We love vacationing near water. When we stay near a lake, we love to rent a boat and spend a day driving and tubing and swimming and snacking.

We also love the Oregon Coast. The little sea towns have quirky shops and delicious food. You can find the best clam chowder on the coast! The coastline is beautiful to drive and hike. There's a rugged beauty to the coast that calls to us. Plus, Dane loves the rain. The Oregon Coast is where we've vacationed most. We've never stayed in the same town twice. We're eager to return and can't wait to share these adventures with our child!

We have both wanted to have children since before we even knew each other. And so, when we got married, for us, it really wasn't a question of "if" we were having kids, it was a question of "when?" However, since we were married, we have been unable to have children. And in all of this, we have remained grateful and thankful to God through the years for the things he has given us.

So, when we first started thinking about adoption, we didn't want to rush into it without first considering what adoption means and what adoption should look like. We took a lot of time to pray for wisdom and for guidance when it came to pursuing adoption. Adoption is a big decision and we didn't want to rush into it.

Once we decided to pursue adoption, we started meeting families who had already adopted and sought their advice on what adoption was like for them and how we should be thinking about adoption for us. We chose adoption because we know how much of a blessing children are and we are in a position where God has given us the means and desire to raise children. We are extremely grateful that God has led us to this point in our lives and we are excited to add to our family through adoption.

We will teach our child that they are made in the image of God. That not everyone is made the same, and that's beautiful. God is the artist, and we are the artistry. We will raise our child to think for themselves and to be able to stand up for what they believe in, even if it's difficult. We will teach our child to love God and love their neighbor, and this means that we will be teaching them how to stand up for the bullied and to stand up to the bullies. We'll teach our child that they should not allow the world to dictate their identity, but that their identity is in Christ. We'll teach our child to be kind and gracious but also to be brave and call out people when they're being stupid. We'll teach our child to be a leader and set a good example for all.

We live in a small town nestled in rolling hills. It's beautiful, and we love it. We're minutes away from both the downtown as well as hikes in the hills. Our town has many neighborhood parks, a water park with slides and splash pad, a movie theater, a small mall, and a lively downtown with plenty of places to eat. During the warm months, the downtown is blocked off for the local farmers market. You can buy the most delicious peaches and beautiful bouquets. In nice weather, we love walking our neighborhood, looking at the beautiful homes, and plotting how we could make our home more beautiful.

A few years ago we bought a fixer-upper house, and we've been renovating it mostly on our own. Dane has become very good at demo, framing, dry walling, mudding, and electrical. Chantelle is good at picking out the finishing touches, painting and cheering Dane on in his work! Even in the midst of renovating our house, she has been able to make it a warm and welcoming home. Our house is still a work in progress, but we enjoy slowly shaping it into a home we love, and we cannot wait to fill it with children!

We are extremely blessed to live in the same town as most of our families. Our siblings are all married and most of them have kids. Our parents are extremely loving and kind grandparents and are well loved by their many grandkids.

Because we have lots of family in town, we make an effort to hang out with both sides of the family on a regular basis. On a weekly basis, we have Saturday night dinner with Dane's whole family. It's a great time of feasting, playing, and fellowship. After dinner, activities may include Codenames, cornhole, and cake (we like cake).

We especially love Christmas with Dane's family. The last few years we have even spent Christmas Eve night at his parent's house and even slept by the Christmas tree one year!

On Sunday, we will usually head over to have lunch with Chantelle's family after church. There's a park just behind her parents' house, and we love taking our nephews to the pond to catch turtles and frogs. Every summer, Chantelle's family rents a huge house for vacation. We all stay in the same home and vacation together. Recently, we stayed at a lake house and went boating and inner tubing. It was a tremendous vacation and we can't wait to do it again!

We appreciate very much that you're considering us as potential parents for your child. We know this can't be easy, so please know that we are on your team no matter what you decide. Whether you choose us, another family, or not adoption at all, we're wishing only the very best for you and your child!

If you are open to meeting with us, we would love to hear whatever you'd like to share. We'd love to listen to your story, get to know you, to learn your passions and dreams, likes and dislikes, and any memories you want to share. We want to be able to share with our child about their birth parents. We want to be open and honest with them as they grow.

We have been married for 6 years. We have no children but are eager to grow our family, and we're excited to do that through adoption. For years Chantelle has desired to be a mom. When we bring a little one into our home, Chantelle will shift her focus to being a full-time stay-at-home mom. She is so very excited for that opportunity. Dane will continue his work in video production and provide for our family.

Eating together around the dinner table is something we will prioritize as a family. We both grew up with this tradition. So many fruitful conversations and wonderful memories come from those dinners together. Our priorities will change as our child changes, but over the years we'll read stories together, play sports, go on trips, spend time with our extended families. We think these are all critical character-shaping opportunities. We will prioritize an excellent education for our child. We want them to grow up having discernment and understanding so that they can shape culture through wise living.

We want our child to grow into a hard-working, intelligent, brave, kind, and joyful person who lives life to its very fullest. We will teach them to love God and their neighbor, to live cheerfully through the good times as well as the hard. We're so excited to take them to fun places, cheer them on in sports, guide them as they learn, and give them a solid foundation to be wise as they grow and live out their life.

Because we are Christians, we live out our lives according to God's Word. Our marriage is built on love and respect. When we sin, we ask for forgiveness from one another. We truly are best friends, and we love to laugh and have fun with each other. We enjoy everything from running errands (including ice-cream runs!), grabbing coffee, renovating our home, going on walks, vacationing. Even the most mundane tasks are fun when we do them together.

If you were to choose us to be the parents of your child, we are open to maintaining contact with you after the adoption and would love to send letters and pictures! We can't imagine what this decision is like for you, and we can only hope and pray that God blesses you and gives you peace in whatever you decide!

Sincerely,

Dane & Chantelle