We both grew up in Minnesota, but have found Alaskan life to be a good fit for our explorative personalities. We both share a passion for the outdoors, nurtured by family when we were little. Melissa’s dad took her out hunting and fishing and shared random facts about wildlife as they rode in the car. Lance’s family spent summer vacations at a lake cabin where they would fish, swim, and play outdoor games.

We continue many of these hobbies and look forward to sharing them with our adopted child. In the summer we can be found shrimping, fishing for salmon and halibut, traveling around Alaska in our camper, playing disc golf, and volunteering at the fish derby weigh-in station. In the winter we enjoy snowshoeing in the mountains and chasing our dogs around in the snow. We also enjoy visiting with friends, participating in a local photography club, and other community events.

When at home, we enjoy board games, puzzles, cuddling with our pets, and watching birds come to the feeder. Melissa likes to spend time taking care of her house plants and encouraging them to grow. When she is lost in her jungle, Lance can be found fixing things out in the garage or woodworking, one of his favorite hobbies.

Melissa also brings this nurturing quality to her career in science education. She works with students of all ages when she teaches and visits classrooms. She partners with scientists to help share their research in kid-friendly activities that are engaging and represent scientists of all types. She hopes that through her work, more children can see themselves as scientists and gain skills to advocate for themselves in their personal lives.

Lance works as a fish culturist raising salmon at the hatchery in Valdez. His families’ background is in farming, so he finds providing food and jobs for so many people to be very rewarding. He enjoys the hands-on work and providing care for millions (and millions) of baby salmon. He enjoys seeing people's enthusiasm, kids and adults alike, when they visit the hatchery and see all the wildlife that come with the salmon.

Our desire to adopt a child stems from a strong belief in providing a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment where a child can grow, thrive, and feel valued. We live right in Valdez near schools, parks, and activity centers. We are ready to offer a home full of love, stability, and guidance.