We believe family and friends are important. Jordan takes his brother with autism to buy groceries twice a month. He also supports his family with anything they need. His family knows they can call him for advice or if they need help. He often let's others needs first before his needs.

Damien is close to his sister. They speak almost every day. His siblings also look up to him because he is the oldest brother. Damien considers his friends as his "chosen family." He enjoys spending a lot of time with them and they always love having him present in their lives.

We both love spending all our time together and enjoying talking, laughing, and having fun. We try to always share our responsibilities equally. For example, we take turns making or buying dinner, driving to and from places, and owning our daily chores.

Jordan in his leisure time likes to maintain a healthy balance of mind, body, and spirit. He will exercise in the morning and go walking for a few miles to the store and back. He will then do any paperwork or house chores.

After completing his errands, Jordan will relax by singing karaoke and dancing. Jordan was in choir and in a singing group called Kanikapila in college. He was also in hula group called "Island Harmony" in high school.

Jordan also enjoys swimming and loves to go to the beach. He is athletic and enjoys hiking the many trails of Hawaii. He looks forward to community events such as the sunflower harvests, pumpkin patches in October, and the numerous Japanese bon dance festivals across the island. He will actively participate by dressing up and dancing. He will also sew his own costumes and clothes with a sewing machine.

Damien enjoys many of the same things. We do our activities together singing karaoke, dancing, going to the beach, hiking, and festivals. He also enjoys eating good food. We often go to restaurants or he will cook. His favorite foods are Mexican, Filipino, Steak houses, and Thai food. Damien loves to read, listening to music, and watching his favorite movies and television series.

Damien also enjoys being active in the community. He was the event leader of American Cancer Society Relay For Life fundraiser for many years. He has also been interviewed on television by our local news station for the event many times. He follows politics and the news. He has volunteered a few times at the ballot office for presidential elections.

Jordan is Laotian. He can understand Lao but can speak only a little. His family practice traditional Laotian traditions. His mother makes Lao and Thai food. Jordan's mother often comes to cook dinner at our house. Jordan's family is Buddhist. When there is a passing in the family we will go to a Lao temple and pray to pay our respects.

Damien is of Mexican, Hawaiian, Filipino, and European descent. Growing up in a Catholic household, he was raised to love his neighbor, never to use the word hate, and to live by the "Golden Rule." Raised with his father's family, he strongly identifies with Latino and American traditions. His mother of Hawaiian and Filipino descent raised him with the spirit of Aloha and traditional Hawaiian customs and food.

We both try to pray together before dinner and on our own. We believe in the importance of balance between mind, body, and spirit to live a healthy life.

Living on the island of Oahu in Hawaii the weather is mostly sunny with clear skies. We live in a family-friendly neighborhood. It is peaceful and quiet here. We often go on walks around the neighborhood for exercise or got to the grocery store. We have a shopping center 1 mile away.

There are two parks and a elementary school 2 blocks away. We live in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom townhouse with a backyard. Our neighbors love to talk to us. We have beautiful hibiscus and palm trees growing in our yard.

We have a YMCA a mile away where Jordan has taken swimming lessons. Jordan has also worked as a YMCA group leader so he has experience with watching groups of children.

In Hawaii we use the word "Aloha" that means our community believes in treating each other with love and respect. We want to teach a child how to live with the spirit of Aloha. We believe our community exemplifies this and is the perfect place to raise a child.

Jordan's parents are both immigrants from Laos. They both could not speak English or help him in school but they pushed him to do good. They put all their hopes and dreams into him so he is doing his best to make them proud. He is the first in his family to graduate from college and support his family.

Damien is the oldest son of 5 brothers and 1 sister. He had to help raise his siblings. He became independent at 18 years old he moved out and worked on his own. He graduated from college and worked his way up to being a store manager. He was also the event leader of American Cancer Society fundraisers in Oahu, Hawaii for many years.

On Sundays, we love to spend time with our "Sunday Funday" chosen family. This usually consists of a potluck style dinner where we all bring our favorite dishes to share. We enjoy spending time in the pool or ocean on Sundays. Jordan's older brother, younger sister, and mother lives nearby about half an hour's drive away. Damien's extended family consists of his aunt, uncle, three cousins, and their children that live within driving distance on Oahu. When we gather, we love to catch up, "talk story," eat great food, and of course sing Karaoke! Our families are excited for us to raise a child because we are a kind and loving couple. Our dream is to share our love and life with a child. We truly would feel very grateful if given the opportunity.

This might be a difficult and emotional time in your life, we want you to know that you are supported and you are loved. Adopting a child has been a lifelong dream for both of us. We hope you find comfort in knowing that we are a loving a caring couple that is ready to accept the role as adoptive parents.

If you are open to it, we hope to keep you connected with the child through sending letters, sharing photos, phone calls, and arranging for in person visits. Staying connected with the child's birth parents will be a cornerstone of their upbringing and self-identity. Staying connected is important to us and hope this will allow all parents, birth and adopted, to create a solid foundation and support system for the child.

We believe in doing the right thing and the right things is not always easy. We value keeping our promises. We know it would be important for the child as well to know where they came from and the sacrifices that were made for them. Also, all our hope and dreams we all have placed in them.

One of the many meanings of "Aloha" is to love one another. This island is a melting pot of culture, heritage, and traditions. We respect and value multiculturalism. We want the child to learn a good sense of morals, values, and manners. We also want to make sure the child is proud of their heritage and where they came from.

We live in a community on Oahu that is voted one of the best places to raise a child. A safe, quiet neighborhood with beautiful parks, top-rated schools, shopping, restaurants, gyms, sporting venues, and walking paths. A day in our lives would most likely consists of some time for the mind, body, and spirit. Taking a walk to the park, beach days, story time, and play dates.

Barbecues and Sunday Fundays with our chosen families will be a regular thing. Dinners would be at the dinner table at the end of each day, reconnecting with each other, strengthening bonds, and creating lifelong memories. Nights would end with a favorite book or lullaby being sung before bedtime.

We take many photos and videos to capture those precious moments in all of our lives. It is important to use to document these memories and would love to one day make a family scrapbook or diary. We look forward to watching the child grow and thrive and hope to one day share that with everyone.

It is our top priority to make sure the child's needs are met and feels supported. Providing unconditional love and support is so important for their growth and development. We look forward to offering the child a path that sets them up for success in life, providing a great community to live in, get the best education, and have all the tools needed to do great things.

This is not easy for any of us, but we want you to know that you are loved and supported. Thank you for choosing to put the needs of the child before the needs of your heart. Take care, mahalo, and much aloha.

Jordan & Damien