Our leisure time reflects our independent interests as well as quality time together. Together, we enjoy traveling, cooking, walking, exploring local shops and restaurants, spending time with friends, and working on projects around our home. We are building a new garden, laying bricks for a pathway and planting fruit trees.

Michelle spends her personal time with her horses, attending horse training clinics and trail riding in the foothills. She also enjoys painting, cyanotype printmaking, playing the violin, and stained glass, a craft taught to her by her grandfather. Lately, she and her youngest niece have been learning how to create ceramic art together.

Brandon plays music in several bands, organizes music events, and records albums. He also enjoys woodworking and building projects, including creating his own band space and handcrafted furniture for our home. Brandon loves to swim and enjoys teaching our nieces and nephews how to dive or practice for the swim team.

Our lifestyle is centered around creativity, communication and supporting one another as individuals. We believe it is important to encourage personal growth and creativity while also making time to truly be present and appreciate everyday life. We value understanding different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives, and we hope to share that openness and curiosity with a child.

Creativity plays a large role in our lives, whether through painting, photography, printmaking, writing and playing music with friends, or simply creating for fun. We also enjoy staying active by walking and running regularly and spending time outdoors. Animals are an important part of our lives, and we are always learning how to better understand and communicate with our pets through patience and respect.

We spend much of our time building our café into an inclusive and welcoming space for local artists and musicians. Travel is also important to us, from road trips across the United States to exploring other countries and cultures together.

What makes us unique is that we truly embrace individuality, both in ourselves and in the people we love. We are not focused on looking like the “perfect family” or presenting a polished image. Instead, we try to hold onto the things that genuinely bring us joy. We encourage each other’s independent hobbies, friendships, and interests while also making time for the experiences we share together.

Our lives are active, creative, and always evolving. One night we may be working together at a local music event, from punk rock shows to classical performances, and the next day riding horses, hiking along the ocean, or exploring somewhere new. Our friendships span many different backgrounds and lifestyles, from first responders, farmers and construction workers to artists and musicians.

We have also played important roles in raising children throughout our lives, including our godchildren, nieces, and nephews. We have supported them through every stage, from childhood to young adulthood, offering acceptance, guidance, encouragement, and a safe place to grow into themselves. We have participated in teacher conferences, field trips, team sports and extracurricular activities. Some of the lessons outside of school we support and attend for all of these children have been swimming, singing, dance classes, tennis lessons, violin, guitar, horseback riding and art classes.

Our extended families live nearby and have been incredibly supportive and excited throughout our adoption journey. Family is a very important part of our lives, and we all work together to help and support one another whenever needed. We regularly spend birthdays, holidays, and vacations together, often with a large group that includes close friends who feel like family to us as well.

Michelle’s family includes her parents, brothers, their spouses and children, along with some aunts, uncles, and cousins whom we are close with. Brandon’s family includes his mother, brother, an uncle and two aunts that we also visit or speak with often. His mother owns and operates a local antique store that has become a favorite gathering place for family, friends, and children in the family. Some of the children enjoy working there during the summer.

We are also fortunate to have a close-knit group of longtime friends who regularly host dinners and gatherings. Together we share a love for art, music, travel, creativity, and adventure, and many of these friendships have grown through years of shared experiences and support.

We live in a single family home in a quiet, older neighborhood with a lot of younger families. Some of our favorite things about our house is the art studio and the large, fenced backyard. We are friendly with all of our neighbors, and share a "friendship" mailbox on one fence where we can leave surprises back and forth for each other.

There are many children in our neighborhood. We live within walking distance to two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. We also live within a five minute drive to a university. There are several parks within walking distance to our home. There are three farmer's markets a week, parades throughout the year and many festivals and fairs.

In addition to the traditional elementary, middle and high schools to choose from, our town also offers Montessori and other charter schools for all grades.

Because of the university and junior college, our town has many opportunities to experience art, culture and music. We have children's museums, a modern art museum and many parks, both for hiking or with playgrounds. We enjoy hosting local music events open to all ages at our coffee shop.

We are Michelle and Brandon, and we want to sincerely thank you for taking the time to look at our profile and learn more about us. We know this decision comes with so many emotions, and we cannot imagine how difficult and deeply personal this time is for you. We truly appreciate your willingness to consider us as part of your child’s story.

We have been together for 25 years and have experienced many of life’s joys, challenges and milestones together. Through all of it, we have built a relationship centered on healthy communication, mutual respect, and making time for the people and experiences that matter most to us. We try very hard to stay present in the moment and appreciate everyday, whether that means creating art together, spending time with family and friends, traveling, or simply enjoying a quiet evening at home.

Travel and experiencing different cultures have always been important to us. We love exploring new places, trying different foods, learning from people with different backgrounds, and experiencing the world with enthusiasm and openness. We hope to share that same sense of adventure and understanding with a child someday.

Our lives are also very connected to creativity. Art, music, animals, and community are all important parts of who we are. Creativity shows up in many forms, from woodworking, painting and photography to playing instruments and attending local music events. We would love to encourage a child’s own interests and individuality, whatever those may become.

Over the years, we have helped raise six children, including godchildren, nieces and nephews. Being part of their lives has been one of the greatest gifts we have experienced. We have loved supporting them through childhood, teenage years, and into adulthood, watching them grow into their own unique people. We have shared so many meaningful experiences together: teaching them to ride bikes, helping with homework, trying new foods, learning instruments, attending swimming and dance lessons, taking dog training classes, traveling, and simply being there for everyday moments both big and small. These experiences taught us how children’s needs, emotions, and understanding evolve over time, and we look forward to supporting a child through every stage of life with patience, love, and acceptance.

We are also very fortunate to have supportive families and a strong community around us. Both of our families live nearby, and we spend a great deal of time together celebrating holidays, birthdays, dinners, and vacations. We also have a close network of longtime friends who feel like family to us. Our home is filled with people who are caring, creative, supportive, and excited for us to grow our family through adoption.

We have always hoped adoption would be part of our lives. We believe adoption is something beautiful that comes from love and strength. We plan to share the story of adoption openly from the very beginning so a child always understands where they came from and how deeply loved they are. We truly value openness and honesty, and we love the idea of an open adoption and would be grateful to continue communication through letters, photos, emails, or whatever level of contact feels best for you.

Thank you again for your time, your courage, and your consideration. Please know that if we are the right match for your child, they will always be loved, supported, protected, and cared for.

Sincerely,

Brandon & Michelle