Eric and Lori

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From Us to You

We want you to know how grateful we are for this brave and wonderful decision you are making. We couldn’t be parents without you and considering us to create a safe, loving and joyful world for your baby is a great honor.  We promise to offer unconditional love, stability, and guidance as your baby discovers who they are, where they come from, and who they will become.  We will always remind them of the courage you showed and make them understand how being adopted has given them the best gift in life – your love and ours. With the choice you are making, you will always be part of a caring, sympathetic, and welcoming family, and your child is going to continue to be forever deeply loved knowing that it all started with you.

We’re Eric and Lori, and Mr. Inches is our rescued terrier/basset hound mix and Hot Shot looks like a polar bear but she’s actually a Pyrenees (and the world’s best cuddler!). In addition to being in love, we truly enjoy each other’s company and appreciate the life we share with our friends, family and fun-loving dogs. The video we put together captures how we live and gives you a pretty good idea of the future we want to share with your baby. Until we can meet and really get to know each other, we’ve written out our world view in our profile as well as we could. We hope you feel our inquisitiveness, playfulness and laughter – the foundation for our future family.

With fondness and gratitude,
Eric, Lori, Mr. Inches and Hot Shot

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Why We are Choosing to Adopt

Our discussions about family have always included adoption. Because Eric’s parents were living overseas for much of his childhood, he went to boarding school and created a family of brothers from his group of young friends who are still intimately involved in his daily life. Growing up in Texas, Lori’s family always had kids from other families staying with them for extended periods of time while their own biological parents dealt with life adjustments. Inclusivity is fundamentally ingrained in both of our upbringings and provided most of the best parts. Our experience being raised among so many siblings to whom we weren’t biologically related truly makes adoption feel like a natural fit. And whatever level of involvement you feel comfortable wanting also fits within our understanding of family. We are who we are from the many meaningful people we’ve been involved with at various points in our lives. You’re creating a loving future for your baby – that foundation is forever. How you want build on that going forward, will only add to the meaningful influences on the person they will become.

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About Lori, by Eric

It’s difficult to overstate how remarkable a person I think Lori is. After being raised in a pretty ideal family setting with lots of outdoor time on a ranch in Texas with a pet donkey and longhorn cow, Lori became a reconstructive surgeon and is currently the head of Oregon’s Pediatric Reconstructive Surgery program.  So not only is she the kind of person that takes delight in simple pleasures like the smell of the ocean, the 10+ minutes of hugs her dogs give when she walks in the door and how cooking food for family and friends is among life’s greatest joys, she is also someone who helps children lead better, more fulfilling lives through her work. She also travels to Africa each year to teach surgeons the specialized techniques she’s learned to help them care for their own children whose needs often go unmet.

Lori is absolutely incredible with the children she works with every day. She brings out their natural joy, grace and charm, even in the shyest, most scared patients. Kids feeling insecurities of “being different” open themselves to her: smiling, singing, dancing – behaving in ways only their parents see in their most private moments. Lori lives everyday with compassion, empathy and an emotional honesty that puts everyone at ease. She also has an incredible sense of humor.

Having Lori apply all her gifts and the nurturing skills she offers to other families every day, and fulfilling her soul by becoming what she’s always wanted to be – a mother – will be the greatest joy of my life.

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About Eric, by Lori

I first fell in love with my husband because he is a gentleman and funny and creative and worldly, and able to have a meaningful and engaged conversation with just about anyone. I saw our world together as ever-expanding and was grateful to have met someone whose thirst for life was inexhaustible. But now I have a deeper appreciation. He is honest and loyal and is the least judgmental person I know. He is passionate about his beliefs and principles but also a very gentle soul. He is such a good father to our dogs, Mr. Inches and Hot Shot and does all the things big and small that make our lives safe and beautiful.

Eric is a writer and that is just the coolest thing. He has the confidence to pursue a career that asks that he take all the cultures, personalities and relationships he’s experienced and turn them into stories. Being a writer also forces him to choose the most interesting and enriching path in everything he does, which we get to share! A child couldn’t ask for a more creative or adventurous parent. It takes a strong yet very sensitive soul to live as he has.  He has expanded the concept of our place in the world and I can’t wait for him share that with a child.

When I think of Eric as a father, it truly makes me emotional. The world through Eric’s eyes is a great adventure. I am lucky to have a partner in life who fills me with such confidence, comfort and joy – just like a I know he will do with a child.

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Lifestyle

If we’ve had a guiding philosophy, it would be the love of discovery. We travel the world and explore the outdoors whenever we can. It’s opened our minds to so many perspectives and ways of life that have helped make us the parents-to-be that we are. We cannot wait to share that sense of discovery with a child, letting them choose the ice cream shop in a new town, helping them find seashells on the Oregon coast, or making a new friend on a swing set in a different country. Adventure feels even more meaningful when we imagine seeing it through a child’s eyes. Living like a local is our favorite part of traveling – helping a child experience connection to a broader community will be our greatest joy.

Being in the Pacific Northwest has provided endless opportunities to wander the mountains, forests, rivers, and coastlines and we always bring our furry companions with us. This truly is a child’s paradise – soft pine-needled trails in the endless forests, wildlife all around, long beaches with hidden caves, mountains with streams and snow…no amount of childhood energy could overcome the available options. We cook together almost every night from what we pick up at the year-round farmers markets, and we go to movies (they have so many great theaters here that run classic childhood favorites from Pixar, Studio Ghibli and Disney), concerts, sporting events, and museums.  We look forward to having a child to help forge their own excellent adventure as we get to experience this amazing world through their eyes.

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How We Spend a Long Weekend

As we mentioned, we really enjoy traveling and poking around the Pacific Northwest. Throw our pups in the back, and a full day of discovery awaits. So that’s likely our long weekend plan. Otherwise, these are standard activities – all of which we think a child will really enjoy:

• We go for a hike, go to a movie/sporting event, check out some music/theater.
• In the winters we ski the mountains that are a short drive away. We can’t wait to spend mornings with a child on the bunny slopes before sharing hot chocolate by the fireplace and maybe a hard-earned nap.
• In the spring and summer, we take our small boat out on the Willamette River and the Puget Sound to fish, bird watch and swim. As we’ve experienced taking out our nephews and nieces, watching a child connect with nature is truly life changing. The world becomes magical.
• We both went to state universities, so we love college sports and root for our schools during college football Saturdays in the fall. Building up excitement for the big game, making all the snacks, putting on the team jersey – it’s a lot of family fun no matter how old you are and can’t wait to see a child have that same school spirit!
• We read (Eric reads a lot for work, Lori reads anything that has nothing to do with work). We’re not against technology, but snuggling in with a child, our dogs and some children’s books and a bedtime story from all our old favorites and some new ones will be a regular part of family life.
• We wake up early to get to the farmer’s markets. We love the bond of the family meal and strolling along the market with a child as they take in all the colors and smells, taste their favorite fruit (and hopefully, vegetable), and then bringing it all home to make something together will be amazing.
• We stream a movie or binge a TV series at home in the evening. Nothing could be more comforting for us than the idea of having a child pile in with the pups on the couch and choosing the night’s program.

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Careers

Lori is a pediatric craniofacial and reconstructive surgeon. Fixing cleft lips and palates, making children’s paralyzed faces smile again, helping those who have suffered traumas return to normalcy are just some of the surgeries she performs. In addition to helping children reach their full potential, being around the broad diversity of her patients is the reason Lori chose this path. The level of emotional investment and deep empathy Lori gives to the children everyday really illustrates how amazing a mother she is going to be. Helping these children’s parents get through very challenging times has also given her invaluable insight in what it takes to be a parent. The hospital is only 10 minutes away from our house, so Lori will be able to come home throughout the day for lunches and playtime and making a celebration of all the milestones big and small alongside Eric, Mr. Inches and Hot Shot.

Eric’s path to becoming a screenwriter demanded unwavering determination, persistent focus and an endless supply of creativity. Traits he can’t wait to pass on to a child through daily example. Writing entails being a lifelong student of the world. Helping a child think about other people’s experiences and process the uniqueness inherent in everyone’s life journey in this way would be the greatest achievement of his career. Eric writes from his home office, and his schedule includes lots of snacks, playtime and naps so he’s been practicing having a baby his entire career. He’ll be a constant presence throughout their day, giving bottles and baths, taking stroller walks with the dogs, doing all the little things needed to raise a healthy and joyful child.

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Our Dogs

Mr. Inches is a phenom. We take him camping, skiing, cross-country road tripping, to the store…pretty much everywhere.  We can’t start our car without him jumping into the backseat. He loves children and given his size (one foot tall and three feet long), they love him too. A mix between a basset hound and a terrier, the Mister looks like a Muppet character and brings absolute delight to anyone we pass.

We rescued Hot Shot, our fluffy polar bear looking Pyrenees in the days between Christmas and the New Year and she’s remained a holiday celebration ever since. She came from Texas (Lori’s birth state) and was born on Eric’s birthday, so it felt destined for her to join us. She is filled with sweetness for everything and everyone and, as a Great Pyrenees, her sole responsibility is to watch over her flock, so we know she’s ready for a baby.

Mr. Inches and his “little sister” Hot Shot are both incredibly loving protectors who would be thrilled to help us raise, love and protect your baby (and snuggle them all day).

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Racial Diversity

It has always been our deeply held belief that diversity is fundamental to living life to its fullest. It has underpinned our career choices, the way we were raised, and the way we have chosen to explore the world. We will embrace your baby’s racial and cultural heritage and ensure it is integral to every part of their upbringing. All that you have given as their birth parent will be celebrated throughout their life. We promise to surround them with children and role models who share their skin color and racial identity – it’s super easy to do this in our fields of medicine and entertainment – as well as to expose them to the broader global community so that they can experience firsthand the spectrum of possible journeys created by other races and nationalities around the world. We want them to feel empowered by where they have come from so that they can be bold in choosing who they want to become. We believe that will come from you, and us, and them.

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Home and Neighborhood

We live in a woodsy neighborhood overlooking Portland. We have a great view of the mountains and a nighttime panorama of the city sparkling at night. It’s a great backdrop for a daydreaming mind. Our house has a huge playroom and two extra bedrooms for our growing family, visiting friends and relatives. There’s a of room for a child to play and…be a child. Perhaps the biggest perk is that one of the best elementary schools in the state is a five-minute walk down the hill. We’re going to make our walks to school and back every day through the canopy of trees with Hot Shot and Mr. Inches a real family adventure. There are extensive hiking trails through the forests that surround us and two parks with play equipment, basketball & tennis courts and a baseball diamond very close by. We imagine we’ll be spending a lot of time chasing a toddler around these parks, seeing them run around with the pups, watching them take their first bike ride, root them on as they take the field for their first little league game. The stadium where our professional soccer teams (The Portland Timbers & Thorns!) play is only a mile away and we have season tickets. With everything we were looking for in the Pacific Northwest so close by, we believe this is an ideal spot for us to begin our family.

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Our Families and Friends

It’s always been a priority to see our friends and families whenever we can. We visit with Lori’s parents several times a year – meeting them in fun places like Santa Fe or the San Juan Islands, or visiting them at their farm in Texas. Eric’s mother lives in a beautiful, historic town near the coast of North Carolina and we visit with her and his sister, who is a few hours inland in Raleigh every year. As we mentioned earlier, our concept of family has always included people who were not biologically related to us, and we have taken as many life lessons from our non-related brothers and sisters (i.e. our friends) as we have from our folks. Watching them raise their families has given us plenty of ideas of how we want to be as parents – and even more important, how to do it. We have been reading books, playing games and building forts with all our friends’ children throughout our lives. Needless to say, we have a line-up of very excited aunties and uncles spread all over the nation who can’t wait to spoil a new baby.

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What Adoption Means to Us

Adoption will create a wonderful new era for us, to finally be able to share our experiences, our values, and this life we have worked hard to create. We feel having a child will bring out the best in both of us. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to help your baby make their way in the world. Our journey to parenthood has made us emotionally stronger, but it also has reinforced what we have always known – family is the bond you share with those you love. We have a wonderful community of friends and family that have supported us. They’ve also shown us how to be great parents and though we won’t be perfect, we’ll always have their guidance. We know this is a brave choice for you. Made with pure love. Please know that you are becoming part of our loving community – our family – and we are committed to make a great life for your baby.

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What We Will Teach Your Child

First, that their birth mother was our hero and that from before they were born, and through every moment since, their life has been surrounded by love. We know that being adopted will bring up questions of identity throughout their development and our plan is to be nimble. We want to offer grounded, unconditional love while they develop their sense of self, and help them understand that their superpower is everything that has come from you and us.

We believe children are born with an innate sense of kindness, goodwill and empathy and we hope to raise an intelligent, global citizen who will have the courage and moral compass to do and be whatever they want, wherever they want. We want to emphasize fun, education, art and nature so that their growing interests present more opportunities for them based off their own achievements. Beyond the big lessons, we are excited for the small daily routines, reading before bed, cooking meals together, walking to school as a family; things that create calm, predictable days which will help them feel safe, comfortable and loved. Ultimately, we want to help them become the best versions of themselves and share all the lessons and experiences, triumphs and failures we’ve experienced. But they will always know that it is love driving every part of their journey – from you and us.

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Family Traditions

We are making our traditions as we go, taking the best of our unique upbringings to get the most fun out of each year:

• Our birthdays are two days apart (as is Hot Shot’s), so we make it a week (or two) celebration usually involving travel; Cinco de Mayo is the made-up birthday for Mr. Inches so it is also a major celebration. 
• We’re spiritual but not religious, so we treat religious holidays as festive times, giving thoughtful gifts to those we love, while seeing as many friends and family as possible – nothing makes a celebration more meaningful than being together and building our family with a child will make for even more festivities
• We love parades, carnivals and fairs, especially if they’re in a small town we just discovered. Is there any more joy than seeing a child watching a parade or riding their first ride at a county fair?
• We have season tickets to the Portland Timbers soccer team and to the traveling Broadway Theater performances so those are like date nights (hopefully family nights!)
• Saturday mornings are for the farmer’s market and Sundays are meant for exploring new things like a road trip, a restaurant, a walk in a neighborhood or state park we don’t know. Rambling days with a child exploring their community and nature and parks sounds like a perfect weekend to us
• We go camping at least twice a year, but hopefully it’s more like five times with lots of smores and evening fireside stories
• Most of all, we really look forward to having a child and seeing the world through their eyes to create traditions out of what they feel is important to have a fun, meaningful life. It’s a tradition.

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Our Promise to You

Again, it is important for you to know how deeply grateful we are. We hope you understand, by getting to know us, that you are making an amazing contribution to our lives. The love that you have given your baby is the foundation of their life, and we will forever be building on it. They will always know what makes them so special is from who you are, everything you provided them, and your decision to let us into their life. Your child will be loved, respected and nourished to become the fullest, happiest version of themselves. We will embrace their pursuit of their inherited and cultural backgrounds at every stage of their development and dive in alongside them as their self-identity comes into focus. We are sensitive, caring, emotionally available people with good heads on our shoulders who are trying to live meaningful, fun, benevolent lives and we promise that is what we will bring to you and your child every day.  We can’t wait to meet you!