Andrew and Justine

>

<

From Us to You

We wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for taking the time to consider us. We can’t even imagine the strength and love that you have to make this decision. Above all we want you to know how much we admire and respect you.

We promise that your child will always know how much you love them and the brave choice that you made because of that love. We want them to understand the significance of your role in their life story. We will make sure that we implement aspects of your culture and things you enjoy into their life so that they always carry those parts of you with them.

Not only will they know how much you love them, but we will also love them unconditionally. We will do everything in our power to provide them with a home filled with laughter, joy, and most importantly love. We want to be there to help them chase their dreams, find their passions, and grow up to be whatever they choose.

Our hope is to be able to share photos, letters, or other forms of communication with them that help them understand you, their heritage, and their background more fully. We want to establish a relationship that works for everyone involved.

>

<

Why We're Choosing to Adopt

We have always envisioned growing our family through adoption. It has been a long-standing dream of ours, rooted in the belief that family is built on love and connection rather than solely on biology. While we do not know if we can have biological children, as we have not tried, our focus has always been on welcoming children into our home through adoption.

We have been blessed to adopt before, and the experience has brought immense joy and fulfillment to our lives. The journey of adoption has enriched our family in ways we could never have imagined, and we are incredibly excited to go through the process again. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to open our hearts and home to another child, to share our love and provide a nurturing environment where they can thrive.

>

<

Our Lifestyle

You can usually find us on the go because we love to be out experiencing the world. Sometimes that is as simple as going for walks as a family, hiking at the nearby mountains, or spending a night out at dinner. Other times we are out traveling to see a new place, old friends, or our family back home in Minnesota. When we aren’t out on the go we love to spend time on our farm with the horses, miniature horses, donkeys, alpaca, dogs, and cat. Because we tend to stay busy we make sure we set aside some time for just our family every week. The 3 of us love to swim in our pool, watch movies, or go out for ice cream on our family nights. We can’t wait for the chance to add our adventurous trio!

One of our favorite activities is travel and we have a list of places that we hope to visit as a family. The top of that list currently is New Zealand but we are always searching for fun places. Justine has always been a traveler and has visited every continent except Antarctica after having traveled to Africa this fall. Her passion for travel has sparked a shared passion for us. Beyond traveling, we love to hike, boat, and we are both foodies so we enjoy trying new restaurants.

>

<

Meet Justine!

Justine is one of the most outgoing people I have ever met and was part of what initially brought us together. I still love the way that she can talk to anyone and make them feel like an old friend. She is also one of the most loyal people I know, always being there for the people she loves most no matter what they need. I also love her adventurousness, whether it be getting us to travel to new places or try new activities (like a 12 mile hike straight up a mountain).

Beyond who she is as a person, what I love most about my wife is how incredible she is as a mother. She is so patient and caring with our daughter, and forever puts her needs first over her own. She is always seeking out fun activities for them, like going to the children’s museum or painting a rock garden. I can’t wait to watch her continue to grow as a mom as our family gets bigger.

>

<

Meet Andrew!

Andrew is one of the kindest people you will meet. He cares so much about others making sure everyone else’s needs are met before his own. His calm demeanor makes him an incredible father to Wren. He is patient and loving. I also love his work ethic and passion for what he’s doing whether it be being a good husband, father, student, learning something new, you will never see him quit. Although Andrew has a quieter presence, you will always feel welcome and included when he is around.

Watching Andrew become a father was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. His joy and happiness around Wren is palpable. You will find them out playing soccer in the yard, blowing bubbles, swimming in our pool, or talking about different imaginary stories. He is an incredible person and influence for Wren to see as she continues to grow. I’ve loved watching them see the world together from her point of view and I cannot wait to see his joy as our family grows.

>

<

Our Home

We recently moved to a farm. We have a passion for rescue, so our farm is filled with horses, donkeys, mini-horses, and alpacas. We love having all our furry-friends right outside our door so we can see them everyday. We spend time grooming and taking them for walks. We are an outdoorsy family, so we enjoy shooting hoops in the driveway, kicking the soccer ball around, blowing bubbles, and drawing with chalk. Another favorite activity at home, especially in the heat of a North Carolina summer, is swimming in the pool. Most of the time we have a hard time getting our daughter out of the pool because she is having so much fun.

About 10 minutes from home we have a cute little downtown where we like to go for coffee dates, dinner, as well as weekly music bingo and trivia.

We also love our close proximity to both the ocean and the mountains. We are about 2 hours from the mountains and about 3 hours from the beach, not to mention 1 hour from a huge lake to go boating on. This makes for easy trips to see different places.

>

<

Our Family

We have a fairly large family that play a major role in our lives, as well as our daughters life. Justine’s parents spend lots of time with us on the farm, but we also love to travel with them. We really enjoy getting to experience all sorts of new places. One of our favorite places to travel with them is back to Minnesota where we get to see Justine’s brother, as well as the remainder of her extended family which includes a few cousins that are more like siblings than cousins.

We get to see Andrew’s family a little bit less but when we do see them we love to get out to do activities like hiking, golfing, or boating. They have also been able to come help with our daughter over the last 3 years, sometimes staying with her so that we can get away for a night and enjoy each other.

We have been so lucky to have a massive support system that has been there for us every step of our adoption journey with Wren. They have been here for us, and her, and can’t wait to be there for us again.

>

<

Racial and Cultural Diversity

We wholeheartedly embrace and celebrate racial and cultural diversity. We have already had the joy of adopting a child of another race as our daughter is 100% Haitian. We have loved learning about her culture and incorporating their traditions into ours. Her middle name, Louisa, is her birth mother’s name. In their family the daughter uses their first name as their middle name and is a part of Louisa’s families traditions. Our family is open to adopting another child of any race or cultural background. We believe that every child, regardless of their racial or cultural heritage, deserves a loving and supportive home. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that honors and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds.

Our Relationship with Wren's Birth Mother

We have a wonderful relationship with Wren’s birth mother, Louisa. We share photos with her and exchange texts, both about Wren and also just to check in to see how things are going. We were able to do some in-person visits during the first year after adoption, but unfortunately life has gotten so busy for both parties that it has been more difficult over the last two years. Hopefully we will be able to reestablish that part of our relationship in the future when it becomes easier for both parties. In the meantime we continue to share stories and photos via text, and tell Wren about her birth mom and family.

>

<

Meet our Daughter Wren!

Wren Louisa is our 4-year-old daughter who we adopted in 2021. Ever since she was little she has always been so gregarious and happy. She is chatty and full of imagination, routinely making up stories and games for us all to take part in. She loves animals, especially horses and unicorns. She can’t wait to have a sibling to share her toys with, take swimming in her pool, and introduce them to all her furry friends.

>

<

Rooted in Shared Identity

Our adoption of our daughter four years ago led us to dedicate ourselves to understanding and honoring her Black heritage. As white parents, we know we can offer complete love and support, but we will never fully experience the racial challenges she may face. That’s why we believe it’s essential to adopt another child with a racial or cultural background similar to our daughter’s—whether Black or of mixed race with Black heritage. We want her to grow up with a sibling who not only understands the shared journey of adoption but also experiences life as a person of color in a predominantly white world. Our hope is that they will support each other, feel seen within their family, and develop a strong bond rooted in shared identity and love. We are committed to raising children who take pride in who they are and who know they have a companion in navigating the complexities of race and identity in today’s world.

>

<

Traditions

Two of our favorite traditions have started since we adopted our daughter. The first is our annual Christmas Tree cutting. We drive out with our whole family, in-laws included, to Boone, North Carolina in November or December to find our tree for the year. The trip always starts with a stop at our favorite local restaurant. Once we have our tree, everyone comes back to the house to set it up and let the limbs fall. The next day we all sit around and decorate the tree together. Then, we do a ride on “The Polar Express.”

A favorite of our daughter’s is our annual family ski trip to Colorado. This includes both sets of in-laws and whomever else is available for a week of skiing and quality family time. This year Wren learned how to ski and can’t wait to go back for more next year!

>

<

Our Promise to You

We promise to provide a loving, stable, and nurturing home for your child. Our family is built on a foundation of unconditional love, respect, and support. We will ensure that your child feels valued, safe, and cherished every day. We are committed to celebrating your child’s unique identity and heritage, fostering a deep appreciation for diversity. We will support their dreams, encourage their passions, and guide them through life’s challenges with compassion and understanding. Your child will grow up in an environment that promotes kindness, empathy, and lifelong learning. We promise to honor your courageous decision and to always speak of you with respect and gratitude.

We want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to you for considering us as a part of your child’s future. It has been an honor to share our thoughts and hopes with you. We promise to provide a loving and supportive home where your child will be cherished every day. They will grow up knowing their story, surrounded by love, understanding, and respect. We are committed to ensuring they have every opportunity to thrive and to be their true selves. We will also make sure they know about the incredible love you have for them, and are open to maintaining whatever type of relationship you hope to have during and after the adoption.