Michael and Whitney

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From Us to You

We feel deeply grateful that you are taking the time to consider us as prospective parents for your child. We admire the courage it takes to consider placing your child for adoption and we do not take it for granted. This tells us that you care deeply about your child.

We have always dreamed of being parents, and we always saw adoption as part of our story. After battling recurrent pregnancy loss for almost four years, we are surer than ever that raising children is the deepest desire of our hearts. Our families have been blessed by the beauty of adoption, making our decision to begin our adoption journey a natural one. While we are under no pretense that this is an easy road for anyone involved, we seek to enter this journey with you with open hearts and open minds and hope to grow in understanding and grace with each step. We see this journey as a partnership with you, a commitment to do our very best daily to provide your child with a life full of stability, joy, and experiences. A life in which they would know to their core that they are deeply loved and valued, by you, by us, by the community we will build around them, and by God. This is not about bringing home a baby, this is about nurturing and bringing up an infant, a toddler, a child, a teen, or an adult. It is about our commitment to grow with them as they move through life, and to support them genuinely in each stage. We promise to be fully devoted to your child, for the rest of our lives, and we would consider it an absolute privilege to guide them in grace through life.

We cannot imagine the way you feel, nor the weight of this decision on your heart, but what we can do is assure you that we will be on this journey alongside you. We have love in our hearts, and room in our lives for both you and your child. We hold so much respect and admiration in our hearts for you. We want you to know that we pray over you. We feel such a sense of peace and certainty over this decision, and that is what we hope for you. Thank you for taking the time to learn about who we are and what we have to offer. Your consideration of us means the world. We will be praying over you, your pregnancy, your well-being, and your decision.

Yours,
Michael and Whitney

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Why We are Choosing to Adopt

Since we first started dating (2016), adoption has always been part of our dream of building our family even before we began struggling with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (2020). Knowing we have always had every intention to adopt and yet not being any closer to building our family biologically, we decided to begin concurrently pursuing the adoption process in 2022. We became pregnant and welcomed our Son Callahan into our family (Fall 2023) and our excitement about growing our family through adoption has only increased as a result. Michael and his brother are very close in age, and Michael recalls growing up with his brother being so fun, and now they are the best of friends, so we see a small age gap as an advantageous thing. Adoption feels like a very natural choice for our family. We hope for a family with many children, and with our history of pregnancy loss, we do not know what our future holds. We have always felt called to adoption, and are excited to continue to pursue this path, even more so since the arrival of our Son.

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About Michael, by Whitney

My Husband Michael is the most genuinely kind person that I know. He works diligently to love each person in his life well. You’d be hard-pressed to find a wiser and more self-sacrificing individual than Michael. Michael is also incredibly funny and playful. It is not uncommon to witness him bring himself to tears laughing at his own joke. One of his catchphrases is “I am the funniest person I know” and honestly he is the funniest person any of us knows. I think that it is unique that he can sit with you and listen with genuine care, and the next minute he has you laughing harder than you have in weeks.

Parenting alongside Michael has been a joy and a privilege. I have actually never seen a more capable and loving Dad. He is determined to do everything in his power to succeed in his role as a Father (I.e. reading books, and seeking advice from trusted friends). He is patient, and kind. He pays very close attention and anticipates needs, not only of our child’s but mine as well. He is someone who can make any little moment or task fun with his goofiness and spontaneity. Michael makes sure diaper changes are full of giggles, picking out an outfit for the day is a fashion show, and getting up early with the baby is just “guys time!”. My admiration for Michael has only increased since we started parenting together, as he has embraced this season with such skill, tenderness, and intentionality. He is genuinely excited to grow through parenthood, and I am fortunate to do that by his side because he is a truly wonderful human being.

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About Whitney, by Michael

My wife Whitney is a fun-loving and passionate individual. She has a fierce love for those close to her. I admire how she is always putting others before herself. One of my favorite things to do with her is spontaneously call up friends and invite them to come over and have food or play games with us. Since she is more competitive than me she usually wins. Her kindness, intentionality, and patience are something I learn from every day.

Being a parent alongside Whitney has been incredibly fun. Since we’ve had a baby in the house I’ve seen Whitney smile, laugh and have more fun than ever. She is so excited to introduce Callahan to future brothers and sisters. I know it will only grow her heart and continue to fulfill her as our family grows. I personally believed myself to be excellent with kids, but then I saw Whitney, and how she worked to understand things on their level and inspire them to learn and grow. Whitney doesn’t take any small moment for granted with Cal. She makes bath time fun by singing songs, she makes diaper changes entertaining through cute conversation, and she makes sure to read books with silly voices, and she prays over him when she sits down to feed him. I am amazed at her abilities as a caretaker. She would tell you that her husband is the patient, kind, and silly one, but I would tell you that I have learned how to deepen my patience, kindness, and general silliness by watching her. Whitney is a dedicated, hardworking, humble, and passionate soul with so much love to give. It is an honor to live life alongside her.

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About Callahan

While he is constantly changing and growing, we would describe Cal as a curious and content child. He loves Mom’s voice, Dad’s kisses, and when the dogs come around to play. He lights up when we read stories to him, and is captivated when we use sign language with him. He is happy to play by himself but loves when we join in. He already thinks farts are funny, which of course makes us all laugh. Callahan is an absolute joy and we so look forward to him having a sibling, and best-friend for life!

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Adoption in our Lives

Whitney’s two younger brothers were adopted internationally as older children and we both have aunts who were also adopted. We are surrounded by people who are familiar with the adoption process and are walking in support of us each step of the way. We have included pictures from the re-adoption ceremonies of each of Whitney’s brothers because we believe they are powerful examples of the people in our lives who are in support of adoption (and our family). We know firsthand and believe firmly that family are the people you choose, and should you choose us to be the parents for your child, you too will always be considered a very special part of our family.

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Our Home and Neighborhood

We live in a beautiful two-story single-family home. It is a five-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom home, and our bedroom is right across the hall from the nursery. Its character is warm and comforting. We enjoy spending time together completing house projects (i.e. Michael built a beautiful custom reading bench). We have a privately fenced backyard that will fit a play set so quaintly one day, and an elaborate fruit garden which is Whitney’s labor of love. Our home is down the block from the elementary school and the neighborhood is delightfully walkable.

The area we live in is stunning (as is all of Washington state). We get all four seasons here, so there is always something new to do. In the Spring and Summer, we get to walk, hike, kayak, go to the local farmer’s markets, and community events the city hosts. In the Autumn we often visit the apple orchards and sunflower fields in the area. The local pumpkin patch makes fresh pumpkin donuts in the fall which are something we always look forward to. In the Winter we get tons of snow. There is a perfect sledding hill nearby that we frequent in the winter with Whitney’s brothers and then promptly hop in the hot tub with our hot chocolate. The city where we live is full of life. There is always something exciting to do. It is rich in diversity, art, and community. There are concerts, sporting events, comedy shows, and festivals year-round. We feel blessed to have grown up in an area that has so much to offer, and we cannot wait to give our children the same experiences.

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Our Lifestyle

During the week we wake up together and get ready for our day. Michael enjoys sitting in front of the fireplace with a cup of coffee and getting some cuddle time with Callahan and the dogs before work. Dinner as a family is one of our favorite things so it is something that we try to prioritize as often as we can, as we love this opportunity to catch up with one another. Then we settle into the rest of our nighttime routine which may include card games, a TV show, a walk, or a bedtime-story marathon. We like to switch up the activity of the day. We cannot wait to include Cal and future children on our weekend getaways around the Pacific Northwest, there is so much beauty here and we hope to pass on our love of exploring. Our lifestyle tends to change with the seasons, which keeps things fun and interesting as there is always something new to do.

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Our Traditions

We love celebrating all things big and small, honestly any excuse for us to spend time with the people that we love, we jump at the opportunity. We do holiday bake days with the family Whitney nannied for and love the joyous chaos of baking ten different cookies while bouncing babies on our hips. Our families technically switch on and off years for Thanksgiving and Christmas, though we often see both families and even tend to combine celebrations. Whitney’s mother and grandmother come over every year and help her decorate the tree, it’s time they cherish. We attend a candle-lit Christmas Eve service and on Christmas morning the story of Christ’s birth is read before any presents are opened. Games are typically played at family gatherings, card games being the crowd favorite. We do monthly dinners with our families, our parents love to get together with each other and often the grandparents come along, and the theme changes (i.e., pizza night, taco bar, homemade pasta), it is one big party.

We celebrate Whitney’s brother’s “Gotcha Day” every year. We do a special meal with the whole family, talk about their adoption, tell stories, and express our gratitude that they are a part of our family. Another tradition is that Whitney’s family is involved in a youth summer camp. She attended from the time she was a small child and is now the co-director. Her Dad and brothers are counselors, and it is their favorite part of summer. We feel lucky to have every season filled with traditions, and we cannot wait to include your child in them.

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Our Sweet Pups

We have two four-year-old male German Shepard “puppies”. Scout and Sayler. We love the German Shepard breed because while they are energetic and playful, they are also intuitive and deeply loyal. While they are large dogs, we have no concerns about their ability to interact safely with children of any age. We have trained them for just that since the day we got them. Scout enjoys cuddling up to Cal while we play or read books, and Sayler greets him excitedly and then goes to play by himself. They both bring Callahan toys to throw, not realizing he is still too little, it is very funny. It has been so fun to watch Scout and Sayler interact with all the children in our lives. They truly enjoy having these little friends around. Our puppies keep us active and entertained. We love having the dogs in the house, as we both grew up with dogs. We are looking forward to having them around as our children grow.

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Our Family

We are lucky to have our families so involved in our lives. Both sets of our parents are still married, going on thirty years plus. Our home is within five minutes of all of our siblings, parents, and remaining grandparents. They have been an amazing “village” for us as and our family and have expressed excitement about continuing to support our family as it grows. Whitney has three younger brothers. Two of her brothers are Deaf, due to this we are both fluent in American Sign Language, as will your child be. Whitney’s parents are mentors and encourage to us, and we feel lucky to consider them our friends.

Michael has one older brother, and he is married. We are also close to Michael’s parents. They are deeply supportive of us and are “drop everything to help” kind of people. We are blessed to be able to see extended family regularly and participate in a family reunion with each side annually. Our immediate families do monthly dinners all together and it is so much fun. Our family members are part of our childcare plan. Michael’s dad is about to retire and is eager to begin his role as our “nanny”, and both our moms are teachers and are excited to help during the school breaks. Our family’s support and participation are a blessing to us, and they constantly impress us in their roles as Grandparents/Aunts/Uncles. We cannot wait to watch them grow even further in these roles as they embrace your child as part of the family.

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Our Friends

We have several couples whom we consider our closest friends, our support system, and our “backyard BBQ crew” and we are lucky to live within ten minutes of all of them. They are the people we call to play games, help with house projects, run errands, or go on walks with. We get to celebrate holidays with them, and go to fun events around town. They are the people we celebrate our successes and grieve our failures with. They are Callahan’s “Aunties/Uncles” and it has been so fun to watch as they have eagerly embraced him, calling “dibs” on who gets to play with him next at gatherings, checking in to ask when they can next see us all, and attending first aid/CPR classes so that they can be the on call babysitters. We are blessed to have this network of friends so regularly involved in our lives, and we know that your child will be blessed by them too.

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Our Faith

We were both raised in Christian homes. Michael was raised in a more traditional church and Whitney was raised in a more nondenominational church (think hymn books versus full worship band). We also both have catholic influences from our families. Michael received a degree in Ministerial Leadership and spent several years as an intern at a church, and while he does not currently work in a ministry role, we believe that ministry can be anything that you involve the Lord in. The church we currently attend has a darling children’s ministry, and we look forward to raising your child in this community because we know they will learn that they are beautifully and wonderfully made and deeply loved. We will strive to parent within the same love, comfort and grace that God has given to us.

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Racial and Cultural Diversity

In our dreams of adopting a child there was never a race or gender associated. We are both ethnically mixed European, and the traditions, stories, and cultural influences that come from our families enrich our lives. We want that for your child as well. We desire to help them understand their ancestry and value what makes them diverse. We recognize that we will need to involve outside influences to assist us in doing this. We are committed to educating ourselves and engaging in meaningful relationships with individuals who share the same racial backgrounds as our children. We feel confident that we can do this well as we have participated in and watched as Whitney’s family has learned about and celebrated their adopted children’s ethnic and cultural diversity in an intentional and respectful way. Deaf culture is also something we have integrated into our lives, and this has taught us how to be a part of a culture that is not inherently our own. This is a topic we find vitally important, and we are committed to being intentional stewards of this responsibility.

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Letters from Family & Friends

Dear Expectant Mother, Two years ago we had the unexpected pleasure of having Whitney as our nanny. From our first impression during the interview, I knew Whitney was truly special. She was honest and straightforward in her word with such an open heart. It was clear she was extremely hard working and choosing to nanny purely for her love of children as she pursued her nursing degree. Caring for our children and growing to become a part of our family over the past two and half years, we have been blessed to know both Whitney and Michael. On numerous occasions, through the challenges of toddler years, I have called on Whitney to help support our children. She has prayed with my daughter to help her sleep and feel safe, only to call the next morning and check on our progress. She has helped my son through the digestive struggles of infancy as he had colic. She has been a core of our sanity and happiness as we juggle the constantly changing dynamic of two beautiful growing children. On special occasions, Michael had availability and would come play or help nanny the children. Without compensation, he has such an honest love for children and would play “princess dress up tea party,” without complaint and with true interest. They have joined us for birthdays, graduations, holiday baking and countless life celebrations – all out of personal love for our kids. I know they will bring this same love and commitment to your child! – Katrina (Former employer/Family Friend)

Hello! My name is Josiah, I’m Whitney’s younger brother. My brother Cam and I were adopted from China. Whitney and Michael support and love us unconditionally. They are always there to help us when we need help. Cam and I are Deaf and use American Sign Language to communicate, and Michael and Whitney have both learned sign language which means a lot to us that they communicate with us in our own language. They are kind and teach us new things like how to bake. They celebrate holidays with us and invite us to dinners. They even help us celebrate our culture, like when we celebrate Chinese New Year, Michael and Whitney come to celebrate too. They are involved in our lives and get to know our friends. For instance, Whitney helped my homecoming date get ready with hair and makeup. They are a great couple who will love your baby SO much. I know they will do all these things and more for your baby as they have done for us. They are our family even though we are not related by blood, they are everything a family should be… supportive, loving, kind, fun, good communicators, they show up and they are intentional. We’re very blessed to be family and your baby will be blessed by them as family too. Sincerely, -Josiah (Brother)

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Our Passions and Careers

Whitney is a Nurse and a part-time Soldier (Army Reserves). She finds these careers to be very rewarding and challenging in the most fun way. She loves getting to spend time with her patients, and she brags that they share the best stories. She works in shifts at her nursing job, which allows her to spend more days at home. While she is almost finished with her military career, in an effort to be as present as possible for Callahan and your child, she is grateful for its influence. You may also find her reading, practicing embroidery (because if we are being honest, she needs the practice), or baking, she makes the most scrumptious homemade pies (our favorite being strawberry-rhubarb, which we get from our garden).

Michael loves to work with his hands and challenge himself. His previous career and current passion is carpentry. Currently, Michael works in telecommunications and internet. Michael loves to learn and strives to be a life-long learner when it comes to both his career and hobbies. Michael loves to chase new experiences and challenge himself in various house projects, or just simple strategy games at the table (the one that he built of course). You will often find him spending time outdoors kayaking new lakes, pretending to know how to fish, hiking various trails, or hammocking in the backyard. He loves animals and enjoys exploring the outdoors. Lately, his greatest joy has been fatherhood, as it has been his dream since he was a young man. We are eager to share our passions with our children, and help them to discover what their own hobbies and interests might be.

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Our Promise to You

You have our word that we will raise your baby in a home that is full of warmth and unconditional love. We promise to tell them about you. We promise to dedicate ourselves to giving your baby everything they need to grow to be a joy-filled and successful individual. We promise to teach them about Jesus and help them pursue the life that God has set before them. We promise to use our words to speak life and love into their lives, and we promise to use our actions to develop trust and stability. We promise to live every day with deep gratitude for the blessing you have given us through adoption.