Our names are Bonnie & Bryan from Washington State. We are so excited to spend some time with you today! So much goes into this process and we want to offer our support in your journey. Please get to know us today so that you know that we truly mean it when we say, you are empowered in your choice as mother to your child and we support you in that wholeheartedly. We are excited that our book has sparked an interest for you. We have been together for four years and married for a year and a half. When we got married, we walked each other down the aisle, partners from the start.

The conversation flowed, Bonnie is chatty and Bryan is an excellent listener. It felt like we’d always known each other. We both love to take road trips, explore new hobbies, and relax with a good movie. Our mutual sense of humor sort of sealed the deal. We brought a balance to each other.

One of our favorite things to say to each other is “I like you and I love you”. Our friendship and our love grows every day. We work on projects together, relax at home, or hop into the truck to find new adventures. We managed to remodel our entire condo without a single fight. It hasn’t all been easy though. Our journey into parenting has taken us through some difficult times. Even in the worst moments though, we are partners. We end each day sharing the things we love about each other.

Bonnie is the kindest and most caring person I know – she has rescued baby birds that fell from their nest, and even has a (small) amount of concern for spiders that invade our home. She always tries to make sure they end up outside alive and well. She has a great sense of humor and keeps both of us laughing a lot with silly faces or goofy made-up songs. Bonnie is always willing to try new things and go new places but is also content with being home and relaxing with a book or a movie.

Bonnie has been excited about having kids since the day we met. She loves to spend time with our niece and nephew, and loves teaching because it allows her to help kids learn and grow. There is no doubt that Bonnie will love and nurture our child into a bright and wonderful adult.
Bonnie teaches History for an online high school. She has a flexible schedule with holidays, weekends, and summers off. One of her co-workers is also a new mom and they have scheduled their classes to be able to provide daycare for each other when needed.

Bryan is creative and loves to learn. He works as a network engineer but is much more himself when he is working with his hands. Quiet at first, he comes off as shy, but he’s self-assured. He listens so that he can learn about everyone around him. He has a great memory for the details. He gets involved when he feels strongly about something, always interested in open discussions. He has an imaginative mind. He will wake up before the sun just to capture a unique sunrise. Then he will dive into research to find new projects to begin with leather working, woodworking, or photography.

When Bryan talks about parenting, he gets excited to share his sense of curiosity and love of learning with our child. He gets excited about knowing who they want to be and helping them achieve their goals.

Bryan is a network engineer, or in his words, a digital plumber. He keeps all of the computers talking to each other. He works early in the day so he can enjoy evenings with the family.

We live in Southwest Washington. Our home is in a quiet neighborhood with lots of families around. Our three-bedroom home is a comforting place, with lots of corners to curl up and read or watch a show. We also have a big hobby room upstairs and shop set up in the garage. We have a big back yard, with a garden, lots of trees and plants, as well as open space. Our dog Lily loves to wander through and sniff after the squirrels and birds. There are a few parks near us too. We take Lily there on our daily walks.

Both of our families live within about fifteen minutes of us, so we spend time with them quite often. On the weekends we spend time at our condo up near Mt. Hood in Oregon. We love to explore the mountains, deserts, beaches and forests all around us.

Our parents are looking forward to having a new grandchild! Bryan’s mother is a nurse, Bonnie’s mother teaches elementary school, and her stepmom teaches preschool. We feel grateful to have their support in this new journey. Our dads are quiet guys, but between them they can fix almost anything, or know who to call. Bonnie’s grandparents are also a big part of our lives we see them several times a month. Several of our siblings live nearby. Our niece and nephew are excited to have a cousin close by soon. Bonnie’s cousins also live nearby and family events get larger every year as our family grows.

We firmly believe that family extends to the people we choose. We have an amazing group of close friends that are very important to us. Several of our friends have young children and new babies. They have been so supportive throughout our journey towards becoming parents. They are happy to share the truth behind parenting.

Life has taught us that people deserve to be heard. This especially extends to the children in our lives. So much of what we hope for our child comes from the love and attention we give them. Our goal is to encourage and support them in their interests and to stand with them as they face their challenges. We hope to teach them problem solving and creative thinking so that when they struggle they have the tools to stand back up and move forward. We hope to teach them kindness and the value of empathy. We hope to teach them that the world is a place of possibility when they invest in hard work and persistence.

When we adopt we want our child to know their first family. To have a lasting connection to them that is lifelong. Our goal is to incorporate their first family into the fabric of their story from the very beginning so that they always know how much they have been loved by all the people who have brought them to us.

There is so much love in this process that you are going through. The love you have for your child shows in every step. We want you to know, as you plan and prepare for whatever choice you make, we care about your heart in this time. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. In a time where you are making decisions about your child, we want you to know that you have our support. Thank you for taking the time to learn about us as part of your exploration into adoption.

It’s strange how you can connect with someone this way. Words on a page, but so much more than that. You’ve had a chance to explore our pictures and read our words, but there is so much more to know. We would love to talk with you about this journey and about any questions you have for us along the way.

With love and kindness,

Bonnie & Bryan