Tawa & Mark

Trust God’s Timing. He makes all things beautiful in His time.

Thanks so much for taking the time to look at our profile! We know that you have many prospective parents to choose from and we are so incredibly humbled that you chose to click on our profile. We hope that this brief sketch will help you get to know us and our story and we are grateful for the opportunity to share it with you.

We fully appreciate that you are in the midst of making an excruciating decision and we can’t imagine what you must be feeling in this moment. Please know that we support whatever choice you make. We are excited to be parents through adoption and we are prayerful that we will be matched in due time.

The phrase "opposites attract" could not have been any more true than when it comes to our story. Mark grew up in a western suburb of Chicago. He loves the great outdoors, nature and wide open spaces. Tawa grew up on Chicago's south side. Tawa loves everything about urban living - the lakefront, the skyline, the amazing restaurants and the diversity of the city's people and cultures.

What sets us apart as a couple is the very thing that drew us together: our determination and will. We lived 46 miles apart from one another while we were dating and for the first eight months of our marriage (due to a job requirement). Even during this time, we made each other a priority and saw each other every weekend and still managed to be together for each other's critical moments. We’ve been married now for over six years and our commitment and dedication to each other has led us through the good, the bad, the wonderful, and the challenging moments of life. Together, we are so excited to discover what our future holds.

About Us

Mark is a mechanical engineer by trade and has been working for a construction equipment company for the past 21 years. He designs and creates new, improved and optimized machines. Tawa works for a private foundation managing a portfolio aimed at a more just and equitable Chicago.

Mark is passionate about health and fitness. He was faced with a health challenge in 2012 when diagnosed with leukemia but, following treatment, presently has no signs of cancer. In his free time, Mark trains for 70.3 mile triathlons. Tawa is his biggest cheerleader and enjoys traveling with Mark to races and screaming and rooting for him every step of the way. In her free time, Tawa attends meetings and engages in activities related to the many civic and social organizations that she is a part of. She is passionate about social justice and ensuring that our world becomes a better place for all of us.

In our free time we love to: watch movies and television shows // travel and explore new sites or lay on the beach // laugh together // spend time with our family and friends // go to Cubs games together!

The best thing about our relationship is that we make a good team! Tawa is good at strategy and Mark is good at execution, together we are a force to be reckoned with!

Openness

We commit to an open relationship with you and your family, as is comfortable for you and at your own pace. We can promise that we will take pictures and video and we will share key moments and milestones. Throughout our adoption journey, our counselors have shared tools and strategies for maintaining a healthy, open relationship, and we hope to be able to put that knowledge to work.

Mark

Found a little kitten in a forest preserve while mountain biking - 12 years later, Lucky is still purring.
Couldn’t swim a pool length when I signed up for my first triathlon - I survived.
Rode his bicycle across Michigan in one day - 145 miles.
Is a morning person - I can’t sleep in! This could also be why I love Diet Coke so much.
Loves to grill for intimate gatherings.
Has to finish watching Shawshank Redemption anytime it’s on.
Is a huge science fiction fan - Star Trek was one of the reasons I became an engineer.
Favorite musician is Lenny Kravitz.
Has a twin brother and one older brother.

Tawa

Is a huge Prince Fan! I’ve seen him perform live >10 times, including in Madrid, Spain.
Is a Night Owl. This could also be why I love Starbucks and Diet Coke so much.
Loves exploring new restaurants and new recipes at home.
Has a love affair with my kitchen gadgets. The air fryer, George Foreman Grill, Crockpot, and Kitchen Aid mixer are my friends. An Instapot might be in my future…
Was the coxswain on my high school crew team.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is probably my favorite show on television. I love the creativity of the drag queens!
Has celebrated Kwanzaa my entire life. When I was a kid, few had heard of it and now many are familiar with the holiday.
Is obsessed with travel. There is always something new to learn and discover!
Is an only child.