First Names Only: Mike and Eric

Why we want to be parents: One area that we bonded over early in our relationship was the desire to be parents. While we came from different upbringings, both of us grew up instilled with the value that family is always the number one priority. Eric used to help his mom run a day care and Mike takes care of people at the hospital every day. Caring for people is at the heart of who we are. We can't wait to start our family and support them through their life journey.

What activities we look forward to doing with a child: One of the activities that we look forward to is seeing our entire extended families grow up together. Se both loved growing up with siblings and plan to raise multiple children so that they can also have siblings to grow up with. We can't wait for family trips with our brothers, sisters, and their children, who can't wait to meet their new cousin! We envision a future of family game nights, time outside hiking and skiing, and enjoying local neighborhood celebrations with the local community.

The people/pets who make up our family: Our family consists of Mike, Eric, and our two friendly tabby cats Sky & Sol.

Our ethnic/cultural background: Mike is a first-generation child of Dutch immigrants and Eric has mostly Pennsylvanian Dutch heritage.

Family celebrations that are important to us: We love the opportunity to celebrate special occasions. Mike's absolute favorite holiday is Christmas. Growing up, he didn't have biological

Any religious identification: While we don't identify with any organized religion, our beliefs align most closely with Humanism. We believe everyone benefits when we treat each other with love, respect and kindness, regardless of our backgrounds.

Fun activities we like to do: We love to travel and be outdoors; however, we are also homebodies. We love to bake (Mike is a much better baker), garden, watch movies, and go on hikes together.

Where we live (city, rural, community): We live in a quiet neighborhood in the suburbs of Grand Rapids MI.

A few fun facts about each of us: Please check out our profile book which has much more information about us!

One thing we would like the birth family to know about us/why we would be good parents: Open-mindedness is very important to us, and we will emphasize understanding diverse perspectives without judgment. We believe in the value of hard work, even if help is needed along the way. We will always prioritize education and ensure that our children are taught empathy, kindness, and resilience. We are so grateful for your consideration.