Hi! We're Michelle + Tanner from San Diego, California, along with our daughter Koura. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We honor the incredible strength, courage, and love it takes to consider adoption for your child. Our hearts are full of respect and admiration for you and the journey you’re on. Please know that we are thinking of you with kindness and compassion every step of the way. It is so important to us that you always feel heard, valued, and respected. We promise to honor the beautiful bond you share with your child and to raise them knowing just how deeply you love them. We hope you find peace and comfort in knowing how loved and cherished your child will always be by you and by us.

We feel blessed to have Koura, Michelle's biological daughter, but have always known we wanted more children in our family. After years of fertility treatments, we finally had a successful transfer and had the gift of carrying our precious daughter, Maggie, for six beautiful months. Our hearts were completely broken when we lost her due to health issues. Maggie has taught us how deeply we can love and how much love we still have to give. After allowing time to process and heal we felt a deep calling to learn more about growing our family through adoption. We started having in depth conversations with friends who have first hand experience with adoption and began to realize that this is the path we are meant to take to grow our family and are looking forward to it.

We started off as co-workers seven years ago brought together by deadlines, meetings, and the occasional coffee breaks. We realized how much we had in common in our daily interests and long-term goals and began spending time together outside of work doing things we loved with friends and family–hiking, camping, spending time at the beach, traveling and exploring new places. We made it official over four years ago and have not looked back since. We are excited to grow our family and cannot wait for them to be apart of our dream of owning a farm with lots of silly, loving animals in the near future.

Our hobbies and interests keep our days fun and meaningful. We love spending time outdoors. Whether it’s fly fishing, hitting the slopes for skiing or snowboarding, or soaking up the sun at the beach, we love being active and outside. We also enjoy road trips and camping, as travel give us the chance to explore new places and create lasting memories with family and friends. At home we treasure family movie or game nights, baking, and spending time with our animals. We currently have our cuddly cat, Reggie, quirky dog, Earl, and are grateful for our sweet chickens and honey producing bees. We also previously had goats and rabbits that were also part of our family. Serving our community is also important to us. Whether it be volunteering at our local farm with animals, helping special needs children at our community church, or providing extra hands on international home build trips, community service and giving back is something that we hope to be able to do for the rest of our lives and look forward to sharing all of these experiences.

I was born and raised in Southern Ohio. I grew up in a tight knit family with my brother and sister, aunts, uncles and a lot of cousins. We celebrated birthdays, holidays and life milestones together which created life-long memories and strong family relationships that I cherish to this day. I have enjoyed instilling these same values and a similar upbringing with my daughter, Koura. Being a mom and an aunt to my nieces, nephews and friend's children, has been one of the biggest joys of my life. I love being able to share in life's moments with them and watching them grow through each chapter and life experiences.

Michelle is a beautiful soul. From the moment I met Michelle, there was something about her presence that drew me in. It wasn’t just how she carried herself, but the warmth and openness that seemed to surround her. Michelle is kind, charismatic, and so full of life. She has this effortless way of making people laugh and feel seen, while also inspiring those around her with her determination and drive. Whatever she puts her heart into, whether it’s her work, her friendships, or most of all, her family, she gives everything she has. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to not only know Michelle, but also her wonderful family. They have welcomed me in with open arms. They have a way of making you feel at home, valued, and cared for no matter what.

I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Oregon. Growing up surrounded by forests, mountains, and scenic rivers instilled in me a deep appreciation for nature. The outdoors have always been a source of peace, inspiration, and connection for me and it continues to play a central role in my life today. I am truly excited about the journey of becoming a father. Over the last four plus years, I’ve cherished every moment spent bonding and being a father figure to Michelle’s daughter, Koura. From movie nights filled with laughter, to the joy of coaching her softball team, these experiences have been some of the most rewarding parts of my life. I have always made it my mission to ensure she feels supported, encouraged, and deeply loved. Watching her grow, learn, and discover the world has been one of my favorite experiences in life to date.

Tanner has a heart of gold and is one of the most generous and thoughtful people you will ever meet. Tanner's dedication and love for his family and friends is what stood out to me from the beginning. Whether it be bringing a cup of coffee in bed, flowers for a special occasion, or simply just because, or jumping on a plane in a matter of minutes for a friend or family member in need he is always thinking of others or is there to help out at the drop of a dime. Tanner is also the best combination of thoughtful and spontaneous. From the moment we started dating, Tanner regularly goes out of his way to plan special moments for our family. Whether it be a fun day around town, building something fun in our backyard or an adventurous family vacation, there is very rarely a dull moment when he is in charge.

Koura is a vibrant 11-year-old with a big heart and sense of humor. Whether she’s swinging a bat on the softball field, playing soccer, or practicing her jiu-jitsu moves, she approaches everything with enthusiasm. Koura is funny, silly, and full of warmth, bringing laughter and joy to everyone around. She cannot wait to be a big sister. She will be the most loving, patient, helpful and adoring sister.

We live in sunny San Diego. We are just ten minutes from the ocean and a couple hours from the mountains, giving us endless opportunities for outdoor adventures that we try to make the most of year round. Our home is full of love, laughter, music, and backyard fun. We enjoy spending evenings in our pool, around our fire pit, hanging with the animals or at the beach for walks or picnics. We also love catching concerts or working on creative home projects together. Life for us is about family, connection, and creating joyful memories, and we can’t wait to share all of this with a child. We both work remote and have great family support that we look forward to raising our child at home for the first couple of years. We are also fortunate to have a variety of school options nearby, ranging from private, public, charter, and nature based schools. We look forward to deciding which will be the best fit for our child when the time comes.

We share our home with Earl, our gentle dog of 12 years who loves nothing more than a good snuggle, and Reggie, our playful orange-and-white cat who’s always up for attention or a cozy nap. Six quirky chickens keep us entertained in the yard, and we’ve recently added beekeeping to the mix with our first hive.

Tanner’s brother and sister-in-law recently celebrated a joyful milestone by welcoming their first child in January. Tanner's mother is the heart and glue of their family. Her warmth, kindness, and unwavering support helps hold everyone together. Tanner’s father passed away five years ago, but they all continue to carry on his resounding legacy through stories and cherishing the lessons, love, and values he instilled throughout the years. Michelle's family is spread across Ohio, Colorado, and California. Although everyone lives in different places the effort and intention they make to stay connected and regularly meet up is inspiring and keeps them close despite the distance. Michelle has five nieces and nephews under the age of 10 and her parents host a yearly "Cousin Camp" filled with travel and traditions that all of the kids look forward to every year.

Love, laughter, and faith guide everything we do and everything we hope to pass on. We hope to raise our child with values that will guide them through life with kindness, honesty, and curiosity. We want them to care about others and to know that empathy and love can make a big difference in the world. Our faith is a big part of who we are and we try to live it out with joy and humility. We believe faith isn't about being perfect, but about love, grace, and finding light even when things get messy. It shows up in the little things, like sharing meals, helping neighbors, or laughing until our sides hurt. One of our dreams is to have a small hobby farm, with a few acres and animals that each have a purpose. We admire the lessons that come from working outside, using our hands, and being connected to nature. We want our child to grow up knowing the value of life's simple moments and unconditional love. They will always know that they are supported and cherished for exactly who they are.

From the moment we imagined welcoming you into our lives, we have dreamed of the joy and love we would share together. We promise to love you unconditionally, to nurture your dreams, and to support you in every step you take. We promise to create a home filled with warmth, safety, and laughter, a place where you can be yourself, explore your interests, and grow into the amazing person you are meant to be. We will celebrate your successes, comfort you through challenges, and always remind you how deeply you are loved. We promise to honor your story and the courage it took for you to come to us, and to guide you with patience, understanding, and respect. Most of all, we promise to walk through life together with you, side by side, as a family bound by love.

Thank you from the depths of our hearts, for spending time with our story. We feel for what you are going through, the dreams, the hopes, and the choices before you, and we honor that with profound respect and compassion. We are endlessly grateful for you, for your courage and for the incredible love that already surrounds your precious child. Guided by faith, our greatest wish is to create a life overflowing with wonder, laughter, and unwavering love. We are open to any type of adoption that feels best for you. We hope to build a connection rooted in trust, grace and joy. No matter the path you choose, please know this; you are strong, you are cherished, and you will never walk this journey alone.