We are a team in every sense of the word. We love to live life together – in the small ways, like running errands (who doesn’t love a trip to Target), and in the big ways, like going on vacations and exploring other cultures (especially their cuisines!) We are best friends and we are so lucky.
People say that building a house can be stressful and cause challenges in a marriage, but not for us. We had a blast making big and small decisions together, and were brutally honest about what we did or didn’t like. We took turns making final decisions and making compromises. All the while, we had smiles on our faces and soaked it all in. We have found that the harder life gets, the more we grow together, and the more we love one another. That has been true for the small stuff and the big stuff.
We spend a lot of time with our extended families, and are so fortunate to have them nearby. We have the best time with our nieces and nephews (in Michigan, we have 3 nephews and 2 nieces, all under 7) – from reading books to/with them, to art projects, to teaching them Japanese, to building Legos, to playing outside and in our pool, to having glow stick dance parties – there is always something new, exciting, and fun. We are so lucky to watch their little personalities grow, their minds become more curious, and to get lots of snuggles, too.
We have always wanted children and specifically, have always wanted to do so through adoption. We have so much love to give and are ready to share it with our child and their birth family.
We are a mixed-race family (Japanese and Caucasian), and so integrating our child’s birth family’s culture and our cultures is something we are so excited about. We will raise our future child to be open-minded, to embrace their uniqueness, to be proud of who they are, and most importantly, to know they are so loved.
We met and began dating at Michigan State when we were just 19. Funny story – years before we even met, our dads had worked together at GM. What a small world!
As college sweethearts, we have really grown up together – from navigating life as young adults who had just moved away from home, to getting our first apartments, to deciding what we wanted to do when we grew up – we have encouraged one another to grow into our best selves.
As a family, we have already started carving out some traditions of our own, including annually attending an MSU football tailgate; having a Friendsgiving with our friends and their children; celebrating Christmas Day at our home; and celebrating our anniversary in downtown Detroit (including getting a photo in the lobby of our wedding venue).
What Jackie loves about Adam: He is so kind – to everyone and everything. He won’t even kill a spider, instead catching and releasing them. Adam has a quirky and witty sense of humor. He is understanding, always looks on the bright side, and sees the best in everyone.
Adam is my biggest cheerleader, supporting my dreams and goals and without him, I wouldn’t have gotten through law school. Adam is a talented home cook, and he shares that with our nieces and nephews. I know he will make a fantastic father and I can’t wait to see it.
What Adam loves about Jackie: I was drawn to Jackie because of how fun and adventurous she is. I am quieter and more reserved, and Jackie complements me very well – we are proof that opposites attract. I love how motivated and dedicated she is, always pushing to be better in ways that benefit our family.
I also admire Jackie’s maternal instincts. She’s amazing with our nieces and nephews – she can calm a crying baby, make any kid giggle, and loves reading to and playing with children. I know she will make a wonderful mother.
Our pets are accustomed to being around children, and are very patient to the exuberance of toddlers (even when they pull the kitty’s tail!).
Jackie: I really enjoy working out, including running, biking, and barre classes. Exercising helps me reduce stress and feel more energized. I also really love volunteering with local organizations and affinity bar associations.
Adam: In my spare time I enjoy cooking, disc golfing, reading, and watching soccer. Cooking allows me to be creative and express myself, while disc golfing lets me enjoy the outdoors and get exercise.
What sorts of things do we do together? We love games – board games, card games, or even game shows (yes, we DVR Jeopardy, so we can watch every episode at our leisure). We have so much fun playing together, cheering each other on (even if we’re competing against one another), and in playing games together, we make each other laugh so, so hard.
We love spending time with our family and friends, including hosting football game watch parties, holiday and other celebrations, and pool / BBQ days. We also love playing with our pets, including long walks and hikes with our dog.
We really enjoy food, especially food Adam makes for us (he’s an incredible home chef!), which is why we love going to local farmers markets and local mom-and-pop restaurants. We love traveling together, whether it’s a major trip out of the country, or a day trip to explore another neighborhood in Lansing, Detroit, or Grand Rapids.
It is really important to us that we spend time together as a family, including having dinner together the majority of nights. For each of us growing up, eating dinner together was a chance for us to check-in, get updates on one another’s day, and enjoy a great meal.
Sex: Any Gender, including an Ambiguous or Transitioning Gender Child
Ethnicities: Any Race and Ethnicity
Age: Newborn to 6 Months
Total of: 1 to 2 Children, 2 Siblings or Twins
Child Care: Licensed Child Care Center
We Live In: Lansing Area
Our Belief: Open to All Religions
Our Pets: Both Cat(s) and Dog(s)
Our Children: No Children Now
Adam’s family lives in southeast Michigan. He is close with his parents and sister, throughout the week, talking on the phone or texting with them. He grew up playing games with his family, including playing euchre, board games, and now, during the pandemic, playing games online.
Jackie was born in southern California. Jackie’s parents and younger sister live in the Grand Rapids area. Jackie has a great relationship with her family and is extremely close with her younger sister, talking on the phone, texting, and FaceTiming daily.
We live in a nice, newly built home in a cul-de-sac in a suburb of Lansing. Our home is large, but cozy, and includes plenty of space for our future child to grow and learn. We have a pool, firepit, and green space. Baby will have their own room (it is already full of books and toys!), with a large closet, and their own bathroom.
Our neighborhood has lots of children of all ages, and you often see them playing in the neighborhood soccer field and playground, or in various yards throughout. We have really fantastic neighbors, with whom we often go for walks, have family get-togethers, and help one another out.
We have a very friendly community that has a weekly farmers market, as well as festivals throughout the year.
Education is very important to us, as it is something you can achieve that no matter where life takes you, no one can ever take away from you. We understand that a strong education gives you countless opportunities, and we plan to instill a strong love of education in our child. To that end, we plan to read daily with our child, just like our parents did with us growing up.
Discipline is an opportunity to educate our child about what is right and what is wrong, what leads them to their goals and what leads them astray, as well as how to treat others. We will not use any form or corporal punishment since the same tends to lead to fear rather than respect, and more importantly, does not encourage positive behavior, but simply avoiding consequences and being caught.
Although we do not actively practice a religion, we are open to all religious beliefs and customs, and will fully support our child as they navigate their beliefs.
I am a software developer at a mid-sized company in Bath, MI. I enjoy working with computers and I’m privileged to do what I love. I work with a team to solve problems and enjoy finding creative and interesting solutions.
I will take time off when we bring home our baby. I will continue working full-time; however, my work allows me to have some flexibility in my start and end time, which will ensure that Jackie and I are tag-teaming parenting and raising our child together.
If we adopt a child who needs us at home longer than what we’ve planned on, we will make the needed arrangements to give our child what is best.
I am a family law attorney at a large law firm in Lansing. My work ranges from divorce to custody and support issues, and often includes helping people through really big challenges in life, including domestic violence and substance abuse.
Practicing family law can be emotionally challenging, but it gives me an opportunity to truly help make a difference for families and children, which has always been my dream job! Family is the most important thing to me, so helping families and children is very rewarding.
I will take time off when we bring home our baby. After my leave, I will return to working full-time; however, I will reduce my involvement in local bar association and volunteer boards, so that I can ensure I am present and actively involved in raising our child.
While we are both at work, our child will attend a licensed daycare facility, just a couple of miles away from our home. If we adopt a child who needs us at home longer than what we’ve planned on, we will make the needed arrangements to give our child what is best.
My dad is Caucasian (Swiss, German, British, and Irish) as is my mom (British and Irish). Both of my parents were born and raised in Michigan. I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and have lived in the state all my life. We moved around a bit (Troy, Lansing, and Rochester) but I lived in the Metro Detroit area for most of my childhood.
I am bi-racial, something I say with a lot of pride. My dad is Caucasian (Irish and British), and is from Denver, Colorado. My mom is Japanese, born and raised in Okinawa, Japan. I was born in southern California and lived there until I was 7 when my family moved to Brighton, Michigan.
I lived in Brighton, Michigan until I was 13, and then we moved to Yokohama, Japan. We lived in Japan for all of my high school years, which helped me to get to know more about my Japanese heritage, language, and culture.
As a family, we have already started carving out some traditions of our own, including annually attending an MSU football tailgate; having a Friendsgiving with our friends and their children; celebrating Christmas Day at our home; and celebrating our anniversary in downtown Detroit (including getting a photo in the lobby of our wedding venue).
Thank you so much for taking the time to review our profile. We can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this must be, and we want to tell you how inspired we are by the love you have for your baby. We are quirky, fun-loving, and a close-knit family, and we would give your child so much love. We will be supportive and encouraging parents, guiding our child to fulfill their potential and reach their dreams, whatever they may be. We will do our best to ensure your child has the best possible life, and is constantly reminded how much you, and we, love them. If you are comfortable with it, we would love for you to be involved in the child’s life so that they have as much love in their life as possible.
Birth Family Panel: How to Establish Trust and Good Communication
Our priority is to form and maintain a relationship with our child’s birth family that ensures our child always feel loved and supported by us all. We understand that there may be times when our child’s birth family is busy, or when the reality of our child living with us may be too difficult to maintain the usual contact.
That said, we want to make sure that our relationship with our child’s birth family is strong and committed to loving one another so we can help each other through the tough times, and show one another grace. We hope that we will have frequent contact, including sending messages and photos, having phone or FaceTime calls, and in-person visits.
Our priority is to form and maintain a relationship with our child’s birth family that ensures our child always feel loved and supported by us all. We understand that there may be times when our child’s birth family is busy, or when the reality of our child living with us may be too difficult to maintain the usual contact.
That said, we want to make sure that our relationship with our child’s birth family is strong and committed to loving one another so we can help each other through the tough times, and show one another grace. We hope that we will have frequent contact, including sending messages and photos, having phone or FaceTime calls, and in-person visits.
Just one more thing...Our priority is to form and maintain a relationship with our child’s birth family that ensures our child always feel loved and supported by us all. We understand that there may be times when our child’s birth family is busy, or when the reality of our child living with us may be too difficult to maintain the usual contact.
That said, we want to make sure that our relationship with our child’s birth family is strong and committed to loving one another so we can help each other through the tough times, and show one another grace. We hope that we will have frequent contact, including sending messages and photos, having phone or FaceTime calls, and in-person visits.
