- Georgia -
Throughout life we have learned that the big moments are grand, but the richness of life seeps in through the cracks of the ordinary. Coffee on Tuesday mornings, bedtime prayers, soapy dishes in the sink, grocery lists, and “I love you” notes. Those momentous, mountain top moments are worth remembering, but there is an abundance of joy to be found in the ordinary. We have always felt called to adopt and are excited to continue experiencing big and mundane moments as we grow our family.
A note from Justin: One of the first things that comes to mind when I think of Natalie is how well she serves those around her, whether it is the kids and me in everyday little ways or through inviting friends, family, and neighbors over for dinner and games. She always keeps the house warm and inviting and knows how to cook up the perfect, delicious meal. She is incredibly hard working and determined and does a great job of modeling these attributes for our kids. She is the one that keeps our family running smoothly and without her there would simply be chaos. I get as excited to see her with another little one as she does when she imagines finally getting to hold them for the first time.
In the words of Natalie: Sacrifice. Hard work. Dedication. Showing up, embracing the mundane and the crap (literally and figuratively), he started at the bottom of his field and has worked his way up. Justin models a life of constant drive and determination. Before welcoming our son, Justin graduated from nursing school and right after having our daughter, he went back to school to become an Anesthetist. Amidst moving up in his workplace, family has always been his number one priority. He is seeing his hard work pay off and I truly believe he is living out his calling. I am so thankful to be his number one fan and that our children have a front row seat to his hard work, grace, sacrificial love, tenderness, patience, and of course his spontaneous and silly personality. He always makes time for our kids and not a day goes by that he isn't connecting with them or shepherding their hearts. When he isn’t helping others or working hard at the hospital, Justin is most likely with one of our children going on an outside adventure, at home with them working on DIY projects, teaching them how to work on cars, or dreaming up our next family vacation. He absolutely adores his children, is the best husband, and keeps our family grounded and feeling safe amidst life’s ups and downs.
Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know our family; we are honored that you might become part of this journey with us. We have so much respect for the brave and loving choice you are making by considering adoption for your child.
We are Justin and Natalie and we have been married for nine years. We have a son who is six and in the first grade, and a daughter who is almost three. During our time of being parents we have celebrated highs and lows, including two miscarriages and struggles with conceiving and pregnancy. Because of this, we can no longer biologically have children and feel called by God to add our final child to our family through adoption.
We pledge to honor our children’s feelings, meet their physical and emotional needs to the best of our ability, be their support in the hard moments, model trust, and faithfully pursue a family bond. As joyful as all of this is for us, we can’t imagine the challenges you are facing in this process and are already so encouraged by your bravery. It is our hope that our profile and story will provide you with great peace as you move forward.
Justin’s hospital is less than a mile away – he is SO thankful to not have a commute. Even though we live outside of a big city, we are tucked away and conveniently close to everything (shops, parks, restaurants, church, and school). We moved into our current neighborhood just before the pandemic and have been able to develop some of the sweetest relationships with our neighbors during our time here. We adore our neighborhood and where we live!
Lennon (named after John Lennon) is our sweet and gentle Australian Shepherd. We got him as a puppy shortly after we were engaged, and he has been our loyal companion ever since. He is the sweetest with our kids and lets them climb over him, generously bestowing kisses to anyone who will show him attention.
We are fortunate to live within driving distance to most of our family. Natalie’s parents live three hours away and we see them at least once a month. They love getting to attend Grandparent’s Day, sporting games, and are a huge help at birthday parties. Natalie’s sister and her family live about nine hours away, but her entire family still manages to get together every summer and winter. They have so much fun playing board games, crabbing and collecting shells at the beach, and running around and playing in Grandma and Poppa’s backyard!
Every summer Justin’s family gets together at a lake house for quality time, boating and tubing, and some years fishing. Around Christmas, his entire extended family gathers from across the country for a day full of food and treats, playing with cousins, and adventuring in the woods. Justin is the youngest of three boys. One of his brothers and his family live ten minutes up the street from our house. His other brother lives across the country but we are still able to see them every year.
Our children have thirteen cousins and countless second cousins that are often at family events. Cousins are the best playmates! We are so thankful to have involved families!
Thank you again for taking the time to get to know us. More than anything, please know we are grateful for you and rooting for you. We are committed to making sure our family is one that joyfully celebrates the big and small moments, while persevering through life’s challenges. We hope you have gotten a glimpse of who we are as a family and know that our children will always be loved and supported.
