Adam & Mariah
Adam & Mariah
In 2014, we went to Florida for a vacation with another couple with big plans for a camping trip. To our surprise, when we got to the campsite, it was on a small island infested with none other than raccoons! With light fading and bellies empty, we threw together grilled steaks and potatoes.
Adam sat down and began eating, only to look up at the other side of the table and see a raccoon sitting where our friend should have been, munching on one of the steaks! Adam shrieked in an undignified manner and fled to the tabletop as Mariah grabbed a stick and began chasing the raccoon – which kept running around the table to get back to stealing the steak.
Eventually, Mariah won the battle and we all gulped down the food with dozens of eyes shining out of the dark. We would later lose the war when a wind storm hit the island, chasing us out of our tents and to a family friend’s house nearby for well-earned sleep.
The story was told at our wedding as part of the best man’s speech – and many other times. There’s a good reason for that beyond just being a funny story. It speaks to our way of doing things. Adam is always logically planning out how to solve a problem, and Mariah leaps right in to solve it, unafraid to get her hands dirty.
Our Story
We met at a college rivalry party in 2010. We hit it off so well that we were dating immediately and knew it was meant to be in just a few short months. From the beginning, we’ve always shared the same strong moral beliefs, an idea of the lives we wanted to build, and a desire for a loving family.
Though we share these dreams, we are two opposites -as they say, opposites attract- and together we blend and balance each other. We were joyfully married in September 2014 surrounded by our favorites. We have been tackling any challenge that has come our way big or small and are well-equipped to leap any hurdle that makes the mistake of trying to get in our way. There is a lot of love in our house, and a lot of room for more love to give!
Our Relaxation & Fun
On Saturdays in the fall, you can catch us making potato skins and chicken wings while we settle in for a day of college football. Evenings during the week or weekend during the colder times of year see us keeping cozy indoors with a book or the latest Netflix show. When the weather is more accommodating, we’re grilling in the summer, gathering friends around a cozy bonfire, walking around town, or taking a leisurely bike ride down a trail.
Of course, sometimes we do things together, and other times we’re apart. Board games, traveling, and trying out new restaurants are a lot of fun for both of us. We love road trips to places we have never been before to experience the local way of life together. Mariah enjoys maintaining a garden, being in the kitchen trying a new recipe, and planning the next fun gathering, and Adam likes to keep in contact with friends that have moved across the country by hopping online for a round or three of video games, getting lost in an adventurous novel and dreaming of writing his own book.
Lately, we’ve gotten on board with the kayaking craze and have been excited about getting a few of our own. Tomorrow, there may be a new hobby for adventures. There’s always something new to discover!
our adoption hopes
Gender: Any Gender, including an Ambiguous or Transitioning Gender Child
Ethnicities: Any Race and Ethnicity
Age: Newborn to 12 Months
Total of: 1 to 3 Children
a snapshot
of us
We Live In: Grand Rapids
Our Faith: Catholic
Pets: No Pets
Kids Already: No Children Now
Child Care Plan: Licensed Child Care Center
Our Family & Friends
Both of our families live on the east side of Michigan. Although a bit of distance separates us, both of us continue to have very close relationships with our immediate families. Trips to our parents’ homes happen every month or two – or they make the trek to see us – as we can’t go very long without seeing one another! We enjoy spending quality time with our families and making memories. Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving are always big events!
Mariah’s parents have been married for 40 years and she has 3 brothers, one older and two younger. Mariah’s older brother and his wife have three boys together. Adam’s parents have been married for 33 years. Adam has one younger sister. We come from strong, loving families, and we will continue that tradition with our own.
We have a tight-knit group of close friends. On Friday nights, we cook meals with friends and hang out playing board games or relaxing around a bonfire until well after the kids have gone to bed. We exchange Christmas presents, babysit, and plan vacations together. Our friends are invaluable to our daily lives, and we place great importance on building friendships that last a lifetime, celebrating during the high points and weathering the storm together through the tough times. A parent who places their child with us can expect that our friends will be a big part of our child’s life – and will offer tons of love!
Our Home & Neighborhood
We currently live in a 2 bedroom condo within walking distance to downtown Rockford and just a short drive to downtown Grand Rapids. We have loved living so close to downtown Rockford since moving to West Michigan. Rockford has so much to offer with many fun events and festivals, shops, restaurants, and parks to enjoy throughout the year. We enjoy walking downtown and along the river then stopping for ice cream on the way home in the summer.
We are in the beginning stages of building our dream home just 7 miles north, near the small town of Cedar Springs. In the Spring of 2019, we found our little piece of heaven just outside of town. Like Rockford, Cedar Springs offers so much for a family to do – especially outside. We chose to move to Cedar Springs because many of our “Westside family” lives there and we hope to have more property to enjoy with our family. We hope to make this our forever home, one in which we can make memories and share with our family for many years to come.
Education
We are both highly-educated, driven people, and we view education as a crucial part of upbringing. At the same time, we have an expansive view of education. Education is not just for children but, in practice, a lifelong process. If you aren’t learning, you aren’t living! The other important thing we remember is that education comes in many forms.
We were pushed to go to get good grades and go to college. But, education comes in many forms: college, trade school, and other career pathways. The key to succeeding in education is tailoring it to the individual, and we will lovingly support whichever pathway is best suited for the individual child.
Correction & Discipline
Everyone makes mistakes. Those mistakes have natural consequences, and learning from them is important. We do not think physical discipline is appropriate. For the most part, lecturing or telling children what to do is not a good long-term solution either (it is necessary when there is danger!).
Instead, we believe children should be given choices. When they make good choices, there are good consequences. When they make bad choices, they may not get to have a treat or they need to calm down in their rooms – older kids may need to figure out how they will get transportation to that event they really wanted to attend!
Discipline is not a punishment but, rather, an opportunity to learn from mistakes and grow. If parents model good behavior, and children learn from their experiences how to make good choices for themselves, they will make those good choices when their parents aren’t watching or aren’t around any longer.
Our Faith Views
Our faith is at the core of our relationship and of our family. We are strong and proud Catholics, and you can expect us to be in church on Sundays, praying before meals and bed, and reading books or listening to podcasts about the faith. We are so thankful to be apart of a vibrant and welcoming parish. We find joy in being apart of many ministries at our church including middle and high school youth groups.
We understand that people come from all walks of life and use our faith to help us become better versions of ourselves – growing in patience, kindness, and love for all people, no matter who they are or where they are in life. We will raise children to be the same, showing compassion for those who are hurting and being fearless fighters for what is right.
Adam's Career
I work for a large law firm, specializing in the field of education law. My clients are K-12 school districts. What I really love about my work is that education is in the business of doing what’s best for kids. I don’t have to worry about being the bad guy in some corporate deal.
At the end of the day, I get to help school districts navigate legal hurdles so they can focus on shaping children for future success.
I intend to take 2 weeks paternity leave following placement, then return to work full time. I hope to continue to work from home after parental leave to be able to continue bonding with our child. Due to my later work start time, once Mariah returns to work, I will drop off our child at daycare to limit the amount of time spent at daycare.
Mariah's Career
I work in a rehabilitation hospital as an occupational therapist. I primarily serve patients who are recovering from cancer, respiratory, and cardiac illnesses. I help her patients regain skills to be able to return to their home and function independently after they leave the hospital.
My work is so fulfilling and meaningful, and I feel so honored to meet someone during a very challenging time in their lives and be apart of a team to help restore their hope and freedom.
I will take a full 12-week parental leave from work following placement. After the 12 weeks pass, I will return to work full time. To limit the amount of time the child spends in daycare, I will pick him or her up from daycare, as I get out of work earlier than Adam.
Adam
I am a European “mutt,” with English, French, and German backgrounds that long ago gave way to American traditions. My childhood involved Fourth of July festivities – going to see the fireworks every year – and staple Christian celebrations (Christmas, Easter).
Otherwise, my family was pretty relaxed and didn’t do much scheduling. But, my dad and I always caught Michigan and Lions football games on Saturdays and Sundays, and the family always had a Tigers or Wings game on during the week.
Mariah
My family’s heritage primarily originates from Ireland and Germany/Austria. We are very proud of our Irish and German/Austrian heritage, specifically my maternal side of the family.
At large family celebrations it was not unusual to hear the sounds of an accordion, Polka music, and of course there was never a time we ran out of food!
Thank you for taking time to get to know our family! We can only imagine the choices that lay in front of you, but we want you to know that we fundamentally believe, with all our hearts, that you are among the strongest and bravest people out there. Our hope is that one day soon, we can welcome you into our family and celebrate YOU and the gift you have chosen to not only give us, but the world.
Together, we promise to keep your child’s welfare above all else and work to support them in achieving their dreams. We would be incredibly honored to be entrusted with parenting your child and inviting you into our family. Love multiplies when families grow!
With love,
- Child Separation, Attachment, and Bonding
- Child Development, Including Safe Sleep Practices for Children
- Behavioral and Emotional Needs of Adoptive Children
- Impact of Adoption on the Family
We want a child placed with us to be positioned for a rewarding life in a house full of love. That means we want the child to have a loving relationship with the birth family, too! Under ideal conditions, that means the birth family is as much a part of the child’s life as they want to be or feel they are able to.
We would like the child’s birth family to be just like another part of our family. We have a lot of hope and a lot of love to give.
OUR COMFORT LEVEL WITH DIFFERENT ADOPTION OPTIONS
- Very Comfortable
- Mostly Comfortable
- Unsure
- A Bit Uneasy
- Not Comfortable
We want a child placed with us to be positioned for a rewarding life in a house full of love. That means we want the child to have a loving relationship with the birth family, too! Under ideal conditions, that means the birth family is as much a part of the child’s life as they want to be or feel they are able to.
We would like the child’s birth family to be just like another part of our family. We have a lot of hope and a lot of love to give.
Just one more thing...We want a child placed with us to be positioned for a rewarding life in a house full of love. That means we want the child to have a loving relationship with the birth family, too! Under ideal conditions, that means the birth family is as much a part of the child’s life as they want to be or feel they are able to.
We would like the child’s birth family to be just like another part of our family. We have a lot of hope and a lot of love to give.