background image
I
tisourpleasuretoprovideyouwithalittleinsightintoourlives.
Wearetheproudparentsoftwobeautifulgirlsandonefurrydog
andwecan'twaittogrowbyonemorechild.Welovethesounds
ofchildrenlaughingandthewaytheylookateverydaythingswith
suchcuriosity.Wehavebeenblessedthroughadoptioninsomany
waysthatweknowthisistheplanGodhasforus.
about us
WewerebothbornandraisedinMinnesota.Wehavebeenmarried
fortwelveyears.Thefamilystartedtogrowinthesummerof2000
withtheadoptionofJuliaandgrewin2003whenwewereblessed
toadoptMelaina.
Itwouldn'tbeunusualtoseeourfamilyenjoyingacampoutinthe
livingroomorusingthefamilyR.V.atacampground.Fallisafavor-
itetimeofyearwithtripstotheappleorchardsandhayridesthrough
thepumpkinpatches.
Adoptionjustseemedrightforus.Jerrywasadoptedandgrewup
inafamilyof9childrenwiththreeothersalsobeingadoptedbyhis
parents.Michellehasalwayshadaspecialplaceinherheartforchil-
drenandfeltledtoprovideasafe,loving,andChrist-centeredhome.
about michelle
Michelleisbeautiful,sweet,caring,thoughtful,unselfish,incred-
iblyintuitiveandpossessesawonderfulsenseofhumor.Whenwe
welcomedJuliatothefamily,itwasunbelievable;Ihaveneverseen
amorenaturalmother.Ifindmyselfjustwatchingherwithbothof
ourchildrenandrealizinghowluckytheyareandIamtobeableto
shareher.Everydaybeginsandendswithsmiles,hugs,and"Ilove
you's",andmanyin-between.
about jerry
Jerryisdowntoearthandreallyeasytobewith.Hehadagreatsense
ofhumor.GettingtoknowhimbetterIrealizedamongmanyofhis
fantasticqualities,thathewouldmakeagreatfathersomeday.He
possessesstrongmorals,values,andintegrity.Jerryisaverysuccess-
fulhighschoolteacherandcoach.Hehasanaturalwaywithkidsof
allages.
Beinganadoptedchildhimself,hewitnessedfirst-handthelove
andsupportthatadoptiveparentscananddooffer.Wefeelthatis
anaddedbenefitashecanrelatetosomeofthequestionsthatour
childrenmayhave.
about our children
Juliahasalwaysbeenadetermined,fun,intelligent,sweet,creative,
andsensitivegirl.Shelovesschoolwithherfavoriteclassbeinggym
withaclosesecondgoingtoscience.Sheiscurrentlyinthefirst
gradeataChristianschoolnearourhome.
Melaina,likehersister,hasalsoalwaysbeendeterminedandvery
expressive.Shelovesbeingthecenterofattentionandtellingher
favoritejokes.Sheisalsoveryintelligent,creative,imaginative,and
caring.
about our family
Wearesofortunatetobesurroundedbyfamily,especiallywhenit
comestowelcomingadoptedchildren.Jerry'sfamilybeingsolarge
andspreadoutaffordsmany
vacationdestinationsas
wellaslargefamilycelebra-
tions.Jerry'sbrotherhastwo
adoptedchildren.
Michelle'sfamilyisabit
smallerbuttheyallliveclose
by.Hermotherliveswithin
5milesandusuallycomes
overafewdaysaweekto
visit.Michelle'ssisteralso
hasthreeadoptedbi-racial
children.Thecousinsare
frequentplaymatesandusu-
allyafterchurchonSunday
wegettogetherat"Nana's"
andeataSundaydinnerandthekidsplay.
our home
Weliveinabeautifultwo-storyhomeonaquietcul-de-sacina
familyfriendlysuburbinMinnesota.Wehaveabeautifulbigyard
completewithaplayhouseforthekids.Therearemultipleparksto
choosefromcloseby.Christmastimeisaspecialtimeastheentire
neighborhooddecoratestheirhomes.WelovelivinginMinnesota
andexperiencingthefourseasonsandthemanydifferentactivities
fromswimmingatabeachtomakingourownlittleskatingrinkin
thewinterinthebackyard.
in closing
Thankyoufortakingthetimetolearnmoreaboutourfamilyand
consideringusasadoptiveparents.Wehavebeenblessedthrough
adoptionandwecan'twaittowelcomeyourchildintoourfamily.
Ourhomeisfilledwithjoy,laughter,andmostofalllove.
Weareopentosharinglettersandphotoswithyou,ifyouwish.If
youwouldliketotalkwithuspleasecallLifetimeAdoptionat
1-800-923-6784.
Sincerely,
Jerry & Michelle
jerry & michelle
IF YOU Are INTereSTeD IN THIS FAMIlY, PleASe CAll 1-800-923-6784
53