We always envisioned having children close in age and just before Sawyer turned two we started trying to conceive again. Much like before, we became pregnant right away, but lost the baby just over three months into that pregnancy. Despite the heartbreak of losing a child, we tried again, but after three consecutive losses it became apparent we had little chance at sustaining a pregnancy to term. We had a lot of heartache, but found joy again when we began to explore the idea of adoption. It was like sunshine pouring down on us - we knew adoption was exactly the path we were meant to be on! We cannot wait to share our lives with another child and watch him or her grow and learn. LOVE is in abundance in this home and we cannot wait to share with you and your baby!

We definitely have an active lifestyle. You would be hard-pressed to find us lounging inside unless someone is sick. On the rare occasion that we do spend a weekend inside we are most likely remodeling a room or doing a home improvement project. We love to include Sawyer on our projects so that can experience the gratification of completing a job.

We enjoy hosting other families with young kids so we can entertaining the children with make-your-own pizza parties, covering the table in sketching paper and giving them finger-paints, tie-dyeing shirts - lots of arts and crafts.

All of our activities are really centered on the kids. In the spring Rachel dedicates some of her time to giving batting lessons to youth baseball players. Once baseball season is in session, a couple nights a week are usually spent watching their games and chasing the younger kids around in the grass. During the warm summer days we go camping up in the mountains and fish at our many surrounding lakes and rivers. Sawyer has taken an interest in motocross, so we have been giving him the opportunity to explore that further including many weeknight rides and taking him to events. When snow covers the ground in Montana, Sawyer's interest shifts to hockey, which is a new sport to us, so we're all trying to learn the ropes together and build the right connections to provide Sawyer with the opportunity to learn. We feel strongly that it is our job to listen to our children's interests and make sure the opportunities are available for them to explore those further. We have noticed that interests sometimes stem from a biological inclination and we cannot wait to see what interests your child has and then to provide them with the right opportunities to nurture those interests.

Rachel's initial attraction to Mik was based around seeing how well he interacted with children, his easy-going tendencies, and how great of a caretaker he was. Being parents is our purpose in life. There is nothing as sweet as the joy children find in the little things. Just being able to witness that and the opportunities to spark that joy and discovery is such a privilege as a parent. We love waking up early on a Saturday mornings to find a fun, new activity to do with Sawyer, whether that is going to the trampoline park or building a cardboard fort. We love baking together as a family and watching Sawyer develop from clanking spoons together, to now completing some recipes on his own. We are all good with spills and messes because with a kid even the clean-up can be fun. The best part is teaching new skills of life and watching them learn, observe, and absorb new knowledge through trial and error.

We live in the beautiful state of Montana. We are so fortunate to have such abundant public land to explore.

We live in a three bedroom, three bathroom house with a large basement that has been transformed into a play room. We spend a lot of time on our back deck barbecuing, roasting marshmallows, or watching outdoor movies! Our house is tucked away from the main road, and we have a large fenced yard we play baseball in, blow up our bounce house, or ride bikes around.

Living in such a rural part of the country, we don't have professional sports teams to cheer for, so the whole community rallies around our high school sports. When the two high schools play against each other the whole town picks their side wearing the school's colors. It is a really great rivalry. Our town invests a lot in parks. We have seven kids' parks to choose from within walking distance from our house, as well as three different baseball/softball complexes and a pool/splash pad that is open in the summers. Our neighborhood is centered between the best elementary school in the area, and one of the two aforementioned high schools. Both are just a few blocks away, so the neighborhood is made up of a lot of young families. It is our goal to have the house our kids' friends want to come to, to grab a snack or hang out after school.

We don't live in the same town as our extended families, but we make frequent weekend trips to stay with Rachel's family on the lake. When the weather is nice we spend all day out on the boats fishing and swimming around sand bars or finding hidden beaches. Rachel's dad is an avid outdoorsman and loves sharing those experiences with his grandkids. The kids love asking him questions about encounters with bears or other wildlife and they seem to think he is some kind of superhero. Rachel's mom can most often be found crawling on the floor with the kids, concocting a cardboard box into something bigger with their imaginations. She has a knack for making everyday life feel like magic to her grandkids.

Mik's family lives near a beach in California, so we don't see them as often, but when we do, we have tons of FUN! Trips with grandma and grandpa to the park, sightseeing in the city and a little splashing in the ocean.

Most of our holidays are spent in large family gatherings exceeding 30+ people. Our extended family is adventurous, and playful. They are all so incredibly supportive and excited to meet your little one and cannot wait to welcome him or her with open arms! There are many family traditions they are already planning to share with your baby!

The first thing we want you to know is that without even having met you, we already have immense respect and compassion for you. Those are just words, but when the time comes for us to meet you we will prove this to you through our actions. We do not know the circumstances that brought you here, but through this process we have made a point to do some deep soul searching on what it means to be a birth parent. What we have concluded is that birth parents are some of the most selfless people on the planet, and that birth parents are facing a more difficult decision than most people will ever have to face in their lifetime. We want you to know that with us you will have a safe space to react to the feelings involved no matter how that might look.

We have been married for five years and have been together for eight. We have both focused our adult lives towards creating a stable life and home to build our family. It is our purpose in life to be parents and our daily decisions reflect that. Since the beginning of our relationship, seven years ago, we have kept a promise together to prioritize communication above all else. Together we can address any potential conflict by clearly communicating our needs. Love to us means going out of our way to improve each other's lives. Mik is the steadiness, Rachel is the excitement. Rachel is the type to wake up early with the little ones while Mik runs to the store in the middle of the night when something is needed. We have found such a balance between the two of us to keep everything running smoothly.

Our son, Sawyer is more than ready to be a big brother. He regularly asks why he has had to wait so long, and dreams about what fun he and a sibling could have together. Our love for each other is centered on the values we share and willingness to put in the work ensuring a lasting marriage.

Through an adoption we promise to provide your child a loving home, consistency and an abundance of fun opportunities without ever having to worry whether their core needs will be met. Raising babies into good-hearted humans is our deepest passion. There is nothing we love more than seeking opportunities to incite a child's curiosity. Our children will have parents who get down on to their level and play in the mud. They will participate in baking cookies even if it means as much sugar ended up on the floor as in the dough. Your child will have our undying support in whatever they find interest in. They will lend a helping hand to those in need and experience a love for the great outdoors. Most importantly, your child will know that our LOVE for them is unwavering through the good days and the bad days.

We hope that through this adoption we can help you maintain a connection with your child that is special and unique. We look forward to having contact with you, if that is your wish. You will always have a place in our hearts and we plan to tell your baby all about you from day one! We do not take lightly the commitment and sacrifice you made for your child and we want you to know that in our house you will always been seen as a godsend.

Mik & Rachel