Hello! We are Jeff and Laura, and we are typical millennials who met in our mid-30s on a dating app. As cliché as it sounds, we knew we were meant for each other after a week of dating. We share a love of the outdoors, football, reading, and dogs. In May 2025, we tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in the mountains we love. We have been a couple and making each other laugh since 2021.

As you read this, we know that you are facing one of the most difficult and thoughtful decisions of your life. We respect the care you are putting into choosing what is best for you and your child. Whatever decision you make.

Our journey to adoption has been intentional and full of reflection. This isn’t a choice that we came to quickly. We’ve spent lots of time deciding what kind of parents we want to be, the home we want to create, and the responsibility it takes to raise a child. This decision isn’t something we take lightly, and we feel grateful to even be considered.

Most of our weekdays begin with the dogs reminding us that it is breakfast time (Lucy is the most vocal about this request). After feeding them, we get ready for the day and go to work. A few days a week, Laura will squeeze in a workout before or after work, while Jeff is making dinner (he is an excellent cook). During weekdays, our evenings are spent making sure the dogs get an activity like a walk or a quick hike. We prioritize eating dinner together and talking about our days. After, you will find us either enjoying doing a puzzle together, reading, or binge-watching our favorite trashy reality TV show.

Jeff doesn’t work on Fridays, so if it’s hunting season, he usually goes out in the mornings. Fridays mean Shabbat, which to us means putting away our phones for the night, slowing down, and being present with one another or friends we have over. Laura continues her quest to bake the perfect Challah bread for Shabbat. She’s really close to perfecting it.

Our weekends are for adventures. No matter the season, we love spending time outdoors. In the warmer months, you’ll find us out on a trail that Laura has deemed a priority for us to hike or run. During the winter, we really enjoy slow mornings at one of our favorite dog walk spots by the river or heading up to our favorite cross-country ski spots. The yard also takes up a lot of our weekend time. Jeff tends to the garden, and Laura is working on the backyard of her dreams with all the flowers. We also just bought a 1977 Scamp travel trailer that we are excited to take on adventures.

We know that becoming parents will change our daily routines, but we are very excited for that. We have been very intentional about the fact that parenthood will be our priority. It is important to us that we are also nurturing our relationship with one another and ourselves. We look forward to sharing our love of the outdoors with a child, introducing them to beautiful places, and creating family adventures and memories together. It is our hope that future hikes will be filled with curiosity, wonder, and yes, maybe a few M&Ms or a special treat along the way to keep little legs moving.

More than anything, we hope our child grows up knowing that home is a place filled with love, laughter, connection, and plenty of adventures.

It always feels weird talking about myself, because I am not a person who likes attention. My friends would tell you I am funny, driven, and can convince them to go on any trail with me in the mountains. I grew up in North Idaho in a blended family and left to attend college in Washington. My favorite things to do are hiking, mountain biking, and trail running in the mountains. I love being reminded of how beautiful the world is around us. I love working out—it helps my mental health. When I am not outside, you can find me on the couch with my dogs, starting a random home project, creating the perfect touchdown dance, and trying my best to perfect my gluten-free challah bread. I am an educator and love watching my students grow, build confidence, and learn from them every single day. My personality can occasionally be a little too serious, but Jeff balances me out. I love to laugh, and if you ask Jeff, I think I am the funniest person I know. I deeply care about the people in my life and would do anything for them. I feel lucky for the life that I have created and the people in it.

Laura Through Jeff’s Eyes

Although I could probably write an entire book about who Laura is and why I love her, I’m going to boil it down to three things:

1. Her selflessness– Whether it’s her students, her family, or a random stranger in need of a kind gesture, Laura is always putting others before herself. As cliché as it sounds, seeing Laura’s compassion for others on a daily basis has made me a better person.
2. Her sense of humor– While Laura has a great sense of humor, the funniest part about her is how funny she THINKS she is. She makes me laugh every day, and the joy she brings is a key part of our relationship.
3. Being true to herself– Laura is unapologetically Laura. She is one of the most unique people I’ve ever known. I promise you that the Laura you meet is the EXACT same Laura that she is in the privacy of our home.

It has been my life’s greatest joy to know Laura, and it will be an even greater joy to watch her become the great mother that I know she will be.

I’m Jeff. I grew up outside of Chicago with my mom, dad, and sister. Growing up, my family spent a lot of time on family vacations where we fished, and I got to see a lot of the world. I came out to Washington for college and fell in love with the area. I work as a fish biologist, which everyone always thinks is a really cool career, but it is a lot more office work than you’d think; I love it and have been doing it for over a decade. My free time is spent with my beautiful wife, hunting, hiking, running, and climbing at our local gym. I love dogs, and have a soft spot for senior dogs. I really enjoy cooking and usually make dinner every evening. I am a pretty laid-back person, and I don’t get stressed out too easily, except for when I am watching the Bears play football. My friends are very important to me, and I make it a point to make time for them whenever I can, now that we all live all over the place.

Jeff Through Laura’s Eyes

The first thing that I loved about Jeff is his ability to make me laugh and his dance moves. He has the best laugh I have heard, but more importantly, he is the most caring, thoughtful, and compassionate person I know.

Since we have been together, I have dealt with a knee injury, broken wrist, cancer scare, and endometriosis flare-ups. Jeff has stood by my side and supported me through all these challenges, whether it’s us having a special dinner, running a bath for me, or listening to my concerns.

Everything with Jeff is easy, and spending time with him is my favorite thing (plus full of laughter). I know he is going to be a great father because of how much he cares about the people he loves. I know he would do anything for me and our future child.

As parents, we believe in raising a child in a home filled with love, stability, laughter, and support. We hope to nurture values such as kindness, empathy, compassion, and respect for others. More than anything, we want our child to grow into a good person—a mensch—someone who cares about others, contributes to their community, and understands the importance of treating people with dignity and kindness.

We want our child to be aware of the world outside of themselves and to appreciate the diversity of people, cultures, and experiences that make it unique. Although we live in a smaller town, we hope to expose them to the wider world through travel, new experiences, and meaningful connections with others. We also look forward to sharing our love of nature and helping them develop a sense of wonder, curiosity, and responsibility for the world around them.

As adoptive parents, it is very important to us that our child knows where they come from and understands their adoption story. We believe that maintaining healthy relationships with birth family members, when possible and appropriate, can be a valuable part of a child’s identity and sense of belonging. We want our child to feel secure in who they are, supported in understanding the complexities of their background, and confident asking questions about their story. At the same time, we believe it is important to help children develop healthy boundaries, understand safe relationships, and know that their well-being will always be our highest priority.

Our goal is not to raise a perfect child, but a thoughtful, caring, and confident person who knows they are deeply loved and who strives to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

1. We love you exactly as you are.
2. Your story began before we ever met you, with people who loved you deeply.
3. Knowing where you come from matters.
4. Asking questions is always welcome.
5. Every person deserves dignity and respect.
6. Although our family was built differently, it was built in a very beautiful way.
7. Even when it’s difficult, standing up for others is important.
8. Our community matters, and we are all stronger when we care for one another.
9. We have the responsibility to make the world a little better than we found it.
10. Stay curious and always be learning; they are lifelong gifts.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us and for considering us as prospective parents. We want to recognize the love, courage, and thoughtfulness that go into creating an adoption plan, and we are honored to be part of your journey.

If we are fortunate enough to welcome a child into our family, they will be surrounded by love, supported in discovering who they are, and encouraged to pursue their dreams. We promise to celebrate their unique story, help them stay connected to their roots, and provide a home filled with laughter, adventure, stability, and unconditional love.

We know that adoption begins with loss as well as love, and we are committed to approaching that reality with honesty, empathy, and respect. We will always honor the important role that birth family plays in a child’s life and identity.