Waiting Family Profiles

Home Location: Twin Cities Metro

Family Status: Couple with Children

Children in Home: Two

Child Ethnicity: African American, Asian, Caucasian, East Indian, Hispanic/Latino, Native American

Hi, we’re Erin and Adam.  

We’re ready.  We even bought a minivan. That’s how much we (already) love this child.  

Our home is lively and our hearts are full, but we sense our family isn’t finished yet.  That’s why, after our two biological kids were born, we wholeheartedly stepped into adoption.  Adopting a child is something we’ve felt drawn to, even before the two of us met.  

Who are we?  We’re a family that reads together, prays, has kitchen dance parties, talks about feelings, and celebrates everything – even cat birthdays!

We believe that as a community and family grows, so does the love. Love doesn’t get divided – it multiplies. We would love to welcome our littlest member, and also you, into our lives.

If you invite us to walk this road with you, we will do so with openness, sensitivity, and respect (and a sense of humor, too).  We’re not perfect parents (we discovered this right after our first daughter was born), but we try hard and are committed to growing.  We promise to parent this child according to who they are. We want them to know where they come from, what culture(s) they belong to, and how their individual gifts make them unique.  We will read to them, pray for them, and encourage them daily. We will remind them that they are loved – by God, by us, and by you.

Let’s be honest: we’re a little nervous.  We don’t know each other yet, and there are lots of unknowns.  But we are looking forward to meeting you and to seeing if we might be the right family to raise your child. And if we are, you can count on us to work together, respecting your concerns, hopes, and wishes.

Sincerely, 

Adam and Erin

 

Erin (in Adam’s words)

Erin is dependable, resilient, thoughtful, wise and loving.  She is an anchor in our family. Erin makes us feel cared-for, understood, and (as far as it’s in her power) on-time for appointments.  When one of our kids is sick or struggling, Erin is up late into the night in her little green chair, reading and researching – with Jiji (our cat) on her lap or curled up at her feet.  Erin listens well, researches hard, and advocates on behalf of those she loves. Basically, she is the person you want on your team.  

Erin seems a little shy at first, but once she opens up, her great sense of humor (including a really strong meme game) shines.  She likes NBA basketball, eating large quantities of tacos, making soup, and playing Frisbee. When she’s home, she loves reading to our daughters and doing laundry (kind of weird, but true).  When it comes to communicating, Erin’s consistent and intentional. She’s dedicated to loving God and growing as God’s child. She brings that sense of belonging and desire to grow into all her relationships.  It’s a joy to be married to Erin, since she not only knits me hats to cover my bald head, but she helps knit our family together through consistent acts of kindness. 

Adam (in Erin’s words)

When I first met Adam, I first noticed the easy way he talked with people – all kinds of people. His kindness. The way he laughed at himself and made others laugh. How happy I felt when I was with him. 

I fell in love with Adam over the course of a long friendship. Over Nintendo Rock Band and frisbee games. Over hot cups of tea and cold Culver’s custard. Over late nights playing cards with friends, and quiet afternoons praying for our community. 

What I love about Adam: The way he creates silly jingles and sings them around the house. How he gives our cat piggy-back rides through the kitchen. How he takes our kids on adventures to the Mall of America – not because he loves the mall, but because it makes our kids happy (and because it makes me happy to not have to go!). How I can never guess what playful idea he’ll come up with next.

What impresses me about Adam: he DJs like a boss on Saturday nights and preaches with wisdom and whimsy Sunday mornings. He is comfortable with people of all sorts of cultures, and he is gifted at helping others feel comfortable.  He is committed to learning and growing. When we have a conflict, he’s committed to working it out. He is an involved dad to our kids and the best partner to me.

Our Relationship

Almost eight years of marriage filled with laughter, NBA basketball (viewing, not playing!), hot tea, Frisbee, I’m sorry’s and I forgive you’s, cribbage games, and nighttime snacks. We’ve been close for well over a decade, and we still love each other’s company.

Teresa (Tessie)

After Teresa was born, we tried out different nicknames for her.  One day when she was one, she told us definitively, “I’m Tessie.” That’s typical of our oldest daughter.  Tessie knows what she wants and articulates it well. At six years old, she’s bright, strong-willed, athletic and curious about lots of things.  She loves cats, making art, gardening, playing dress-up, and playing outdoors. She is always excited about birthdays and the Minnesota State Fair. We love our Tessie, and we enjoy her imaginative, active and expressive self.  

Joanna

Joanna is a gentle soul with a great sense of humor. When she was a toddler she loved to sing “Jesus Loves Meat”, with a sly grin on her face. At four years old, she tucks baby dolls into her shirt “so they’ll be safe” while we run errands. She often plays “food and sweets shop” in the play kitchen, and loves helping us cook and bake in the real kitchen. Joanna has long been praying, “God, please bring our new baby home soon.” She will be a natural big sister, and already holds her new brother or sister close in her heart.

Jiji the Wonder Cat 

Our favorite thing about Jiji is how much she engages with our family. She comes when we call her name, eats when we eat, and sleeps outside the girls’ bedroom door. Oh, and she rides on our shoulders, follows the kids as they play, and greets guests who come to the door. At bedtime, she follows us from room to room as we tuck each kid into bed, then joins us downstairs for laser-chasing and napping in our laps. 

Mr. T

Mr. T is our fifteen-year-old box turtle. He doesn’t do a whole lot, but he was our first pet, and we love him. The kids help feed him, and in the summer, we take him out to explore the backyard. Box turtles can live to a hundred years old, so he may be our children’s inheritance someday!

Our home

We live in a sunny and spacious home in New Brighton, Minnesota. We have kids’ artwork hung in almost every room. We have dance parties (complete with DJ lights) in the finished basement; cook and eat our meals in the kitchen; play restaurant, read, and watch videos in the living room; and swing in the nest swing in the play room.

We spend lots of time in our fenced-in backyard: making chalk art and blowing bubbles in the spring, running through the sprinkler and playing frisbee in the summer, raking (and jumping in) leaves in the fall, and making snow angels in the winter.

Our neighborhood is quiet, lots of our neighbors have young children, there are several great playgrounds within walking distance, and we love our school district.