Thank you for reading our profile. We wish to provide you with insight into our family, and we hope you will consider us in making your decision to find the best family and home for your child. Until first grade, Marie’s family lived in a log cabin with a double seater outhouse and heated by wood. With Steve’s dad in the construction industry, his family spent time between Fairbanks, Seattle and eventually settled in Anchorage.

We both left Alaska for college and returned. Steve officially returned with a civil engineering degree, which he translated into authorization to dig ditches, run machines, build big things and avoid paperwork. Marie first returned with an accounting degree where she traveled throughout Alaska - north to Barrow, west to Dillingham and south to Juneau for audits and tax assignments. Once the college bills were paid, Marie undertook law school and returned to Alaska starting a new career adventure.

We understand life as a series of adventures. Parenthood is an adventure we’ve desired for a longtime. In light of genetic caused infertility, we began the journey of adopting a child. It is our wish to adopt a child to join our loving, stable and happy home.

Halloween is Marie’s favorite holiday (and Steve’s since he met Marie on Halloween) because there is no cooking, no cleaning. You dress-up in consume and eat candy! One Halloween, after supervising hundreds of volunteers for a Halloween Trick-or-Treat fundraising event, Marie (dressed as Mickey Mouse) joined friends at a party where Steve had been dragged to by his brother. On the Halloween we met he was dressed like a ghoul, but he didn’t scare Marie.

Three years later, and half-way through Marie’s law school, we decided on a warm, destination wedding in December. We were married on a beach in Kona, Hawaii with a few friends and our families.

I grew-up in Anchorage, Alaska with one brother. We are only 14-months apart and we’ve always been close. We talk, text or email every day since he now lives in Seattle, WA.

Growing up, I learned to play the cello, practicing every day and playing in the symphony. I loved tennis and skiing more than music. After graduating from high school, I headed to college in Spokane, Washington. I graduated with accounting degrees and returned to work in Anchorage. Accounting required travel to remote parts of Alaska that we’d never seen growing up, and with limited exercise options, I learned to love running.

I found the legal part of accounting so fascinating that I decided to attend law school in Salem, Oregon. Now, I focus solely on tax law and thoroughly enjoy my work. I am fortunate to work for a company and be in a position that my schedule is flexible and adoptive parents are provided maternity leave.

Marie can do anything she sets her mind to – she amazes me with her endless energy and endurance. She has a huge heart and goes out of her way to help friends, family, elders, co-workers and even relative strangers whether in need of legal advice or someone to listen. She is always ready to socialize and travel. She will make a wonderful mother and I can’t wait to become a parent with her!

I was officially born in Fairbanks, Alaska but our family moved to Seattle, WA and then settled in Anchorage, Alaska when I was 7 years old. Our household was always busy because my parents had four kids (three boys and one girl) with an 18 year-age gap between the oldest and the youngest!

Following in my dad’s footsteps, I headed off to college in Colorado and became a civil engineer. After several years of working, I decided to join our small, family construction business. I enjoy being out on the job site much more than being in an office. Due to Alaska’s endless daylight and short summers, construction season is fast and furious. When the season wraps up, I look forward to visiting a tropical place with Marie and a slower paced winter with a relaxed and flexible schedule. Plus, winter means it is time to use the snow machine!

Steve is a kid at heart. He loves playing with our nieces and all kids. His love and patience for his family captured my heart. At gatherings he always ensures everyone feels welcome, consciously visiting with those not talking to anyone. I truly admire his engineering brain, how he visualizes and constructs or can figure out a fix for things. I can’t wait to raise a child with him!

Marie’s brother lives in Seattle, WA near the Space Needle with his wife and daughter. They can’t wait for their daughter to have a cousin. Their daughter just made her first flight to Alaska and played at the cabin and beach in Seward, Alaska. Marie has mastered Seattle city running with a Nuna stroller!

Steve’s immediate family lives in Alaska. He sees him mom and sister almost every day due to running the family construction business. It is hard to believe that his niece just turned 14 and may surpass Steve in height. While Steve’s summer is busy with digging, running big machines and building bridges, sewers or highways, he finds time to ride a dirt bike with friends and tackle house projects at our house or his mom’s house during the summer.

We live in a quiet neighborhood 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage, Alaska. We can see the city from one-side of our house and the mountains out the other side. Often, we have moose and wild rabbits munching on our apple tree and flowers. Every once in a while, we have a bear or a lynx visit. Our neighborhood road connects to a bike path that leads to tennis courts and a park. If Marie wants to run in the mountains, then she can drive about 10 minutes (or run a couple miles up the hill) and enjoy the trails.

We’ve lived in our house for about 5 years. This spring and summer we’ve remodeled two bathrooms and plan to paint the exterior before the snow! We are a 5-minute drive from the Alaska Zoo and Hilltop Ski Area. We look forward to taking our future child to the zoo to watch and learn about the animals and eventually over to Hilltop to learn cross-country and downhill skiing! We have a happy-go-lucky dog named Burt who loves kids.

Thank you for letting us share with you a bit about us. We are ready and excited about becoming parents and promise that we will love your child, laugh with your child, provide a safe and kind home for your child, and will walk or run with your child adventure after adventure.