Hello! We are Lauren and Michael from Seattle, Washington along with our 3-year-old son, Samuel (Sam). Thank you. We will never be able to understand the feelings you have as you make this choice for you and your child. We do understand the love for a child and the inherent nature to protect them and provide them with an amazing life. We promise you to always love, support and celebrate that child, while fostering their growth as their unique selves. We appreciate you taking the time to learn more about us, Sam and our lives.

When we met we both knew we wanted children. We are fortunate to have our son Sam but have felt some one was missing from our family. We have tried to have another child but have not been able to due to fertility issues. This has made us realize that who that child is, is more important than how they entered this world. We are excited to expand our family and share our love with another child through adoption.

We met the way many modern couples do - on a dating app. We had both read the same book which gave us an easy connection from the start.

As we got to know each other, we bonded over our shared interest in renovating our homes. Lauren appreciated that Michael knew how to fix things, and that he genuinely enjoyed mowing the yard.

Communication has been a cornerstone of our marriage. Over the years, we’ve navigated big moves, career changes, ongoing home renovations, and the challenges and joys of raising a child. Sam has been one of our greatest accomplishments.

I grew up in Ohio with my two sisters and my parents. My mom provided in home daycare so there was always kids to play with. We spent summers outside and in the pool. Winter was for skiing and snowboarding.

I attended the University of Cincinnati for both college and medical school. My general surgery residency then took me to Michigan, where I met my husband, Michael. From there, we moved to Portland, Oregon for additional training.

We absolutely loved living in the Pacific Northwest. I was excited by the idea of building a life there and spending our free time enjoying the mountains, hiking, and everything the region has to offer. Eventually, we moved to Seattle for my job, where I now work as a surgeon. I’ve been very fortunate to have an amazing career where I get to help people every day and really cherish the relationships I have formed with my patients. My other great accomplishment in life has been our family. Watching Sam grow and develop his own personality adds joy to my life every day.

Lauren is serious, focused, and hardworking, but many years ago I saw Lauren light up and act silly when she was playing with a friend's child. I was surprised, but since then she has had the same excitement and joy around children that she showed that day.

Lauren has a huge heart, and always puts others before herself, and has never taken the easy road. I have seen her time after time put her patients' health and emotional needs first, and this is what makes her a great physician.

I didn’t know Lauren was a surgeon until we were into our first date, and her achievements are something I might have felt a little intimidated by, except for the fact that she is so humble and down to earth. She is an easy going and approachable person, not what you might expect from a surgeon.

I grew up in Michigan and had a great childhood. Most of my summers were spent playing on the beaches of Lake Michigan. Family always came first and friends were always around.

Unlike my wife, I wasn’t a straight A student, and didn’t love school, but I was very active in clubs and other extracurricular activities. It sounds corny now, but I was elected class president and I thought it was really fun and was very proud of it at the time.

After college I worked a corporate job in sales and loved talking to all different kinds of people, but grew tired of having to push a sale. After years of that I did a 180 degree turn and started my own construction and remodeling business and I am so happy doing that every day. I still get to be social and talk with lots of people, but I don’t have to sell anything. Clients tell me I stand out amongst contractors for my honesty and the care I put into peoples’ homes.

Michael is one of the most reliable and hardworking people you will meet. He is also very talented at his job. He literally can rebuild a house. When we first met, we bonded over the fact that we were both renovating our homes at the time. He has since taken over the renovation duties and has created a career in it. He has an impressive ability to watch a video and teach himself a new skill - from building a table to tiling a shower to designing a rain garden. He even built his own wooden boat that we enjoyed for years.

I knew he would make a wonderful parent when we got Bea, our dog. From the start, he held her like a baby, and he still does to this day. In fact she won’t let anyone else hold her that way. As a father Michael is very patient. He has many tricks to get Sam to brush his teeth or get dressed. I love watching them work on projects together, play in the yard and tell stories at bedtime.

We have one biological son Samuel (Sam). He is 3 years old and loves trains, building, table stuff (aka crafts) and his teddy bear, Teddy. While he is a bit cautious he is very curious and loves to explore outside. Sam loves to help mom and dad with things like baking, watering plants and mowing the lawn. He has spent lots of time with kids of all ages at daycare and loves the little ones. He is excited to have a sibling to teach them how to build a big train track.

Another important family member is our dog Bea. She is a 5-year-old Golden Retriever and she is the definition of her breed - a great family dog. She loves people especially kids, is very treat motivated and ball is life - she will play fetch all day if we let her. She was so excited when Sam came home that we are sure her happiness will infinitely grow with another child in the home.

Michael enjoys doing landscaping projects, and some people know him in the neighborhood as the “grass dad” as he’s frequently pulling weeds in the yard and watering the lawn. If there was an award for the nicest lawn in our neighborhood Michael might win, or at least be an honorable mention. If it’s not the grass Michael is working on then it’s something DIY related: woodworking, metalworking, automotive or general home maintenance/remodeling. He has always enjoyed fishing and is especially excited for the day Sam is old enough for the two of them to go together.

Gardening has always been an interest of Lauren’s, and she always enjoys a trip to our local garden center. The only problem is finding space for all the plants. We are hoping our lemon tree fruits this year so we can use the lemons for a lemon tart. A few of our plants are over 10 years old and have moved with us around the country. Lauren also enjoys baking. While still very much a novice, she likes that baking is structured like science — and usually very delicious. Fortunately, healthcare workers love treats, so there is always an eager group ready to test the baked goods.

Together we enjoy taking day/weekend trips around Seattle and exploring the state of Washington. Lauren is always looking up local events we can attend as a family.

Our home in Seattle has been a labor of love. Michael has spent the last few years lovingly renovating our home from the inside out. Our street used to be part of an orchard which means things are a bit more spread out as compared to other areas of the city. You will often find us during nice weather out in our alley that has been turned into a green space by Michael and our neighbor. It makes for a great area for Sam and Bea to play and there is always a neighbor walking by and stopping for a chat.

We are very close to Puget Sound. One of our absolute favorite things to do is go to the beach especially at low tide, exploring tide pools and collecting shells and stones. Many of our friends are in our neighborhood and the kids love going to the beach and parks together.

Sam is currently in daycare and will be starting preschool in the fall. The preschool is in our neighborhood and when he goes to elementary school he will be able to continue aftercare at the same place.

Lauren is one of three girls - there was a lot of hair in the house when growing up. While we had our standard fights and challenges when younger, her sisters are some of the most important people in her life. Her sisters are in Chicago and Cleveland and each have a son and daughter. Sam loves getting to spend time with his cousins. Each summer everyone goes back to Grandma’s house in Ohio for swimming, cookouts and catching fireflies - there really isn’t anything better than a Midwest summer.

Michael has two older sisters who live in Michigan, along with Grandpa and Grandma (Berta as Sam calls her). He has five nieces and nephews who are in college and high school. Michael and Sam go back to Michigan in the summers and spend time at Berta’s lake cottage and Grandpa’s house on Lake Michigan.

While we often have other trips home or family coming to visit throughout the year we also stay connected with weekly FaceTime calls.

We also have a nanny Khaddouj aka Dija, she has been caring for Sam since he was a baby. While her title is nanny she has truly become a part of our family and a bonus grandparent to Sam.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us. We hope to learn more about you. We will never fully understand the journey you have been on but we can promise to support you and most importantly this child. We promise to support them and cheer them on through all the seasons of life. We promise to provide them with a safe and adventurous childhood, with an amazing big brother. We promise to ensure they know and love their mom (you) and share their milestones and the everyday accomplishments with you if you’re open to it. Lastly, we promise to love them unconditionally and honor the love you have for them.