We met at a summer camp during our teenage years, a place filled with energy and constant activity. Camp was a group of teenagers in different age groups and counselors for a week away from home.  Camp life revolved around movement—sports on the fields, competitive games between cabins, long afternoons swimming, and endless races across campgrounds. From the beginning, we connected through our shared love of activity and friendly competition. Whether it was running, capture the flag, or racing each other between activities, we quickly became known as the most competitive at camp. Our competitiveness brought us together, but our shared interests brought us closer. We pushed each other to do better, looked forward to talking with one another, and learned more about one another through time. Between games and down time, we talked, laughed, and built trust in a very natural way. Camp created an environment where we grew close.

When summer ended and high school continued, we made a conscious effort to stay in touch. We talked regularly, supported each other through milestones, and found ways to spend time together when we could.   Distance was a challenge and kept us apart; however, it allowed us to grow over time.  Once we completed high school, nothing could keep us apart and we have been together since. What began as a friendship built on our memories of camp, shared interests, and challenges across distances became a lasting partnership. Looking back, it feels meaningful that our relationship started in a place centered on growth, fun, and good times—experiences we plan to continue into parenthood.

One of our favorite traditions is gathering with our families for holidays and birthdays throughout the year. Both sides of our families live close to each other, which makes it easy to spend time with them all during the holidays. The holidays are filled with baking, games, and laughter. Our families enjoy spending time together, cooking delicious food, and overall ensuring everyone leaves tired, full, and with a cherished memory. In the summer, Tanner’s family enjoys the boating on lakes as a leisure activity in the summer. Whether spending leisure time in that water, competing in water sports, or enjoying the wind and views while adventuring our routine vacation spot, the summers are filled with fun and time together as family. Tanner’s family has been doing this since he was child. A hope to share these experiences. We also travel to our favorite coastal town during Halloween with family to dress up and take our nephews trick or treating, it’s turned into a whole family activity every year. It is another opportunity for us to explore and make new memories with those that matter to use. Being with family and creating traditions keeps us grounded and creates beautiful memories together. These traditions and experiences are what we look forward to sharing with our growing family.

We chose to adopt because we deeply look forward to building a family and sharing our lives with a child. We are excited about raising a young one, guiding them through life, and providing the love, support, and encouragement needed to help them build a strong future. For us, family is about commitment, care, and showing up every day, and adoption feels like a meaningful way to grow our family with intention. Adoption is not unfamiliar to us. Ruth’s father was adopted, and his experience shaped our understanding of how powerful and loving adoption can be. Through him, we have seen firsthand how family is created through love, stability, and choice rather than biology alone. That perspective has stayed with us and helped guide our decision. We both genuinely enjoy being around children and value the joy they bring into everyday life. Spending time with our friends’ and family members’ kids—whether we are baking together, playing board games, or simply talking and laughing—has always been meaningful to us. Those moments are filled with connection and happiness. Each time we leave, we find ourselves smiling, feeling grateful for the time shared and wishing to have that same joy present in our daily lives. We hope to create a home where a child feels safe, supported, and encouraged to explore who they are. Our goal is to offer consistent love, shared experiences, and a strong foundation that allows a child to grow with confidence and hope.

Family is one of the greatest parts in our lives, and we’re grateful to be surrounded by people who are loving, supportive, and excited to welcome a new child into the family. Both of our extended families are deeply committed to staying connected, and because they live only three hours away, we’re able to visit often and share holidays, traditions, and activities together. Ruth’s family has a long‑standing tradition of gathering at the Northwest beaches once a year. Those trips are filled with laughter, long walks, and big shared meals. During the holidays, you’ll always find them around a table playing board games and cooking incredible food—something Ruth's family truly love doing for the people they care about.

Tanner’s family also has traditions that bring everyone together. Each summer, they visit the lake town where Tanner’s father was born. It’s a place full of memories and joy, where days are spent boating, enjoying water sports, hiking nearby trails, and reconnecting with family friends. In the winter, they gather again for skiing, turning the colder months into another chance to be together. One of the things we cherish most is how wholeheartedly our families support our adoption journey. They’re thrilled to welcome another family member, and they already imagine this child joining the growing group of kinds in the family who are loved so deeply. We hope this gives you a sense of the warm, joyful family your child would be embraced by.

We feel incredibly fortunate to live in a community that is welcoming, family‑oriented, and full of opportunities for children to play, explore, and grow. Our neighborhood hosts traditions that bring everyone together—Christmas parades that light up the streets, trunk‑or‑treat events every fall, and summer gatherings where kids splash in the neighborhood pool and families connect.

The area is filled with parks, swingsets, and basketball courts, many of them just a short walk from our home tucked quietly inside the neighborhood. Tree‑lined boulevards run along the parks and streets, creating a peaceful, green environment where children play safely and families spend time outdoors. The streets are clean, the parks are lively, and there’s a wonderful sense of community everywhere you go.

Our home itself is warm and inviting, with three bedrooms and an office. At the heart of the house is our great room—a cozy space where we watch our favorite movies, read, listen to music, and play board games with friends and family. It’s the room where we unwind, laugh, and make memories.

One of the things we appreciate most is how quiet and calm our neighborhood is. We’re tucked away from freeways and busy roads, giving us a peaceful environment while still being close to everything we need.

We hope this gives you a glimpse of the safe, joyful, and nurturing community your child would be welcomed into.

Dear Prospective Birth Mother,

We want to begin by expressing our deepest gratitude to you for considering adoption and for taking the time to learn about us. We recognize that the decision you are making is one of the most profound and courageous acts of love, and we hold immense respect for the strength and selflessness it represents. As we write this letter, our hope is to share a glimpse of who we are, the life we live, and the kind of home we would provide for your child. We are Tanner and Ruth, and we have been married for over fifteen years. During that time, we’ve built a relationship rooted in trust, steady commitment, and genuine friendship. We laugh often, support each other through life’s changes, and try to approach each day with gratitude. Our home is a place of calm routines and shared moments—weeknight dinners, weekend projects, and the kind of conversations that come from truly knowing and respecting one another. We have long looked forward to becoming parents, and we are ready to pour our hearts into raising a child with love, patience, and joy.

Family is at the center of our lives. We are blessed with supportive parents, siblings, and close friends who have cheered us on through every chapter and are excited to welcome a child into our circle. Holidays and gatherings are filled with traditions like baking, playing games, telling stories, and enjoying time together. We especially love spending time with the children in our lives—helping friends’ kids bake something sweet, playing board games around the table, or simply being present for the everyday fun that children bring. We often leave those moments smiling, feeling grateful, and wishing we could carry that joy home with us every day. It is one of the reasons we feel so strongly called to adoption. We value education and curiosity and believe children thrive when they are encouraged to explore their unique interests. We imagine reading bedtime stories, helping with school projects, visiting museums, exploring parks, and cheering from the sidelines at sporting events or school activities. We also believe in nurturing creativity, and music is one of the ways we do that in our home. Musicals, concerts, and soundtracks often fill our evenings—sometimes while cooking dinner, sometimes during weekend chores, and sometimes simply because a song captures a feeling we want to share. We hope to give a child the confidence to try new things, discover what they love, and feel celebrated for who they are.

Our careers shape many of the values we bring to parenting. Ruth works in pharmacy, aiding a local business in managing and distributing prescriptions for long-term care facilities. Her work reflects compassion, responsibility, and attentiveness to the well-being of others. Tanner works at a global company that researches and develops products related to nuclear operations, sustainability, and clean energy. Through work-related meetings and scientific conventions, Tanner has met people from around the world, which has broadened our perspectives and strengthened our appreciation for diverse backgrounds and experiences. Together, we believe these experiences have shaped us into steady, resilient, and thoughtful people—qualities we hope to model for a child. We also believe deeply in kindness, empathy, and respect. We want to raise a child who feels safe, cherished, and confident, and who knows they can come to us with anything. We will honor your child’s story and heritage, and we will speak of you with respect and gratitude, because we recognize the love behind your decision.

We are committed to openness. We will gladly send letters and pictures to you, and we are open to ongoing contact in ways that feel comfortable—such as emails and phone calls. Our hope is that your child will grow up knowing they are loved by many and that their adoption story is held with honesty, care, and gratitude. Our promise to you is simple: your child will be loved unconditionally. They will be supported in their dreams, comforted in their struggles, and celebrated for the person they become. We cannot pretend to fully understand the weight of the decision you are making, but we want you to know that if you choose us, we will honor that choice every single day by giving your child the best life we can. Thank you for considering us as potential parents for your child. We admire your courage, and we would be honored to walk this journey with you.

With heartfelt respect and gratitude,

Tanner & Ruth