Waiting Family Profiles

Home Location: Twin Cities Metro

Family Status: Couple without children

Children in Home: None

Child Ethnicity: African American, Asian, Caucasian, East Indian, Hispanic/Latino, Native American

Hi! We’re Dan and Colin, two middle school teachers who live in New Brighton, MN. We cannot express how humbled and grateful we are for you taking the time to hear our story and our reasons for wanting to share our lives with your little one.

As parents, we want to provide a safe and supportive home where our child feels valued and loved, exactly as they are. As teachers, we believe that a strong education will help them discover themself, pursue their passions, and open up opportunities to explore the world.

We want our child to have access to experiences and people that reflect their racial and ethnic background, and we will undergo any learning necessary to help them celebrate their identity and cultural history. We are committed to maintaining openness regarding our child’s adoptive identity, including maintaining a relationship with their birth parent(s).

We look forward to getting to know you!

About Colin (by Dan)

More than anyone I’ve ever met, Colin possesses the ability to relate to others, making them feel seen and heard. Within minutes of meeting him, people often find themselves laughing and enjoying his easy-going humor. He’s the sort of open person who lets his creativity and joy radiate toward anyone lucky enough to be around him. Whether he’s bursting into a song he made up on the spot or throwing together a cheeseboard for friends he spontaneously invited over, Colin knows how to love life and bring everyone along for the ride.

I am so excited for Colin to become a father, and I have no doubt that he will be incredible at it. Kids love him. Our nieces and nephew adore playing games with him, dressing up in silly costumes, and having heartfelt conversations about what matters most to them. When Colin and I go to a school event—or for that matter, the grocery store—Colin’s current and former students mob him and gush about how much they’ve missed him. He’s the most loving and patient man I’ve ever met, and I’m so lucky I get to raise a child with him.

About Dan (by Colin)

Dan is, truly, one of the best people I have ever known. He has a passion for life that is infectious and sincere, and he loves fiercely and genuinely. He is a true friend who gives of himself in so many ways to so many people. From sitting on the couch catching up over coffee to traveling across the country to keep relationships healthy and strong, Dan will be there for you with listening ears, an open heart, and a loving smile.

Dan and I often joke about the other being the “better dad” when the time comes, but mine is never actually a joke. Dan is going to be an incredible father and knowing that makes me want to do everything I can to get on his level. The compassion and kindness he has shown his whole life is inspiring and I cannot wait to see what that will look like when he gets to give that love to our child.

Our Home

We live in a beautiful old home on a woodsy dead-end street in New Brighton, MN, about twenty minutes north of downtown Minneapolis. We love a good house project, and have been updating and remodeling our space since we moved in during the winter of 2020. Kids use our street to play games, and our neighborhood has regular movie nights, potlucks, and bonfires. It’s the perfect blend of nature and community.

Our child will attend Mounds View Public Schools, which is ranked as one of the best school districts in Minnesota. Both Dan and Colin teach in the district, and, because of our jobs, we are lucky to feel very plugged into the community.

A Typical Day

On weekdays, we get up early, take Hudson for a morning walk, and head off to our separate middle schools where we spend the day attempting to turn teenagers into lifelong readers and writers. After school, we coach our respective schools’ quiz bowl teams and direct the school musicals. Whoever gets home first takes Hudson for an afternoon walk before we cook dinner together.

In the evening, we might play a board game, make music (Colin sings while Dan plays the piano), or catch up on a show. On weekends, we might get together with friends for dinner, explore local hikes, attend a production at a local theater, or take a quick road trip to visit family.

Our People

We truly believe our community is one of our greatest strengths as a couple, so we have made spending time with family and friends a priority in our life and will continue to do the same when we have a child. Colin’s parents live 40 minutes away and are thrilled to become doting grandparents. We love spending long weekends with Dan’s brother’s family and are excited for the memories our child will make with their cousins, uncles, and aunt. In the cities, we have a close-knit group of friends from high school and college who are almost as excited for our new family member as we are. We are surrounded by love and want to share that with our child.

Both of us have spent time around kids our whole lives. We’ve had the joy of watching our nieces and nephew as they’ve grown up, from babysitting them as infants to taking them to explore the world as pre-teens. Dan spent his own teenage years working at a daycare center with toddlers, while Colin spent summers working at a YMCA camp with kindergartners (wee-backpackers) to middle schoolers. Because we’re both middle school teachers, we feel uniquely prepared for those tumultuous teenage years; we’re no strangers to meltdowns, friendship feuds, and emotional rollercoasters.

Favorite Memories

• Trekking around Iceland in a leaky campervan.
• Traveling to Disney with Colin’s mom and grandparents.
• Camping in and exploring the Black Hills.
• Changing our road trip to Utah the day before we were meant to leave for Glacier.
• Three shows in three days on Broadway.

Favorite Traditions

• Spending a few weeks at the family cabin each summer.
• Vising the U.P. each winter to cross country ski and sled in Dan’s hometown.
• Sunday dinners with a close-knit group of friends.
• Rotating through our favorite restaurants to celebrate important things.

Our Favorite Things

• Playing games with family & friends.
• Spending time with our nieces and nephew on the shores of Lake Superior.
• Attending theater productions, from small community theaters to Broadway.
• Getting lost in national parks together.
• Long summer days swimming and kayaking at the family cabin.

Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. We are excited to become parents and so grateful that you’d consider us!

 

Game time with Hudson

With our nieces in Dan’s hometown

Sledding with the family in the UP

Hiking with friends

Cooking with friends