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Nickname: Mike and Mel

Married Since: 2019

Pets: Yes

Stay at Home Parent: Yes

Other Adopted Children at Home: No

Other Biological Children at Home: No

We are a joy-filled couple who loves life! We are both nervous and excited to begin this journey, but know that there is a child God wants us to love as we have been loved by Him.

Mike and Melanie

from Pennsylvania

 

Mike

Ancestry: American

Religion: Catholic

Occupation: Finance

Education: Masters in Business

Hobbies: Golfing, playing guitar, and BBQing

Melanie

Ancestry: Panamanian/American

Religion: Catholic

Occupation: Volunteer Youth Minister

Education: Masters in Education

Hobbies: DIY home projects, gardening, and working out

Baby

Preferred Ethnicity of Baby: All Races / Ethnicities

Preferred Gender of Baby: Either

Religion Child To Be Raised: Catholic

Favorites

Mike

Dream job is to work on a golf course and play for free every day
Played lots of sports growing up - football, basketball, baseball, track, wrestling, tennis
In Little League Baseball Hall of Fame
Favorite author is Brandon Sanderson
Huge Penn State football fan! Attend as many games as possible
Loves Italian food - it is the best food and no one will convince me otherwise!
Self-proclaimed BBQ pit master - loves to smoke meat on the smoker - often for the entire extended family!

Melanie

Been to over 25 countries
Lived in 4 different countries and has dual citizenship
Has a radio podcast in Harrisburg, PA
Loves to workout
Loves to decorate for different holiday seasons and loves interior design
Loves to cook, and learning how to make Italian dishes!
Plays guitar and flute, and sings
Enjoys painting and is an aspiring water color artist, while still not very good (Mike disagrees!)
Played soccer and tennis in college
Smiling couple standing on a brick path in a park, with a red brick campus building and clock tower behind them.
Smiling couple standing arm-in-arm on a balcony with a campus skyline, trees, and a blue sky in the background.
Smiling man and woman take a sunny selfie in a grassy meadow with pine trees and a mountain peak in the background.
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From Us to You

We are so grateful that you are taking the time to review our profile! We hope it gives an honest look into our lives and who we are. While we can never fully understand your story, we are grateful for the opportunity to get to know you and deeply respect the path that has brought you here. Whoever you are, know that we have been praying for both you and your baby well before this moment, and will continue to do so after adoption.

As it relates to our future relationship, we are genuinely open to whatever is best for the child and you, the birth mother.  We’re certainly not experts in the “perfect” approach, but we’re committed to learning and approaching our relationship with openness, respect, and care as it grows over time. We plan to be open with your future child about their adoption story from the very beginning and will always speak openly and positively about you throughout their life. We hope to instill a sense of love and security in your child – through our love as parents – as well as build an understanding of how this decision was made in courageous love by you.  We recognize the difficulty of your decision, and we will honor it as best we can – by loving your child with all that we have!

We have been blessed in so many ways, but one burden we have carried is that of infertility for 6+ years. During that time, we have grown so much closer as a couple – our marriage is truly a joy to both of us. We just can’t help but want to share that joy and love with children of our own! Your child would live in a peaceful home with love, laughter, and commitment that will last a lifetime (and hopefully, siblings, as time goes on). 

With love,
Mike and Melanie

Bride in a white gown holds a white-flower bouquet and smiles beside her groom at the church altar.
Smiling couple taking a selfie by a calm lake at sunset.
Smiling couple posing outdoors with a medieval castle in the cloudy background and bare vines in the foreground.
Smiling couple in red outfits posing in a church sanctuary decorated with poinsettias and Christmas trees.
Smiling couple in jackets pose on a hillside with a yellow church and tall spire behind them in a valley village on a cloudy day.
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Why We Are Choosing to Adopt

We feel very convicted in expanding and growing our family after a lot of prayer and waiting. While dating we both discovered that we had a shared dream of adopting children one day. It has always been something on our hearts, but we did not know the timing until recently. We are both Christians and believe that God adopted us as His son and daughter – and we feel called to do everything we can to love your baby as we have been loved by Him.

Our Faith

Our faith is foundational to who we are and therefore, how we live our lives. We have great conviction that the love that Jesus has for us is real, and we respond joyfully to His love by loving in return. We live it very actively in the community as we attend church every Sunday, lead the Youth Ministry, and both volunteer at retreats where we preach the Gospel to various groups of people.

Smiling couple sitting on mossy rocks in a bare-wooded forest, embracing outdoors in winter.
Two friends on a sofa: one man strums an acoustic guitar while a woman reads from a note nearby in a cozy living room setting.
Smiling couple taking a selfie on a grassy golf course beside a pond and wooden bridge.
Smiling couple taking a selfie outdoors on a hillside with a wide valley and cloudy sky in the background.
Smiling couple wearing sunglasses stands arm-in-arm in front of a large scoreboard at a Women's US Open event.
Smiling couple posing on a golf course green with clubs, a water feature, and a clubhouse in the distance on a sunny day.
Two riders in helmets ride white and brown horses along a sandy beach with waves in the background.
Smiling man and woman taking a selfie in a football stadium with a large red-clad crowd and a green field ahead.
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Lifestyle

To be honest, our life may seem pretty simple to the outsider. However, it is in embracing the simplicity of our day-to-day life that we have found so much joy and even adventure! Mike has a successful career in finance and though he works very hard, a priority for us is family dinner and time spent together in the evenings. Melanie will be a stay-at-home mom and currently fills her time with gardening and many volunteer activities. Her greatest joy is being the youth leader at our church. We enjoy getting outside as much as we can, hence we are a big golf and ski family. When we’re not golfing or skiing we love volunteering at our church and leading worship together, singing, playing guitar (we are big music people!!), taking care of our fox red Labrador, Tebow, traveling to both near and far locations, and being outdoors in general.

We know your baby will not have a lack of friends! We have a close-knit, large extended family and we see one another often.  The sense of community is strong, and the whole crew cannot wait to welcome your little one with open arms and surround them with love!  Your child will be cousin number 29, so they will have 28 other cousins of all ages!

Fun Facts About Us

  • We are Italian and Hispanic.
  • We are both musically inclined—we love singing and play multiple instruments together.
  • We are silly and absolutely love to laugh. In fact, we often laugh about how much we laugh in our life!
  • We love to have deep conversations and really value genuine relationships. We are not surface-level people and have been accused of oversharing once or twice!
  • We’re both athletic, love sports, and are hyper-competitive, particularly with one another. 🙂
  • We love coffee (especially a quiet morning together).
  • We love to be cozy and wind down with a funny show at the end of the day.
Woman smiling at the camera outdoors, with a rocky river and dense forest in the background, wearing a light gray hoodie and a purple crossbody bag.
Smiling woman in a gray striped dress with a brown crossbody bag standing on a brick sidewalk along a tree-lined, historic street with houses nearby.
Smiling woman with glasses sits on a deck by a lake, playing an acoustic guitar with forested hills in the background.
Young woman smiles while cuddling a brown dog on the couch near a notebook by a sunny window and a large green plant behind them.
Woman wearing glasses smiles at a baby in a gray fluffy bear costume indoors, with a bookshelf and plants in the background.
Smiling woman in a light jacket at a mountain overlook with blue sky and rugged peaks behind her.
Smiling woman in a floral dress stands by a railing along the river, with a city skyline and bridge in the background.
Two women in a recording studio smiling behind large broadcast microphones.
Woman with glasses smiling while holding a newborn in a pink outfit on a gray couch.
Woman hiking on a dirt trail in a mountain meadow, wearing a black tank top, magenta leggings and running shoes, smiling at the camera with mountains in the background.
Smiling woman on a blue cushion lifts a laughing young girl in a pink floral outfit in a sunny outdoor patio under a thatched roof.
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About Melanie by Mike

I married Melanie because she is the best person I have ever met. She has the gentlest and kindest soul you will ever find. She has an uncanny ability to “sense” when something is wrong within someone – often before the person even knows something is off. It is why she is the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for – she’s caring, loving, loyal, trustworthy, and committed. I’ve seen her interact with so many little ones – as we’ve mentioned, we have a huge extended family – and it’s incredible how the kids gravitate towards her. I think they can tell that she has such a loving heart and that they can trust her, so they want to be close to her. I’ve also had the pleasure of watching as she leads our church’s youth group. You’d think she was a celebrity the way all the kids gather around her – she has a beautiful maternal love for them. I can’t wait to see her as a mom, she is amazing!

Smiling man in a patterned white shirt and orange shorts stands beside a white golf-sign at a sunny course. Text on sign mentions two of the world’s best golf holes.
Man by a lake proudly hold up a largemouth bass he just caught, fishing rod visible in the foreground.
Man with an acoustic guitar, wide-eyed and surprised, sitting on a sofa in a living room with plants and a white brick fireplace behind him.
Man on a golf course arms raised with two clubs, celebrating, with a mountain range in the distance.
Man with short hair and beard smiles at camera while sitting at a sunlit cafe. He holds a fork over a plate with a pastry and a bite taken. A cup of coffee sits on the table.
Man in a gray hooded jacket smiling while holding a hot dog at an outdoor market street stall nearby.
Man in a light-blue jacket smiles at the camera on a forest path lined with tall trees.
Man wearing sunglasses smiles while holding a round chocolate confection outdoors.
Man relaxing on a beige sofa with a tablet on his lap, near a large window with greenery outside.
Father lying on a couch, cradling a sleeping newborn against his chest
Smiling man with stubble sits on a couch while a young girl rests asleep against his chest.
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About Mike by Melanie

Mike is the funniest man I know, and that’s what made me fall in love with him. Another thing I love about him is his intensity about things that are good, true, and beautiful, and his moral compass. I love that Mike loves fiercely; something that I find amazing is that he is still friends with people he went to elementary school with; even through their life’s ups and downs, Mike is still a faithful friend. I see that in all relationships – even work relationships – Mike’s faithfulness to the people around him and the people he loves. When Mike is in a room with children, he lights up! He is the first to get down and start playing with all the nieces and nephews, always causing chaos and giggles to ensue, much to the delight of all the children. This summer, we continued our family tradition of going to the beach together, and one moment especially warmed my heart. One morning, as Mike walked by, one of the children pointed and said to the others, “That’s Uncle Mike. He’s my favorite.” That encapsulates what all the kids think of Mike.

Suburban house with a two-car garage, well-kept front yard, and an American flag by the front door; black pickup in the driveway on the left.
Suburban backyard with beige two-story house, wooden deck, lounge chairs, and a stone path through a flower garden on a sunny day.
Couple stands at a kitchen island with bowls of food, smiling at the camera in a bright living room.
Smiling woman in a gray T-shirt stands barefoot on a lawn, pruning a shrub with shears beside a white fence and patio umbrella.
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Our Home

We love our home! We particularly enjoy sitting on our couch in front of our big windows and looking at our backyard. We also thoroughly enjoy our backyard when the weather is nice! Melanie has a beautiful garden that is amazing to look at! Mel has a green thumb!

Our home is filled with music, reading and crafting. We love to play our guitars and sing together. Mel also likes to embroider during the winter and Mike is an avid reader. Melanie also enjoys doing home projects/renovations whenever inspiration strikes! She is constantly considering “process improvements” to make the home more beautiful!

We enjoy all four seasons here, with fall being our favorite. We’re blessed to have a ski mountain just 15 minutes from our house where we enjoy spending time during the winter. In the warmer months, we love to go golfing together. We are also 20 minutes from Hershey, PA, which has lots of fun attractions and cool history. The Appalachian Trail runs right through our town, which is great for hiking, and we’re only 3 hours from the beach.

Bride and groom pose with bridal party in a church, flanked by bridesmaids and groomsmen, plus two young girls in front and a man holding a baby on the left.
Group of Penn State fans, adults and children, posing for a photo at an outdoor tailgate by parked cars and a open trunk behind them.
Group of four adults smiling for a photo at a decorated indoor wedding reception with chandeliers and string lights in the background.
Four friends posing and smiling on a metal viewing platform with a mountain range in the background under a clear blue sky.
Four musicians perform on an outdoor dock by a lake, with guitars, keyboard, and microphones visible under a sunny sky.
Group of wedding guests in formal attire posing on church steps with a central crucifix behind them, including many children in pastel dresses and adults in suits and gowns.
Four adults posing for a photo on the deck of a river ferry, with water on the left and industrial buildings in the background.
Group portrait of six people: an elderly woman center, flanked by two couples and a toddler, smiling in a bright living room.
Smiling woman with four young girls in colorful dresses, posed together on red chairs in a cozy lounge.
Three adults stand in a damp, rural area looking through binoculars at the distance, with a windmill and fields in the background.
Three friends in ski gear pose for a selfie on a snowy day, wearing helmets and goggles with a forest background at sunset.
Dad sitting on a brown leather chair with his three young children in a living room, smiling at the camera.
Dad is hugged by four smiling children on a dark leather couch, sharing a cozy family moment.
Smiling couple holds a newborn baby indoors near a staircase.
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Our Family

We have a big extended family of 28 cousins and counting! We both grew up in larger families, as Mike is the 5th of 6 children, and Melanie is the 2nd of 4. We also have a large church community of friends with young children. Most of the family is local and we are all close / involved in each other’s lives. Mike’s sister and her family live in the same neighborhood, and Melanie’s sister and family is just a few minutes down the road.

The community we’ve been blessed with is tight knit and supportive, and we have quite a few friends and some family who either 1) adopted children or 2) were adopted themselves.

Though Melanie’s parents live farther away, we still try to see them a few times a year and Facetime them often.

Group of students posing together in a school hallway, smiling at the camera with posters on the wall behind them.
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Racial & Cultural Diversity

We’re open to any and all races and ethnicities. We will love your child as our own! Melanie is Hispanic (from Panama), and her sister married a Panamanian man; they speak Spanish and live 10 minutes down the road. We’ve both been blessed to travel the world and be exposed to many different cultures – we’re open books who are always ready to grow and learn new things. Melanie has also lived in multiple countries (4) with an array of exposure to different cultures.

Above all else, our commitment is that we will love and teach your child who they are on the deepest of levels: an individual, made in the image of God, who is infinitely loved and infinitely unique!

Young girl standing indoors offers a green ball to a brown dog lying on a blue rug near a sofa.
Brown dog standing on a leaf-strewn asphalt driveway with a white bone chew in its mouth.
Brown dog lying on its back on a gray couch, looking at the camera with a relaxed expression and a white pillow nearby
Man reclining on a light gray sofa, smiling, with a large brown dog resting at the edge of the couch in a living room.
Young child hugs a large brown dog on a patterned rug indoors, with a red ring toy nearby.
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Our Pets

We have a Labrador named Tebow. He is an absolute teddy bear! He is amazing with kids and babies alike. He is incredibly patient and gentle with children and has always been calm and loving around little ones. He loves to snuggle (on his own terms) and can always be found at someone’s feet (he will follow you around the house all day long!). He’s a great companion!

Family group photo in a bright living room: many children sit on a dark blue sectional while a man on a stool claps nearby.
Smiling family and friends gathered around a kitchen island for a holiday meal, with a Christmas tree in the background.
Smiling woman and toddler on a wicker outdoor couch with a blue sky and white railing behind them.
Father smiling with two young daughters in white dresses at a wedding reception, girl hugging him from the side and another on his lap."
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Traditions

Each year, we go with Mike’s side of the family to the beach. Mike has 5 siblings with children, plus his parents, so it is a big crew! We get a house with 13+ bedrooms on the beach and get all 40ish of us together each year; it is a blast!

We also always go see Melanie’s family for either Christmas or Thanksgiving. Melanie’s parents retired to rural Alabama on land with a lake, fishing, chickens, a huge garden with lots of vegetables and flowers, four wheelers, and tons of other fun to be had.

Each year, we also sing a silly song while decorating for Christmas, which is a small thing, but a lot of fun! It officially “starts” the Christmas season in our home. We have an advent wreath that we light each week as we get closer to Christmas. Melanie also makes Christmas cookies each year for basically everyone we know!

We can’t wait to include our own little one in our family traditions, as well as make new ones as a family!

Couple walking barefoot on the beach, holding hands and smiling as waves wash in.
Smiling couple stands arm in arm on the National Mall with the Washington Monument in the background.
Couple kissing on a sandy beach at sunset with the ocean in the background.
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Our Promise to You

We promise your child will be raised in a home that is secure, safe, consistent and full of love; our greatest tool being love. It will be our greatest honor to journey with your child, to teach them and to discover with them all their wonderful gifts and talents. The St. Joan of Arc quote “I will not be afraid… I was born for this” is our family M.O. We very much believe in not allowing fear to rule our hearts, our relationships, or our outlook on life. We are not afraid of diving into one another’s hardships, disappointments, pain and emotions because we know the fear of these things is what keeps us distant and isolated. Is it hard? SURE! but we have discovered the things most worth pursuing are never easy. Plus the joy and peace that comes after diving into and working through these tender places is palpable. We also deeply believe we were made for this moment in time as are you and your baby. Your baby will know the amazing gift they have been given -the gift of their life in this particular place and time. They will learn how to be a compassionate, kind, loving, persevering, and generous person.

Thank You

We are so grateful that you are considering us and we promise, from the bottom of our hearts, to love your child with all that we have and are. As it relates to an open adoption, we want to honor the amount of openness with which you’re comfortable. Know that we are praying for you and your little one! Thank you for taking the time to review our profile; we hope it gave you an honest account of our lives and who we are. We’re so grateful that you are considering us; God bless you!

From Us to You Why We Are Choosing to Adopt Lifestyle About Melanie by Mike About Mike by Melanie Our Home Our Family Racial & Cultural Diversity Our Pets Traditions Our Promise to You

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  • Hi, We are honored that you are considering us! Our adoption specialist at Adoption Network, will be reaching out to make sure your needs are being met and your questions about adoption are being answered. She will help us get in touch with each other. We can’t wait to connect with you!

Contact Mike and Melanie

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Hi, We are honored that you are considering Adoption Network! Mary, or one of our other adoption specialists will be reaching out to make sure your needs are being met and your questions about adoption are being answered. She will help us get in touch with each other. We can’t wait to connect with you!

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