Playing with Cousins

Michelle was born and raised in a small rural area north of Savannah, Georgia. Michelle's parents and most of the rest of her family still lives there. Michelle has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. She also has 4 nieces. The family dynamic is culturally diverse, which is wonderful. We are excited that our children will be able to grow up in such a diverse community and family. We are very close to Michelle's family. Even though we live in another state, we are just a short 3 hour drive away from visiting them any time we want and we drive up to Georgia at least once a month to visit with family and friends. While up there, we often go camping, fishing and swimming which is a favorite tradition for the entire extended family. Michelle has a very close relationship with all her cousins, who she grew up with as a child. We visit with them every time we are up as they live in the same community as her parents. We believe it is important for our children to be raised around a group as close as this to help instill the sense of family in our own children and we make a point to visit with them as often as we can. We get to share in many special family moments because of our close proximity to them.

Jack’s Extended Family

Jack was born in Oklahoma where he was raised by his mother until the age of 10 when she passed away. He then moved to California to live with his father who passed away last year. He has one older sister who is married with 2 sons and one daughter. We do not see them because they live so far away but we do communicate by pictures and letters. Jack does have family here though. He remains close with his former in-laws. He even calls his former mother in-law "mom". They include us in many of their family gatherings. We have spent every Christmas Eve that we have known each other at their home. They have a holiday party and we look forward to it every year when the entire family gets together. They have been a wonderful influence in both of our lives and support our adoption plans.

Home Sweet Home

We chose our home and location on a variety of factors. The house itself is a spacious, 3-bedroom, 2-bath single-story block structure. The size of the interior allows us to be comfortable without being overwhelmed. It was a perfect choice for adding a new person to our home and hearts. The front and backyards provide ample romping room for our youngest son and dog. The closed in back porch allows us to sit and enjoy watching the kids play on the swing-set as we feel the cool summer breezes. The front porch allows us to enjoy our quiet neighborhood.

Sunday Afternoon at a Local Wildlife Park

Our neighbors are friendly and active. The neighbors are a mixture of young and old. They are helpful and respectful and take great care in keeping an eye out for one another. We have a dedicated Neighborhood Watch that meets monthly. A very main street USA feeling exist here and we love it. The house is nestled in a community that offers major shopping centers, a hospital, fire department, and 4 parks, all within 2 miles of our front door. Major attractions, such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are less than an hour away, and we are a mere 20 minutes from beautiful beaches. The schools in our area are all considered to be "A" schools, which was very much a main reason for choosing this area.