We met through a mutual friend who had been trying to introduce us for years, but we didn't get formally introduced until 2018. Once we started talking on the phone, we found we had so much in common emotionally, spiritually, and with regards to the activities we both like to do. We are both very adventurous people and we quickly found that we both share a love for travel, cooking, playing tennis, hiking, skiing, the arts, music, all things outdoors, and family. We found we both shared the desire to have more children in the future. We started dating and quickly fell in love with each other.

I, Shannon, have a son from a previous marriage named Owen. There was an immediate connection between Michael and Owen from the very beginning, which has grown to become an amazing relationship. After many months of dating, Michael asked Owen's permission for us to get married since he felt it was important for it to be a family decision. We embarked on an amazing trip to Croatia and got engaged in Dubrovnik, Croatia in a beautiful chapel that shared the same name as the church his grandmother attended.

We got married at a beautiful Texas Hill Country venue outdoors in front of our family and closest friends. Owen was a part of the ceremony with us since we felt it was important to include him. We not only said our vows to each other, but Michael also said vows to Owen. It was an amazing day and we are so proud of the family we created.

We have been trying to grow our family since we got married, but after years of numerous failed fertility treatments, we felt it was time to consider other options. Our hearts are open and we are so excited to now be on this adoption journey.

Michael has an amazing, loving family comprised of his sister, brother, and parents, all of which have been very supportive throughout this process. In addition to being very close with his family, he has a group of friends from childhood with which he remains very close. Michael is an amazing husband, father to Owen, best friend, and my partner in life. He is an empathetic person and truly cares about all of the people in his life. Michael came into Owen's life when he was 10 years old and has always treated Owen as his own son. He is a very calm presence in our life who can be silly at times as well as spiritual, philosophical, and introspective. He is driven in both his personal and professional life and is able to overcome any obstacle that arises. He is a successful entrepreneur working as an accountant helping small businesses, non-profits, and community members with their financial needs. I would describe Michael as a lover of life. He loves to travel, mountain bike, fly fish, play golf, hike, play tennis, play music, spend time with family and friends, and attend live music events. I know that Michael will be an amazing role model and father to our adopted child just like he already is with Owen. He truly makes both me and Owen feel loved and supported at all times.

Shannon is the strongest and most caring mother, daughter, wife, and health care provider that I have ever met. It didn't take me long to fall in love with her. She would say she loves being a mother to Owen, and feels it's one of her greatest accomplishments. Her love and support for her family, friends, and community make Shannon the emotional heart and center of our family. I am so fortunate to be able to share with her our love for adventure and family. She feels that taking advantage of time with family is very important, which is why we make it a habit to spend family dinners, weekends, and many vacations together. We love adventure together with activities like biking a new trail, hiking a new path, or sharing in her passions like the ballet, theater, or museums. She finds traveling important because it gives us time to spend as a family and build new memories together. Shannon is a very active person, and while growing up dancing ballet, she still takes time to dance multiple times per week in her exercise dance class. She is a very empathetic person who loves to take care of others, which led her to a career in the medical field. She leads our family by example working as a nurse for over 10 years in the ICU and then by going back to graduate school to become a Nurse Practitioner now working in Orthopedic Surgery. Her medical team and patients often boast how Shannon is integral to both the hospital and patient recovery. Shannon is very empathetic, a loving mother and wife, and she always shows resilience in both times of joy and heartache. Shannon continues to prove why she is an excellent mother and I can't wait to grow our family together.

Owen is our amazing fifteen year old son. He was a miracle after being born early at 33 weeks and having a rough first year due to asthma and a number of surgeries. Now he is a strong and healthy teenager and we are so proud of him and all of his accomplishments thus far. He is very outgoing and loves to talk to kids his own age as well as adults. Some might call him an "old soul" since he at times seems mature and wise beyond his years. He plays piano, loves rock climbing, traveling, learning other languages, swimming, riding his bike, and playing video games with his friends. He has always wanted a sibling, and he is very excited to have the opportunity to have a brother or sister. Owen is someone that will make you laugh since he has a fun and silly side. He is very loyal, empathetic, and would never intentionally hurt others. Even as a young child he would always go over and hug a child that fell and hurt themselves on the playground because he seemed to never want to see another suffer. He is currently a sophomore in high school and he is active on the debate team. He hopes to pursue a career in either business or medicine.

We live in a large, diverse metropolitan city close to downtown in a three story townhome. Our home is located near a number of beautiful parks, walking trails, restaurants, a Zoo, a Natural Science Museum, a Children's Museum, and a number of nearby libraries. We are located near a number of wonderful public and private schools, which our son has attended. We have been happy with his education thus far. We also live near an amazing medical center with access to state of the art medical care.

We love to go for brunch on the weekends as a family with our bernedoodle Chewie or go for a long walk or bike ride along our neighborhood bayou trails. We also love to check out our neighborhood farmer's market to try new foods and support our local produce farmers. We have an annual Zoo membership and although our son is now a teenager, we still love to visit the Zoo on a nice day. We also love to attend the numerous festivals and community events that occur throughout the year.

We love to cook together as a family making homemade pasta and bread or even sushi since our son Owen has a love for Japanese food and culture. Every night we sit down as a family for dinner since we feel it is important to share a family meal together. We also love to watch movies together at home and sometimes play games as a family.

When Owen was a small child he went to the Zoo almost every weekend, attended Gymboree, went to the museums often, loved visiting the local parks, and frequently had playdates with nearby friends, all things we would do with an adopted child.

One of our favorite things to do as both a couple and family is to travel. We feel travel is a wonderful way to learn first hand about other cultures as well as spend quality family time together. We have been on many vacations as a family to Hawaii, Colorado, New York City, Spain, numerous cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Florida. We also do small weekend trips to the beach or nearby cities. On our vacations we love to hike, ski, try new cuisine, visit museums, surf, snorkel, and enjoy the local culture. Owen is going with his high school to Japan this summer and is currently learning japanese. We know that adopting a baby would change some of our travel activities, but we intend to continue traveling and doing activities that are baby friendly.

Since we first started dating, we knew that we wanted to grow our family further. We have been through many years of fertility treatment with no success, and although it was heartbreaking the experience made our relationship stronger. We have a strong, loving, and supportive relationship filled with love and laughter, and we will always make sure to put the needed effort in to keep our marriage strong. We promise to make sure that our children feel loved and supported. We have always spoken openly with Owen and feel that communication is key to a happy family and marriage. We will make sure to provide our children with whatever specific needs they require. If a private school, therapy, or specialized medical care is needed for our child then we will make sure to provide the needed resources. We also promise to incorporate the adopted child's culture into the raising of the child. We have always taught Owen about other cultures and through our travels have given him first hand education, which we would continue to do with our adopted child. We simply can't wait to shower our adopted child with the love we have to give and help guide him/her to become a caring and successful adult. We are spiritual people and have taught Owen about all religions. We will continue to teach Owen and our adopted child morals through religious teachings. We are so excited to everyday be one step closer to holding our baby in our arms and look forward to this journey with you, if in fact you were to pick us as adoptive parents.

Sincerely,

Shannon, Michael, and Owen