We both love finding ways to relax. We love to travel, explore the world, and read good books. Mike prefers to read non-fiction books, while Julia likes to read fantasy, historical fiction, and any books for her classroom. We are both introverts, so we like to spend our leisure time doing activities that recharge us. Julia likes to do any form of puzzle - big jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, sudoku. She likes to run outside with good music, do yoga, cuddle with the dogs, and watch movies like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Mike loves to be outside and active. He likes cycling, golf, skiing, and snowboarding. He also likes to relax while watching sports. We both enjoy spending time with small groups of friends and delicious food. We are both so excited to share all these activities with a child and to learn new activities based on what our child grows to love!

We both grew up with different cultural backgrounds. We appreciate the role that our cultural upbringing plays in who we are, and we seek to incorporate important elements into our family life. One way that we like to celebrate Mike's background is going to dim sum, a traditional Chinese brunch, with friends to enjoy food and good company.

We are dedicated to recognizing and honoring the cultural background of an adopted child and we are excited to incorporate elements of that culture into our child's daily life and upbringing. Julia is especially excited to provide a library of books, movies, and art that will provide both windows and mirrors for our child, so they can see themselves reflected and valued in the immediate world around them while also being exposed to other cultures that the world has to offer. We are committed to learning about a culture that may be different from our own and finding families of that cultural background to be a part of the child's life and to help us be the best parents we can be. We belong to a church that is very racially and ethnically diverse, with people that come from 74 different countries.

We live in Maryland in a nice little neighborhood. There's a park a few blocks away with a playground, basketball hoops, and a tennis court. There's also a Free Little Library where neighbors drop off books and sometimes we find a good one to read. There are lots of kids in the neighborhood, and the elementary school is a short walk away.

The neighborhood is also diverse in lots of ways. There are lots of seniors whose families grew up here and lots of young families with school aged children. Our neighborhood is wonderful in its racial diversity as well. The people that live on our block are all very friendly, and we'll often be chatting on the sidewalk or watching our dogs say hi to each other. We also all decorate our homes with lights for Christmas. In the summer, it's not uncommon for us to share tomatoes or other vegetables that we have grown in our backyards.

Our home is small and cozy with three bedrooms and a guest room. We also have a fenced in backyard with a small bonfire pit that we enjoy on cool autumn days.

We see our extended families regularly as they only live a couple hours away.

We spend the holidays with our extended families. For Thanksgiving there is usually a big family dinner with a turkey (or two!), mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. There is also a big Christmas Eve dinner with ribs and gumbo and then we do small gatherings on Christmas Day. Christmastime is filled with lots of delicious food, cookie-making, and hanging out together in our PJs.

We also love to travel with our extended family. We have recently explored Hawaii, Greece and Turkey. Julia also traveled to the Bahamas with her sister and her niece, Ava, when Ava was just 6 months old. It's never too early to start seeing the world! From time-to-time we will also spend time with Mike's family down at the Jersey Shore. It's a nice family friendly place where kids can run and play with all their cousins.

Our extended family is caring, welcoming, and always willing to lend a hand or help out. Everyone in our extended family is very supportive of our adoption plan and cannot wait to love (and probably spoil a little bit) this child as a member of their family.

Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know us and for considering us for the incredible honor of welcoming your child into our family. Our hearts are eagerly awaiting the child who will give us the gift of becoming parents.

We first met in the popcorn line at a movie theater in 2011. We were both there in a large group from our church to see the movie "X-Men: First Class." When we walked back into the theater, others in the group assumed we were together, so they moved seats so we could sit next to each other. We chatted before and after the movie, and Mike walked Julia home. Julia walked into her apartment and immediately told her roommate, "I'm pretty sure I just fell in love." Four years later, we were married outside in front of a little gazebo surrounded by our friends and family. We have been married for 6 1/2 years and love our little family (we call it our "pack") with our dogs, Abby and Luna. We are so excited to welcome a child into our lives to expand our pack.

Over the past 10-11 years together, we have weathered many storms, both as individuals and as a couple. While these times were difficult, we strongly believe that they taught us more about who we are and they prepared us to be a strong parenting team. In good times and bad, Mike is steady. He shows his love through acts of service and is always ready to do what needs to be done. Julia is fiercely devoted to those she loves. She has a passion for the underdog and has a fiery "mama bear" instinct. She shows her love through physical affection and quality time. We balance each other out while also challenging each other to continue growing and learning.

When we dream about the future, we envision a big happy family with multiple children and multiple dogs. We see a home that is brimming with love, energy, and peace. We want our children to bring their friends home with them for snacks after school because it is a place where everyone feels welcome, known, and accepted. Our dreams are filled with cozy cuddles around the fire, cheering loudly on the sidelines of a soccer game in the rain, and summer water balloon fights in the backyard. Our dreams are also filled with holding our children as they cry over their first heartbreak, reining ourselves in when we want to help but know that our child needs to make decisions and mistakes for themselves, and leaning on each other when we make a parenting mistake. We are walking into this experience with our eyes and our hearts wide open. Parenting will be hard and messy and absolutely beautiful. We cannot wait!

We welcome you to be involved and invest in your child's life to the extent with which you feel comfortable. We will gladly share pictures, emails and stories that capture significant moments in your child's life. We are also open to setting up visits with our family so your child can know and love you. We will honor you in our home by always speaking highly of you and your decision with both our words and our actions. Your decision is significant and we recognize that.

Thank you for considering us. We hope and pray that you find peace as you make this decision.

Mike & Julia