We are so very glad that you are looking over our book and considering our family for adoption!
We know it is such a brave, loving, yet difficult choice for you. We may not know you yet, but we already admire your strength. We hope that this book gives you a good idea of who we are and the kind of loving and supportive environment we have to offer a little kiddo. We so look forward to being parents, and if you choose us, know that we will be forever grateful for the most incredible selfless gift you have entrusted us with.
Relationship/Journey
We met in early high school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and had an immediate bond. We were friends for many years before da ng. Our first dates were school dances. A er we graduated high school, we attended two separate colleges a state away. While the distance was difficult, it grew our relationship and commitment. After moving back to Baton Rouge, we were engaged, got married, and then honeymooned in Disney World. We are extremely committed to each other and work hard on our relationship. We have a TON of fun and adventures together! We love to laugh and travel and support each other’s interests and goals.
Why Adoption?
We have been struggling with infertility for well over a decade. We got pregnant once and lost our precious little one to miscarriage. We started seeing doctors and were essentially diagnosed with “unexplained infertility”. Then, genetic testing showed we are both carriers for a serious genetic condition with a high chance of being passed on to biological children. This means fertility treatments would be even more difficult to pursue, and we ultimately decided that was not for us. Receiving counseling through the grief and struggle was extremely helpful for us as we healed. We were already friendly to the idea of adoption, but we really started considering it as we healed a er our diagnosis. Adoption on is our chance to have a family. Adoption on has been a part of our extended family for much of our lives. Jonathan’s sole cousin is adopted. Our brother-in-law was adopted. We have had friends who were adopted and friends who have adopted. We believe adoption on to be a wonderful blessing.
Home
We live in a 2000 sq- home in beautiful Mandeville, Louisiana, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. We love the food, culture, history, and natural riches of our local area, which also has a great school system. We like to walk at the Lakefront and talk to anybody and everybody we see with a cute doggy. We enjoy going to concerts, museums, movies, and bookstores. We have a large backyard with a porch and an outdoor bbq kitchen, a neighborhood pool, and access to many beautiful parks, trails, bike paths, and lakes.
Travel
We love to travel and believe that travel is a great way to gain perspective and see how people live in different places and cultures. Jonathan grew up traveling to California every year to visit extended family, and we continued that tradition for many years while his grandparents were alive. We love national parks, mountains, beaches, cities, and nature. We also love historical sites and museums. Our two trips to Paris were some of our absolute favorite vacations.
Hobbies
We both love to read books. Meghan’s favorite genres include fic on and history. She is also an active participant in a local book club. Her home library includes many books on her favorite subjects: Marie Antoine e and the French Revolution, and Egypt and the Pharaohs. Jonathan reads primarily non fiction and enjoys books about space, science, and history. He collects autographed astronaut books and has over a dozen! We visit local used book stores wherever we travel. Other hobbies for Meghan include crafting, and Jonathan enjoys photography. We both also love movies and documentaries and going to concerts.
Pets
We have a 15 year old dapple dachshund doggy named Mercury. He is very docile and sweet. He loves to sleep and sleep and sleep! We also have a big fluffy Mane Coon ki y named Chicory who loves to sit on Meghan’s lap, and a Siamese named Cafe who follows Jonathan around throughout the house.
School & Work
Jonathan has a degree in Physics and is working on a Masters in Systems Engineering. He has been working as an engineer on a variety of space exploration programs for many years. He now is an Engineering Manager helping mentor and coach employees in their leadership skills and career growth. Meghan has a bachelor’s degree in Biology, as well as an Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology. She loves animals and has worked with them since she was a li le girl. At this me, she is not currently working, but she keeps her license as a veterinarian technologist active so that she can return to work in the future.
Jonathan Extended Family
Jonathan’s mom was a stay at home mom and put a lot of effort into ensuring his brother and he got a good education. Jonathan inherited a love of science from his dad, who was a PhD chemist before re ring. His two year older brother lives in Baton Rouge and has been working at Walmart for many years. Jonathan’s aunt and uncle and cousin live in Sacramento, California and spend the summers in Vancouver, Washington. We have a monthly Zoom where we catch up with extended family and stay in touch.
Meghan Extended Family
Meghan’s dad is a veterinarian in Baton Rouge. He has maintained a private practice for over 40 years! Her mom led a fulfilling career as a nurse before re ring several years ago. Her older sister and brother in law live nearby in Wiggins, Mississippi. Her sister is a teacher in one of the local schools and her brother in law serves as music minister at a local church. Our niece and nephew are smart and active teenagers!
Family Traditions & Holidays
Holidays are a big deal in our family. We love Christmas and decorate our house with multiple Christmas trees all covered in ornaments we collect on our travels or that have some meaning for us. Birthday celebrations typically last all month and involve lots of eating out and cake with various family members. One thing that makes our family somewhat unique is that both sides of parents and siblings all get together for Thanksgiving and Easter at one of our houses. It is so nice that our families consider each other extended family and enjoy getting together.
