Over the last six years of being parents, we have grown so much. Everyday we learn more about how to best support our kids as they become the humans they were created to be. We love being parents to our two children but we feel like our family isn't finished. After our very difficult pregnancies and miscarriage we chose to pursue adoption.

We want to provide our kids with the best life possible. We encourage them to dream and actively help them fulfill those dreams. We enjoy seeing the world through their eyes and try to join in their wonder in everything. We love doing anything with our kids and adapt our activities to whatever age they are. Right now that looks like reading to them every day, playing make-believe and doing sports together. We experience the world together by hiking mountains, going to sporting events and concerts, and traveling to fun places.

Most importantly as parents we want to raise our kids to become brave and loving humans. We value letting them explore and give them a secure place where they know they are always supported. We want our kids to know they are always okay to share their feelings and are accepted no matter what those feelings are. We help each other when we make mistakes and experience the joy that comes with second chances. Most of all, we want our children to know every day they are loved.

Jacob About Jenna: Ever since I met Jenna in high school, she's been the most genuine, creative, and committed person I have ever met. She is warm and friendly and can make a connection with just about anyone. She welcomes people into her life with empathy and authenticity. As a friend, she loves selflessly and is always looking out for the needs of other people. Jenna lives her life with great purpose and vitality. No matter what life brings, I know she is always determined to become healthier and wiser and keep growing from it.

Jenna is also very artistic and has a way of making everything she touches more beautiful and come to life. With her creativity she makes our home a place where everyone loves to be. Jenna loves kids and has a way of interacting with them that leaves everyone in admiration. She teaches our kids everywhere we go, taking the time to involve them in whatever she's doing. Every day she wakes up and puts her best foot forward to love me and our children well. I am blessed beyond words to have Jenna as my life partner and best friend.

Jenna About Jacob: Jacob is an enthusiastic father, incredible husband, and loving friend. He loves being around kids and being a father has always been his life's dream. In his career choices he always keeps his family #1. He makes time to drop the kids off to school and be involved in their sports. I'm not sure how he does it, but he comes in the door from work every day and greets us with genuine happiness and excitement.

Jacob has a sense of humor and laugh that can entertain a whole room. He is also wise and approachable, the person his friends go to for advice and encouragement. He is a gifted leader and communicator. Whether knocking out every household chore or making big life decisions, he has a gift for breaking down problems into manageable parts and seeing it through to completion. He's the best and I'm honored to do life alongside him!

We look forward to becoming an adoptive family that respects and honors every part of our child's story, including race and culture. We recognize that being parents to a child from a different culture would require intentional parenting. This would include initiating honest conversations about race, racism, and culture, pursuing relationships and role models of our child's race and cultural heritage, and being lifelong learners. We are grateful to already have a diverse community of friends who are willing and excited to support us and help us learn.

We wholeheartedly welcome the value and unique experience of a transracial adoption. Regardless of how our family looks, we want to be people who pursue peace and justice. We want to always listen, learn, and grow as we pursue relationships with people who have different experiences in life.

Most of our extended family lives in Texas, which is why we plan to move back there next year. Since we began this journey toward adoption we have decided that Jacob will leave active duty military next year. We look forward to our children growing up near their great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Keeping our roots in one place will provide stability for all our children as we raise them.

Even with the current miles between us, everyone is thrilled to welcome a new child into our family! Jenna is the oldest of five siblings with two sisters and two brothers, and Jacob is the oldest of three brothers. We grew up around each other's parents and siblings and enjoy great relationships with each other's family. When gathered together, there is a lot of laughter, lively conversation, and delicious food.

Jenna's parents (aka "Grandpa" and "GiGi") have a beautiful backyard pool we love to relax in as an extended family year-round. As a family we enjoy sharing delicious meals and playing card games late into the night.

Jacob's parents (aka "PaPa" and "Mellie") live on 10 acres of forest where we enjoy the outdoors or take PaPa's boat out on the nearby lake and rivers. We also enjoy the recreation activities at the summer camp and retreat center where Jacob's parents work.

Our family and friends are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of this child to share life with them, support and encourage them, and love them deeply as they grow.

We currently live in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay. Our neighborhood has a waterfront park with two beaches where we eat picnics and play in the sand. Our neighborhood is full of kids, and our son's elementary school is a 10-minute walk from our driveway. Our city is culturally diverse and full of phenomenal parks and public libraries. We love going to a nearby family gym together that we use often for family workouts, sports lessons, and lots of swimming.

Welcoming others into our home is a big value for us. We have a four-bedroom house with a basement that we turned into a complete playroom. We like doing DIY projects and being the place our kids' friends want to come over to play. Our favorite part of our house is the screened porch overlooking the backyard. In our backyard, Jacob designed and built a treehouse for the kids with multiple slides and swings and also a stone fire pit area where we like to roast marshmallows with friends. In the winter, we have sledding races down our hill. In the warmer months, the flowerbeds have veggies and flowers Jenna grows with the kids.

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. While we feel eager to hear there is an expectant mother who wants to meet us, we can imagine you must be having many different emotions and thoughts right now as you consider what will be best for you and your child. We hope that you can feel like you're getting to know us as we share about our family. Thank you for considering us as possible parents for your child.

Our journey to adoption started in our hearts years ago, and we began actively pursuing it in early 2021. We met in high school at age fifteen, became good friends, and dated throughout college. We married over ten years ago and have moved several times for Jacob's work in the Navy. We are leaving active duty in 2023 so we can settle in Texas to provide more stability for everyone in our family. We have two wonderful children, Levi who is six and Abigail who is four.

Although we are experienced parents, this will be our first adoption. Around the time our daughter turned two, we began to share the desire to have another child. Our family didn't feel complete. Both of us loved growing up in bigger families and we wanted the same thing for our future family. After our incredibly difficult pregnancies and miscarriage, we wondered how this would be a reality for us. We decided that pursuing adoption was best to grow our family again. We started the process in early 2021 and became a waiting family in 2022.

All four of us are so excited to surround our next baby with love. Levi and Abigail are very eager to meet and love their new little brother or sister. We cannot wait to hold and love our next precious child. As parents, we are devoted to supporting our children and giving them every opportunity to flourish. In this journey we are committed to learning how we can continue to do that well as we become an adoptive family.

We want to approach this experience with honesty and flexibility. We can share pictures and letters, plan phone calls, and arrange visits over the years if you desire those. Ultimately, we want to respect whatever openness you desire. You will always be important to us and to your child. In this journey we will respect whatever pace and level of contact you are comfortable with.

We're doing everything we can to prepare to welcome a beautiful new life into our home. Our extended family and community of friends are ready to love and nurture your child as they grow. Levi and Abigail are waiting for their baby sibling with incredible excitement.

Thank you again for giving us the time to tell you more about us and considering our family. We know the decision you have is difficult and we are praying and thinking of you. We wish you strength in your journey and hope we get to share it with you.

With love,

Jacob & Jenna