s life, the adventures and the mundane yet precious moments of everyday life. We are also open to connecting in person, if desired, as situations allow over the years. We are committed to and welcome your continued investment into your child’s life.

You are not alone in this journey. You are giving an incomparable gift by choosing life for the little soul inside you. You are giving yourself the respect to recognize what is best for you. You are giving an immense joy to a family like ours. You are not “giving up” your baby; you’re “giving to” everyone involved in your story. You are living out an incredible act of love for your baby. Thank you for considering this and no matter what you choose or who you choose, we are rooting for you, your happiness, peace and comfort.

Love,

Mike & Sarah