Will and Michael

Hi, we are Will and Michael. Will is on the left and Michael is on the right. We call the greater Seattle, Washington area home and love living here in the Pacific Northwest!

Will grew up in Washington state on the eastern side, in a tiny town near the Idaho and Canadian border. Whenever he tells stories of riding his bike into the city five miles to “buy penny candy at the hardware store,” Michael often jokes that it sounds like he grew up in the 1950s. He’s a huge fan of comedy movies or shows (anything that will make him laugh) and his favorite movie is The Goonies. Halloween and Christmas are his favorite holidays so once fall hits, the decorations start going up! He loves to write, kayak, hike, and spend as much time outside as possible (whenever it isn’t raining). Oh, and although he hasn’t been able to find penny candy in quite some time, he still has a sweet tooth and loves Sour Patch Kids.

Michael grew up just outside of Atlanta, Georgia and is the youngest of three with an older brother and sister. Although his family still lives in Georgia, he and Will regularly travel to Georgia and the south to see his immediate and extended family members. Michael’s family has always been on the creative side, which he has inherited himself. He loves making pottery, drawing, sewing or doing anything crafty. Michael is also an avid gamer (whether it’s video games, card games or board games). He’ll jump at the chance to play Mario Kart with anyone! Michael loves exploring the Pacific Northwest and everything it has to offer – whether that’s in the mountains, the forests or the water. If he’s not playing games, making something or trying to spend time outside, you’ll probably find Michael reading a science fiction/fantasy book.

We met each other in 2013 and have been married since 2015 Our journey to parenthood has been somewhat unique, as it started with us becoming foster parents in 2018. Along that journey, we have been incredibly fortunate to bring so many incredible people into our lives, whom we love and see regularly. It was this experience that allowed us to see how wonderful an open adoption may be, where a child can stay connected to their birth parents and along with their adoptive parents, create this beautiful family tree! As gay men, we know that family goes beyond biology and our chosen family has become a blend of our birth family and others who we now also call our family.

We were drawn to the idea of open adoption because we have seen firsthand how important it is for a child not just to know where they came from but to stay connected as well. Having an open adoption where they can know their birth parents and have a relationship with them gives both of us confidence that our child will be able to grow up not having to question anything around their own identity and eventually move into adulthood feeling “whole” with no pieces to the puzzle missing. We also have found that there is no limit to the size of our chosen family, and we are excited to bring our child’s birth parents into that group as well! Thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about us, and we wish you the very best as you consider a plan for yourself and your child.

Thank you,

Will and Michael