We love vacationing in the mountains. They are our favorite reminder of how beautiful and vast our world is. Being in the mountains gives us an opportunity to do what we love and be outside in nature. In the mountains we can hike and face a challenge and the best part is doing it together. One of our favorite memories was spent hiking during a summer trip to Utah visiting Zion National Park. The colors and views were like no other. We hiked the infamous "Narrows" trail and relied on one another to persevere through the difficult stretches wading in water and sliding on rocks, but building confidence and trust in one another, a lot like situations in our daily lives. A reminder that we can do anything and we can certainly do anything when we are together. This particular hike left an imprint on our hearts, the stumbles and hands to support one another, and the discomfort and moments of flow. We were so close to the end of the trail and unexpectedly were forced to turn around due to weather. We feel like this is synonymous with our lives. Releasing your grip on the expectations you have for the destination allows you to appreciate and embrace the beauty in the journey and allows what is meant for you to come at its perfect time. We love the perspective the mountains continue to give to us.

Jenna About Eric: Eric is the most driven and passionate person I have ever met. His laugh and smile make you giggle alongside him. When Eric commits to something, he always follows through. Two years ago he decided to train for an "Ironman" competition. He had never completed anything of the sort, yet committed to this challenge while believing in potential. He not only completed the race, but did so in torrential rain and cold temperatures, never giving up on himself and his goal. This is just like the loyalty and love he unconditionally gives to me/us his family, friends, students and players he coaches on the court. He lives each day through a lens of service and impact. He lives each day in hopes of leading others to believe they are capable of anything. He inspires me to live through that same lens. I feel luckiest to call Eric my life partner.

Eric About Jenna Jenna is the most loving and caring person I know. She sees the best in everyone she meets and is quick to develop a connection in a matter of moments. Jenna is a tireless worker in everything she sets out to accomplish. Most recently she earned her master's degree in educational leadership and transitioned to a role on an administration team. She has embraced her new role and accepted the challenges as an opportunity to influence students in a positive way. She has a quiet strength about her. She carries herself through it all with confidence and grace. Her work ethic and ability to adapt when obstacles present themselves has impressed everyone she works with, including myself. Her laugh and thirst for life is infectious. I am blessed to call her my wife.

Our days are a balance between being active, connecting with friends and family and having slow, simple days together at home. We both enjoy spending time outside, running, cycling, and walking with our pup. We belong to a health club that has a variety of activities for families to enjoy together with the indoor swimming pool, lake and tennis courts. We see this being a place to spend time with our child as a family. Our home is a space we love to be together, grilling in our backyard, reading, having coffee on our porch and snuggling up for a movie in the living room. We even find some fun in the occasional house project. We love making our home ours.

We are very proud to live in our mid-sized community located in Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Michigan. The beauty of the lake is never something taken for granted. We enjoy lakeside walks, annual running events, and an early morning sunrise and coffee toast with the sand in our toes. We appreciate and embrace each season and the fun that our community offers between beach days, colorful leaf hikes in the fall, or ice skating rinks in the winter.

Our neighborhood has a quiet suburban feel with many young families. It is common for us to say 'hello' and chat while taking our pup for our daily family walk. In the summertime, kids are out riding bikes, selling lemonade and playing basketball. Many families spend time on porches and patios. Our closeby neighbors have young kids who we envision our child to grow up playing with. There are parks and pools within a short bike ride or drive that we look forward to spending more time exploring in the future. Halloween is one of our favorite annual events in the neighborhood. We moved into our home on Halloween and fell in love with the traditions and community connection. We love our community, house and the spaces we have designed here; it is a house that truly feels like home.

We are grateful for the close family relationships we both have with our siblings and parents. The support and excitement from all our extended family makes us feel very fortunate.

Jenna has an older brother who lives a couple of hours away with his wife and two young boys. We enjoy our overnight and weekend long visits. They give us time to explore the city together or go cheer on our nephews in their soccer and baseball games. Jenna's parents live a short car ride away, but the distance does not stop us from seeing one another often. The guest bedroom in our home has been claimed as their second bedroom; evidence of their frequent visits and comfort in our space. They love the area we live in and can't wait to be active grandparents to our future child.

Eric's family is a little larger. Eric has two younger siblings and both his parents are remarried. We all live in the same town within minutes of one another. We love that this allows us to frequently spend time together and watch our nieces grow. A typical family event involves lots of giggles with our nieces and dogs running and playing. The adults enjoy playing board games, cooking or sharing stories by the bonfire… and of course, with a sporting event on in the background to cheer for.

We love the strong traditions we have with both our families around the holidays and also during the summer at the lake house. We're excited for our child to grow up experiencing this with their family.

As we navigate the adoption process, we are committed to sharing the most authentic, honest and real version of who we are together. This is not a TV show or highlight reel on social media of only the good stuff. Our story involves challenges, failures, pain and loss, but never with regret, and instead, with the most pride. We feel grateful for all that has gotten us to this point in our journey to become parents. It has affirmed our longing to fill the crib in our nursery, see our floors scattered with toys and our arms filled with the most love.

We have been married for over 10 years and have always dreamed of raising a family together. We chose the profession of education because we want to serve others. We feel luckiest to have an opportunity to leave an impact on our students, families and community. We make decisions each day in our careers through a lens of love and care for children who are not our own. We want you to know that we will share a life of unconditional love with this child. Being older and well-established in our careers, we feel that we are in a unique position to offer a stable and secure home. We've built a life where we can provide not only the financial security but also the emotional maturity to be strong, loving parents. Our work in education has also given us a deep sense of responsibility and understanding about the importance of family and community, and we are ready to welcome a child into a warm, supportive environment valuing curiosity, joy, love and kindness.

We know the feeling of saying 'goodbye' to your baby, and would never wish that upon any mother or father. Our first baby, Leo, passed away 8 hours after birth, the most beautiful and heart aching hours of our existence. He changed how we perceive parenthood. A parent's love never ends, even when their child isn't with them. We know and feel this, too. Choosing adoption as a birth parent is one of the most brave and selfless decisions you can make, and we admire you for all you have already sacrificed for your baby. We hold you in the highest regard for the strength and love it takes to consider this choice. Our gain will never be your loss.

If you wish to have an ongoing relationship or receive updates, we are more than happy to keep you informed in a way that feels comfortable and right for you. We believe in an open adoption and the beauty that can come from us staying connected. This child will know they have more than one mother and father. We want to be open with this child and support them in navigating this big piece of who they are, an adopted child. As this child grows, we are committed to sending letters, emails and pictures regularly to the birth parents to share life updates. We will believe your child to be the most special blessing and privilege to share a life with. Thank you for choosing us and trusting us. With the most love.

Eric & Jenna