Hello. We are Michael and Jenna. We are thrilled to pursue the exciting process of adoption! Thank you for taking the time to check out our profile and learn more about us.
Our story began in 2005 when we met during college through mutual friends. We spent lots of time getting to know each other through group outings and college events. Jenna quickly fell in love with Michael’s sense of humor and thoughtful compassion for others, and Michael felt Jenna was perfect for him because of her sense of adventure and deeply caring heart. After only a few short months of dating, Michael proposed. We have been married since 2007.
Children were always part of our future plans. After several years of trying, we learned that we would not be able to have biological children. This news moved us to begin our adoption journey in 2016. A little more than a year later, at the end of 2017, we were blessed to adopt our first child, Parker, as a newborn. Now we are ready to grow our family through adoption once more! We are eager to become parents to another incredible gift of love!
From a young age, Michael excelled in sports and academics. He loved playing soccer, roller hockey, and basketball as a child. He joined the Varsity golf team in high school and started a band. His passion and talent for music led him to pursue a degree in music during college. He can’t wait to share his love of music and sports with another child.
Whether cracking jokes, listening with a sympathetic ear, or offering his help and support, Michael has a unique ability to make others feel comfortable and competent. He is outgoing, considerate, and encouraging. His warm personality makes him very successful in his career in sales and product representation for heating and cooling manufacturers.
Michael is hard-working yet loves to have fun. He still enjoys practicing his skills on the guitar and piano. He likes to golf, play with our dogs, and travel. He loves playing outside with Parker, whether it’s sledding down the neighborhood hill, running through the sprinklers in the backyard, or seeing how far they can throw a Frisbee. He is patient in teaching Parker golf, soccer, baseball, and basketball. He gives freely of his time by coaching Parker’s soccer team and volunteering to coach older kids in golf. He is an incredibly loving husband and father. He can’t wait to have another little one in the family!
When Jenna was younger, she was in high demand as the neighborhood babysitter. When she wasn’t at horseback riding lessons, ice skating with friends, or participating in student council, she could be found taking care of children. Called to a career as an elementary teacher, Jenna has a passion for making a difference in the lives of children. She is dedicated, hard-working, and kind-hearted. She is always putting the needs of others first.
Jenna loves learning! She can often be found deep in a book or behind her computer screen, researching topics of interest. She has her master’s degree in education with a focus on literacy. The book collection in our house numbers in the thousands!
Jenna is also fun-loving and adventurous. She enjoys exploring new places, traveling, and taking walks with our dogs at local parks and trails. She is always planning some type of weekend outing or short trips to zoos, museums, or nature centers. She is also a great cook and homemaker. Every year she bakes massive amounts of sugar cookies and other treats for our family’s special events. She loves to fully engage in activities with Parker, such as reading together, baking, doing science experiments, building and crafts. She is thoughtful and nurturing and a wonderful mother. She is so excited to bring another little one along on our adventures.
Parker is an active five-year-old boy! He spends most of his time being creative with his toys at home. He has huge collections of stuffed animals and Hot Wheels cars. He loves Sonic the Hedgehog and anything to do with superheroes, especially The Flash. He is sweet and caring, and curious about everything! He would spend all his time outside if he could.
Sports, running, and exploring nature are Parker’s favorite activities. He enjoys learning new things and helping others. He is into puzzles and music and wants to learn to play guitar like his dad. He is looking forward to having a little sibling to play with!
Our home is located on the edges of a suburban community that is minutes from just about everything. The township park and tiny downtown shopping district are all within walking distance. Our house is in the walk zone for our local public school and sits near our neighborhood common space and pond. Our subdivision even has its own playground.
We spend a lot of time playing outside! We enjoy grilling on our large deck overlooking the pond and playing sports in the yard and common area. There are wide sidewalks on both sides of our street, so we go on lots of walks with the dogs, and Parker loves to ride his bike or scooter.
Our house is a modern two-story with lots of room for kids to play! We have a large family room that is open to our kitchen, where we spend much of our time together as a family. Jenna loves baking in the kitchen and having family movie nights on the couch. The den is where Michael and Parker play video games. Our large daylight basement is unfinished but houses a giant play area with foam floors and lots of shelves for toys. Upstairs, the bedrooms have lots of space. There are four rooms: ours, Parker’s, a guest room for Grandma and Grandpa when they visit, and a soon-to-be nursery for the child we hope to adopt. We can’t wait for Parker to have a little sibling to run around the house with one day!
Both of us grew up in close family relationships. We hung out with our cousins all the time and had family members as babysitters. Michael’s dad refereed his soccer games, and Jenna’s house was the place for family gatherings. We were raised with loving family bonds, and everyone has been so supportive of our decision to adopt again. We are all looking forward to the family growing again!
Jenna’s large extended family will find any excuse to be together: birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, special events, and even a dog’s sweet sixteen party once! Jenna’s parents and her brother’s family live in the same community within minutes of our home, so we see them usually about once a week. “Nonna” and “Papa” come to soccer games or trick or treating at Halloween. We often have Saturday night dinners or go to church together on Sundays. Parker likes to ride the golf cart around the grandparents’ yard and help Papa work on cars in the barn. They are longing to have more grandchildren to spoil!
Michael’s parents and siblings live a couple of hours away. We take weekend trips to visit, especially in the summer when we can go to the lake and play at the beach together. Michael’s parents love taking all the grandkids on outdoor trips during all seasons and especially doing “Grandma Camp” at their house in the summertime. Michael’s siblings have several children, and they love having cousin time. Since Grandma runs an in-home daycare, it’s an extra fun place for all the little ones to visit!
Our family has many traditions that we celebrate throughout the year, and we cannot wait to share these special moments with another child.
We love to explore the outdoors. We most often visit natural wonders and parks. Some of our favorites include the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, the beaches of California, waterfalls, and anywhere along the Great Lakes in Michigan. We are excited about making more family memories in these special places.
Summers allow for a bit more excitement and activity. Jenna takes the summers off from teaching, and Michael’s flexible job allows us to find lots of fun things to do close to home, like strawberry picking, going to the county fair or the farmer’s market, and participating in all the fun events that take place downtown in our community. Being a part of our community and discovering all the wonders nature holds is important to us. We hope to share with a child the value of exploring and being curious.
When we’re not taking trips or spending our weekends with our extended family, we like to relax and enjoy our backyard, the park, or quality time with books and movies. Michael likes to head out to the golf course or practice his music. Jenna enjoys reading, projects around the house, and working on training our puppy to do tricks as well as obedience. Parker plays with cars, Legos, and monster trucks. We are ready to bring another child into our cozy family.
Thank you for taking the time to look at our profile and for considering an adoption plan for your baby. We deeply admire you for the choice you are making to provide for this little one.
It has long been our prayer to fill our home with the joy of children, and if chosen as adoptive parents, this child will be treasured for a lifetime. We are happy to maintain contact with you throughout the child’s life. Whatever level of openness you prefer, your decision to place for adoption will be a cherished part of the child’s story as they grow up.
We promise to give your child a home full of love, laughter, and compassion. We promise your child will experience the love and acceptance of a large family, a great education, a caring community, and lots of happy times. We believe God has brought us down this path of adoption, and we are beyond excited for the moment we can meet this special child. Our love and prayers are with you during this difficult time of decision.
With Love,
Michael, Jenna & Parker
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