- Minnesota -
We're Eddie and Ryan, and we live in Minnesota with our 2-year-old daughter, Viola, and our dogs. Ryan is a surgeon, and Eddie is a stay-at-home dad. We met, fell in love, and built a home together rooted in partnership, humor, and showing up for each other through the hard days and the good ones. We're a family that laughs a lot, leans on each other, and doesn't take the small moments for granted.
I grew up in California in a traditional Mexican-American family, moved to Nevada, and then, for love and for adventure, packed everything up and moved to Minnesota. If you'd told me five years ago I'd be a stay-at-home dad in a small Minnesota town with four dogs and a daughter who already runs the household, I would have laughed. Now I can't imagine anything better. I spent 12 years as a high school English teacher and earned my Master's Degree in Secondary Education. I believe deeply in education, in meeting kids where they are, and in making sure every child knows they are capable and worthy of great things. Those values don't stop when the school day ends. They're just how I parent. Being at home with Viola has been the greatest privilege of my life. I come from a large family, nine sisters, so I know a thing or two about loud, loving households. Ours fits right in. When I'm not in full dad mode, I love music, working out, tending to my houseplants, and working on our home. I'm a homebody who also loves an adventure, which means our life in Minnesota is just about perfect.
I'm a surgeon in Minnesota, which still feels surreal to say, because not long ago I was a resident counting down the days. I was born to a German father and a Filipino mother and raised in Minnesota, so, in a way, coming back here felt like coming home. What I didn't expect was that "home" would turn out to be even better than I remembered, because now I get to share it with Eddie and Viola. Faith, family, and education have always been the foundation of my life. Growing up with three siblings taught me the value of showing up for people, and I carry that into both my work as a surgeon and my role as a dad. I believe in being present. I believe in putting people first. And I believe that a family built with intention is one of the most beautiful things in the world. When I'm not at the hospital, I love creating things with my hands: painting, knitting, baking, and puzzles. I'm the kind of person who needs a project. Right now, my favorite way to spend my time is with our daughter. I can't wait to see our family grow and for our love to multiply.
Dear Expectant Mom,
We recognize that you’re facing an incredibly difficult decision, and we respect and admire the courage it takes to make it. We want you to know that if you choose us as adoptive parents, we will love, teach, and protect your child with all of our hearts. Our commitment to creating a loving and nurturing home is unwavering. We believe in giving children a life filled with possibilities, where they can explore their passions, learn, and grow in a safe and supportive environment.
Our love for our children will be unconditional, and we will always be there to support them through all of life’s challenges. Our hope for you is that you find someone who feels right for you & that you are at peace with your decision. We are honored that you are considering us as potential parents, and we promise to cherish and love your child every single day.
Eddie and Ryan
We live in Minnesota, a state we have completely fallen in love with. After years in Las Vegas, the change of pace took about five minutes to fall in love with. Seasons, lakes, a tight-knit community, and neighbors who actually wave at you. It suits us perfectly.
Our home is everything we dreamed of when we imagined raising a family. We have a spacious yard where the dogs run wild, and the kids play hard. We have a pool for long summer afternoons and a hot tub for cool Minnesota evenings.
Minnesota gives our kids room to breathe. Room to explore. Room to be kids. And when they’re ready for a bigger world, we’ve got Disney trips, travel, and adventures lined up as far as the eye can see.
Our story began in early 2020, right in the middle of a global pandemic, when the world had gone quiet, and two people found each other online anyway. We connected almost immediately, and honestly, the rest has been the best kind of chaos.
Since then, we got married, moved across the country, bought a home, adopted our daughter Viola, accumulated more dogs than we probably planned for, and somehow made Minnesota our favorite place on earth. We are a couple who fell in love fast and built a life even faster, and we wouldn’t trade a single joyful moment of it.
We feel so honored that you’re taking the time to read our story. We hope that as you do, you get a real sense of who we are, not just the highlights, but the everyday stuff too. The Saturday-morning pancakes, the Nintendo Switch tournaments, the kids’ movie nights, piled up on the couch with four dogs who all think they’re lap dogs. That’s us. That’s what a child would be coming home to.
