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Mel and Traia
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About Us
We have been together for 9 years and, since same sex marriage was not legal in our home state, we were married on Valentine’s Day 2004 in Vancouver, B.C. We met in an unlikely spot – a supermarket parking lot – the rendezvous point for members of our women’s off roading club. After several months of getting to know each other while conquering hair-raising challenges on the Jeep trails and learning how to two-step at our favorite country dance club, we knew it was love. We also knew that we wanted to raise children together, but just weren’t sure when or how that would happen. Mel is an academic adviser at a large university, and Traia is a medical fiscal specialist. Traia’s mother, Mary, also shares our home, so Rogan has the benefit of a live-in Grandma! We work hard and enjoy a life full of friends, animals, and country living. Outdoor pursuits - including off roading, horseback riding, gardening, barbecuing, and spending time with our animals - are very important to us.
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Meet Rogan
Right before Christmas of 2005, we learned that we were to become the parents of a baby boy. Rogan came roaring into the world and our lives in February, and nothing has been the same since. He has turned into a handsome, clever young rascal! We wanted Rogan to grow up independent and fearless, and he has done just that. He loves being outdoors, designing elaborate tracks for his Thomas trains, making crafts, and playing with his pets. Rogan is “Poppy’s boy” much of the time, going places in the truck, watching the Transformers movie, or doing outdoor things, but he adores Mommy and always turns to her for comfort. One day Rogan announced to us that he wanted a baby and that we’d better “get busy!” Luckily, his Mommy and Poppy are ready and eager to complete our family. We have been enjoying reading stories about boys and their new babies, and Rogan is sure that he will be the best big brother ever.
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Our Open Adoption Experience
Our first open adoption gave us our wonderful son, Rogan, now four years old, and relationships with his Birthparents that have enriched all our lives. We travel to their city several times each year for visits, and they have come up to spend time “on the farm” with us. We have enjoyed watching these two interesting young people grow, and as they have grown, so has Rogan. That he has grown up knowing his Birthparents - never questioning who he is or where he came from - has helped to make him a terrifically confident and secure child. As “veteran” adoptive parents, we hope that our knowledge and confidence about the open adoption process will be reassuring as you face the all-important decision about the people who will parent your child.
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Our Home
We live in rural western Washington on a 5-acre place we call Paradise Ranch, surrounded by pine forest and friendly neighbors. Our best friends, known to Rogan as “Auntie Angel” and “Uncle Daryl” live just a half mile down the dirt road from us. In 2007 we finished construction on a big two-story farm house with plenty of room for kids and pets. Rogan spends lots of time outdoors helping “Poppy” with chores, playing on the big Rainbow play structure, or climbing on bales of hay in the barn. Our family includes two charming cats, a pack of three goofy dogs, two paint horses named Rocky and Spiderman, and about 40 chickens. Rogan is the proud owner of a sweet Shetland pony named Tonto that he’ll be happy to share with his sibling. We love animals and think they’re important to kids, because they teach empathy and responsibility better than Barney and Mr. Rogers put together.
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Parenting and Values
When Rogan was born, Traia was able to take an extended leave from work in order to be a full-time mom during the important first year, and we are fortunate enough to be able to do that again for our second child. Since we live in close proximity to two major urban centers, we can provide our children with lots of opportunities to learn by visiting world-class zoos, museums, science centers, and theatres. We also enjoy getting away once in a while, particularly for fun at the beach. Education is a priority for us, and we feel that living in a family involved in academic life will instill the value of learning in our children. We have been teaching a love of language, books, and science, as well as a deep appreciation of the natural world and our place in it. (It must be working because our son is an outdoor fanatic who is fascinated with natural phenomena.) We are not religious, but have strong values based on the twin pillars of freedom and responsibility. A respect for work well done is also something our children will learn, since we both come from blue-collar backgrounds. We’re not in the least bit snooty and will never lead a fancy lifestyle, no matter how much fortune may shine on us. At our house it’s kick off your boots, come on in, and relax.
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Thank You!
That’s our invitation to you – come on in, be yourself, and know you’re among friends. We wish you every good thing as you make the decision that is right for you and your baby.
Mel and Traia … and Rogan too!
You can call us toll free at: 1-866-688-7734
Or email us at: melandtraia@gmail.com
If you have further questions about open adoption you can contact our adoption attorney Albert Lirhus, collect at
206-728-5858 and ask for Joan. Reference file number 9360
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