Hello!

We are Dave and Erin from Portland, Oregon.

We met back in 2013 at a friend’s birthday party. Erin knew it was set up, but Dave only found out right before, when his sister made him change into a nicer shirt. While dating, we realized we have so much fun together and that our relationship feels easy. We found common ground in our core values (be nice to everyone!), our upbringings (both kids of strong, single mothers), as well as our love for life experiences, good friends, and traveling. We married in 2016, both promising we would always prioritize enjoying life together.

Erin works as a physician assistant at a local dermatology practice helping patients with their skin issues and loves her job. She grew up in Sitka, a small island in SE Alaska, where her mom and some of her best friends still live. Erin is super social and always fills her calendar with friend dates. She enjoys interior design and decorating, can sing you every classic Madonna song, is known as “Auntie E” to all our friends’ kids, is often found dancing in the kitchen (while Dave cooks), and loves traveling.

On any given day, you’ll find Dave working on a home improvement project, tending to his plants out in the yard, baking brownies from scratch, trying to learn Spanish (again…), or out walking our dog, Arlo. He also freelances as a web content manager and writes articles for a houseplant blog for fun. A self-described “extroverted introvert”, he hates being the center of attention (unless karaoke is involved), but cherishes time spent with friends and family, and he will never stop being Erin’s travel partner.

We’ve formed an amazing community of people around us that we wouldn’t trade for the world. Dave’s parents, his sister and her family, and extended family all live close by and we see them on a regular basis. Erin’s mom, while far away, is always looped into our lives during our weekly FaceTime happy hour calls. We have a tight-knit group of friends (our “chosen family”) that we see regularly, including at holidays, birthdays, camping trips, and monthly dinner parties.

Both of us always knew we wanted to be parents, but it wasn’t until we met each other that we realized how much we could really offer a child as a team. Our approach to parenting is simple: Raise good, caring individuals. Infertility issues have taken our journey toward parenthood down an unexpected path, but the option of adoption has always been on the table for us. As we learned more about open adoption through OA&FS, we knew we had found the right path forward.

We are excited for the opportunity to create a safe, warm, and loving home for a child, where their unique story is celebrated, and a lasting relationship with their birth family shows them just how many people are invested in their happiness.

We are honored that you’ve taken the time to learn more about us and wish you all the best as you make your decision.

Sincerely,
Dave and Erin