Waiting Family Profiles

Home Location: Twin Cities Metro

Family Status: Couple without children

Children in Home: None

Child Ethnicity: Asian, Caucasian, East Indian, Hispanic/Latino

Hello! We are Michael & Ben. Thank you for considering us in your adoption decision. We admire the difficult, loving choice you’re making for your child, and can’t imagine how hard it must be. We believe we can provide the love, care, support, and resources to help your child grow and thrive. Our promise is to love and cherish your child and foster a healthy relationship to you in the process.

We have been together eight years, and have the desire, stability, and the love to grow our family through adoption. Adoption was always the path we wanted to take to become parents; we are excited to grow our family in this way, know that our family will be unique and beautiful.

We want to give you an idea of what our life here in Minneapolis, Minnesota looks like. We hope the information on these pages gives you a glimpse into who we are, and the family we will be for your child. We hope we get the chance to meet you and speak more about your hopes.

Out Story

We met in June 2017 and had a whirlwind summer romance getting to know each other. We knew very quickly that this was something special. In hindsight, it’s clear that we were both in the midst of huge changes: Ben coming out to his friends and family, and Michael, new to Minneapolis and establishing a stable career path.

Fast forward a bit… we moved in together to Ben’s home in 2019, survived the covid pandemic together, and in March of 2021 we got engaged on the same day that we put an offer on a new home that we would share. We got married on August 5th, 2022 in Minneapolis and have been steadily building our life together since.

Ben always knew he wanted to have children; the first 10 years of his career were spent as a K-12 teacher. Michael, however, never felt it would be possible for him; being gay, young, still figuring himself out… it just never seemed like being a father could be his. But as our relationship matured and we built the life we wanted, we realized that being fathers together was a path we could not pass up. We can’t wait to pour our love into your little one, and help them grow and thrive in a great life ahead.

About Ben (by Michael)

Ben (36) is one of the most dedicated, steady, and thoughtful people I have ever known. His caring nature is a strength that makes others around him feel safe, valued, and included. Ben currently works as a learning and development director at a marketing and technology company, but the first 10 years of his career were spent as a K-12 choir teacher. He is steady and communicative, with has a gift for noticing and creating beauty in the world.

Ben is a nurturer, as seen in his deep friendships, his care for our two cats, and his thoughtful care of our garden and house plants… some would say he has TWO green thumbs. He is also incredibly patient, a virtue that will be so important as we adapt to the needs of a new child together.

Ben is driven. He’s passionate about health and fitness, and finds joy in challenging himself. He has excelled in the workplace because of his focus and drive. Together we are able to provide a very comfortable and fulfilling life for us and our future children.

Ben balances  his drive with a playful sense of humor and a deep commitment to fairness and kindness. I know that our child will look up to him, learn from him, and always feel protected, supported, and loved.

About Michael (by Ben)

Michael (33) is one of the most kind-hearted, playful, and loving people I have ever met. He brings so much joy and color into our life (literally and figuratively). He has a huge heart, a whimsical spirit, and a deep well of empathy. Whether he’s dancing to showtunes in the kitchen or organizing a new game for us to play together, Michael has a way of turning everyday moments into memories.

He’s the kind of person who melts at the sight of a seal (his favorite animal since childhood; he used to refuse to leave the seal exhibit at the zoo!), and never fails to stop to admire a beautiful plant (he loves cacti on our travels to the California desert). He’s also a nurturing cat dad, a lover of bright colors, and a devoted husband who shows up with care and thoughtfulness in everything he does.

Michael studied theater for young audiences and acting in college. He was a performer for many years before making the jump to becoming a successful account manager working directly with Target corporate. He brings theatrical playfulness everywhere he goes.

Michael works hard, sometimes struggles with perfectionism and anxiety, and is always striving to do his best. He also values rest, harmony, and prioritizing time for fun. I know he’ll be an incredible dad… silly, gentle, present, and full of love.

Our People

We have a wonderful support network—family and friends both near and far who are excited to support us and our child as our family grows.

Ben’s family: His parents, grandmother, his three siblings and their spouses, and their children (six nieces and nephews across three families) all live within 15-minutes of us! Ben’s family frequently gets together for Sunday night dinners—four generations of family all in the same space!

Michael’s family: His mom, dad, stepparents, and brother live in San Antonio, Texas where he was born and raised. Michael’s extended family (aunts, uncles, and grandparents), all live in Minneapolis! Michael’s mom frequently travels to Minneapolis to visit and is eager to fly up often to support our growing family.

Friends: Our friends live coast to coast, from Boston to Minneapolis to L.A., and are excited to share and support our growing family. We each have best friends who live just down the street from us, and we are excited to incorporate all of them into the life of our child. Many of our friends have also recently started their families and have children under the age of one.

Our Cats: Peanut & Butter

We have two hairless Sphynx cats, Peanut and Butter, both of whom love meeting new people, and especially connect well with children. Butter joined our family on March 20th, 2020… yes, a random, impulsive addition in the first week of the pandemic, but we couldn’t love her any more if we tried! She is a cuddler, and loves scratches along her neck and sitting by the fire to keep warm! Our second cat, Peanut, joined us in Summer 2024 when she was just a kitten—she is playful, vocal, social, and still has the kitten energy! She plays fetch in our living room with her favorite toys and sometimes will accidentally run into the sliding glass door.

Our Home

We moved into our beautiful 4 bed/3 bath home on a cul-de-sac about 15 minutes NW of Minneapolis in 2021. Our home is spacious—perfect for growing our family. We sit on half an acre with a massive, beautiful backyard with tons of space to play, garden, and relax. We live in a great school district and are walking distance from one of the elementary schools.

We also live walking distance from a state park with trails, a lake, and a beach! Each night (weather permitting), we walk to the park to enjoy the beautiful outdoor spaces before sunset.

Our Openness

We want to build an adoption relationship with you that is grounded in trust, respect, and shared love for the child.

We are open to ongoing communication through letters, pictures, and updates as often as needed to create connection and trust. We are also open to occasional visits, with the goal of nurturing a healthy and supportive relationship.

Our hope is to create an open adoption experience that honors you, supports the child’s identity, and always keeps the child’s best interest at heart.

A Typical Saturday

• Wake up around 7:30 for coffee and feeding the cats.
• Relax: We take Saturday mornings slow, savoring a little extra time relaxing together.
• Chores: Our home and yard always need TLC! We especially enjoy keeping the yard spruced up in the Spring and Summer to brighten the neighborhood.
• Hobbies: At some point, Ben will escape for a long run or bike ride, while Michael logs on to play some video games with friends who live in other states.
• Food: Ben is the cook of the family and will likely sneak away to prep some food for dinner – if it’s not Winter, we’re probably grilling.
• Evening: We love to stay in! We cozy up in our downstairs and watch a show or two, often pausing for long periods to talk and joke.
• Bed time: We both pull out our kindles… Michael is reading some throw-back Nancy Drew, and Ben is reading a novel (he loves fiction).

For more information, please contact us at
[email protected]

 

Rockets with our nieces and nephews

Ben’s parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces and nephews

Silly holiday photo with our cat, Butter

Meeting future cousin, Jay, for the first time!

Our Sphynx cats, Peanut and Butter