We are Taylor and Michael (along with Tucker and Max), and we find ourselves incredibly lucky that our book found its way into your hands. Put simply, we are so incredibly excited to become parents.

Adoption has been our first choice at creating a family, ever since we first discussed our love of family and our desire to create one ourselves. We believe that we have so much love to create a family.

For two people who would generally rather talk about anything but themselves, putting our entire lives into a book like this is not going to be a simple task.

Our story begins with a chance meeting at work. We have been together for 6 years now and married for 2 of them. We have two dogs that we spoil rotten, and we would love, more than anything, to add a child into to the mix.

It all began for us in a conference room, when a coworker introduced us to one another. In what feels like the blink of an eye, we went from flirting in the work cafeteria, to a quick movie date, to vacations, to building a life together, to a beautiful fall wedding.

After moving in together, we adopted our first puppy, which is how our goldendoodle prince, Tucker, made us a family of three. During the pandemic, we got engaged. Taylor got an amazing job offer, and we moved across the country to make that happen, developing a new community of friends and transforming our new house into the perfect home all while planning a beautiful wedding.

Soon after moving into our new home, we flew back across the country to adopt Max, giving Tucker a younger sibling and bringing some much needed chaos and joy to our household.

A year later we got married in a beautiful ceremony that all of our friends and family were, luckily, able to attend. Now, as we continue building our life with our wonderful dogs, we can't wait to welcome a child into our family.

Taylor was adamant early into our relationship that she wanted to create a family through adoption. It didn't matter to Michael how the two were to welcome a child into the family, he was just excited to be a father some day.

When thinking about their future family, Taylor would love nothing more than to have twins, as they biologically run in her family. Michael is all onboard for "instant family", and both Taylor and Michael would love to adopt siblings as they both loved growing up with built-in friends. The two are just so excited to become parents.

When I met Taylor I knew I had found somebody special. She was kind, selfless and so funny it hurt to keep laughing. I just lucked out that she was beautiful on the outside too.

Taylor is the most thoughtful, and kind hearted person you could ever know. She goes out of her way to make other people feel special, thought of, and heard. She takes the time to notice the little things and wont hesitate to get people little mementoes and gifts that made her think of them. She is a master of chaining together small gestures that over time feel so much larger when viewed together.

She is the world's most supreme hostess and loves to have people over. Seeing people happy at a party she planned and threw is one of her favorite things, and her ability to plan the perfect get together makes her the pillar of any community that is lucky enough to have her.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how funny Taylor is on an alarmingly, consistent basis. She has a genuine sense of humor that combines so well with her smarts to just make her an absolute riot. She is the only person I know that can have me in stitches on a daily basis.

Her friends swear by her, and I made sure to marry her because at the end of the day she is just a shining example of what it means to be a good and genuine person.

On our first date, I knew Michael was "the one". Even though we barely knew each other, talking to Michael felt absolutely effortless and like I had known him forever. I knew I had found my home with him.

Michael brings a sense of calm and ease to every person that he meets. He is always someone to rely on for a level-headed perspective, but lights up when passionate about the most obscure topics. I know that I can always rely on Michael to know facts about anything or Google my random questions.

My favorite thing about Michael is his unwavering support for the people that he loves. He is the type of person that will listen intently when I have had the best and worst days, while rubbing my feet. Michael is always grateful to go out of his way to show his love through acts of kindness, like ordering my favorite candy, and words of affirmation.

Michael is kind and truthful, and I see that shown in his relationships with friends and work. I love seeing how much caring about others means to him.

I have loved getting to watch Michael grow into the most wonderful dog dad over the years. When he comes down the stairs from his office and Tucker and Max run up to him with tails wagging, it lights up my heart. No matter how many rounds of fetch that Max demands or how many times Tucker wants to play hide-n-seek, Michael loves to bring those he loves happiness.

Our whole world revolves around our pups. On a perfect day, we love to get the pups in the car, grab lattes and croissants from our favorite local spot, and take the boys to the park to run and sniff their hearts out.

Michael will end the day grilling in the backyard with Tucker and Max running around, while Taylor picks out their movie or show to cuddle on the couch with.

On top of our love for our family, we are also very committed to our relationship.

We have consistent date nights, where we love to try new restaurants or activities (like the time Taylor took Michael to line dancing lessons or when Michael was thrilled to take Taylor to a magic show).

Our favorite place in the world is traveling back home to see family and friends in the Carolina's. But if it's just the two of us, Napa Valley has a special place in our heart, which is where we celebrate our anniversary.

Family has always been important to Taylor and Michael.

Taylor's family was raised to be very independent; she can be close with her three siblings and parents without needing to chat every day.

Michael was teased growing up for having a "Brady Bunch" type family; his parents and sister have always been some of the most important people in Michael's life.

Their different upbringings and definitions of family has given Taylor and Michael the perfect balance of prioritizing close relationships and also independent identities.

Although Taylor and Michael don't currently live close by to their family, their goal is to move closer in the next few years to allow their child to have a close connection with their families.

Both Taylor and Michael's parents cannot wait to be grandparents. Being the first grand child in the family, their siblings are also thrilled to be doting aunts and an uncle.

Since Taylor and Michael don't live close by to their biological family, they've been able to create an extended family through their supportive friends.

Their neighbors, colleagues, and fellow community members quickly became pillars of strength, who continue to prove that family isn't solely defined by genetics.

Life's special moments have taken on a deeper significance for Taylor and Michael, thanks to their supportive community. Weekly gatherings, impromptu barbecues, and holiday celebrations have became opportunities to share stories, offer advice, and extend unwavering support.

The couple is also strong in their individual friendships. Taylor is a big fan of having girls' nights for dinners, walks, and concerts. Michael has created a yearly boys' weekend for board games and scary movies.

Surrounded by friends who genuinely care, these occasions become cherished memories, reinforcing the idea that love and togetherness can create lasting joy.

We are grateful that you have taken the time to get to know us, and hope that this book has given you a glimpse into our lives and shown you the love that we have to share with a child.

Please know that any child that joins our family will be loved abundantly and unconditionally. They will be given every opportunity in life to pursue their dreams and reach for the stars. But most importantly, they will always be reminded of who they are, where they came from, and the love that their birth parents have for them.