Megan often jokes that Calen moved to Texas to find her, and he doesn't disagree! He'd only been in town three weeks when we met at the office holiday party (we work at a university). Both of us were on-theme wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. What stood out immediately was how easy it was to talk to each other. Things just flowed.

After many dates and many great conversations, Calen surprised Megan with a proposal in the mall (it's more romantic than it sounds; hopefully we can tell you the full story one day). We got married in the chapel on campus almost three years to the day we met. And the rest, as they say, is history.

There are many ways to make a family, but adoption has always been the path that feels right for us. We talked about it for years, and now the time is right because we feel emotionally and financially ready to provide the best home that we possibly can.

We know people from all parts of the adoption triangle -- adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents -- and listening to their experiences reinforced our decision to adopt. It seems fitting to us that the symbol for adoption is a heart woven with a triangle, because love connects every side, forever, and every side is important.

We understand adoption is not a perfect system and that it can be wonderful and hard at the same time. But we feel confident we can navigate this journey -- together.

Meg (that's what I call her) is passionate about the causes, ideas and people she believes in. She's the most determined, dedicated person I've ever met.

She's loving, fair-minded and brilliant. She inspires me in the way that she knows exactly what she wants and knows how to make it happen. I'm always blown away by her depth and exuberance.

I just know that her personality and spunk will shine as a mother, and she will also help instill those strengths in a child.

The world needs more Calens. He's the very definition of dependable, always there to lend a hand or an ear for those in need. When things seem chaotic, Calen is calm and consistent. His genuineness puts people at ease and he makes friends wherever he goes.

Originally from rural Michigan, Calen still has a sense of midwestern earnestness that's just plain charming. I love the way he sees the world and the goodness in every person.

Calen's kindness, patience and zest for life will make him an amazing father. Plus, he's already perfected the art of the dad joke!

Get outdoors. We love visiting national parks (and collecting the passport stamps) and exploring the local trail systems.

Play board games with friends and family (some regulars include Ticket to Ride and Settlers of Catan).

Learn. We both work in higher ed and we're curious people, so we enjoy diving into new subjects. Megan likes history podcasts and Calen is learning Spanish on Duolingo.

Laugh! We watch comedy specials, listen to podcasts and go to stand-up shows (John Mulaney is a favorite).

We've been fortunate to travel many places together, and we have a lot more dream trips planned for the future. We strongly believe in the value of experiencing other cultures and stepping outside our comfort zones, and we look forward showing a child the world. We even plan to make the nursery travel-themed to instill a love for travel early on!

Some of our top adventures so far include:

• Snuggling sloths in the Amazon Rainforest
• Riding 470 miles across Iowa with family and friends
• Swimming with stingrays in the Cayman Islands
• Hiking the Inca Trail in Peru during rainy season

We live in a 3-bedroom, 2-bath ranch-style home tucked in a suburban area of a big but friendly Texas city. From the moment we saw the house, we were charmed by the cozy vibes, tall oak trees and window-filled sunroom overlooking the backyard gazebo.

The yard is Calen's happy place where he enjoys gardening on weekends. Megan is content to watch from inside, where she's decorated the house with souvenirs from our travels. The open floor plan means there's plenty of room to host and for a kid to play.

What We Love About Where We Live

• Close to Family and Friends: Megan's aunt and uncle live a mile away, and we have friends just a few streets away.
• Diverse & Welcoming: There's a great mix of people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds.
• Great for Children: Lots of families call our neighborhood home because we're near excellent schools, world-class museums, an amazing zoo and lots of great trails.

Our 11-year-old tuxedo cat is named after the Hunger Games heroine. But she also answers to Kitty K and Meow Meow (when she feels like it).

She's a playful girl who loves:

• Sunning herself in her kitty bed next to the sunroom windows
• Running across the house at high speeds (the zoomies)
• Making mischief, then wearing herself out and snuggling with us
• Eating! Canned seafood is her fave.

• Unconditionally love and accept your child for exactly who they are and who they grow to be
• Cheer your child on as they discover their passions and talents
• Take your child on our travels to show them this big, amazing world in which we live
• Ensure your child has opportunities to connect with their culture and ethnicity if it's different from our own
• Give your child every educational opportunity we can provide
• Teach your child to listen to and learn from others who are different from them
• Make time for laughter, silliness and fun daily
• Not shy away from the hard conversations and always be honest with them -- and with you
• Honor your role as birth mother and ensure your child knows adoption is part of their story

We appreciate you learning about our lives and our dreams when you have so much going on in your own.

Hopefully now you have a better understanding of who we are as people and who we want to be as parents. We come into adoption with an open heart and open mind so that, together, we can build a supportive relationship that feels right for everyone.