Brad & Abigail
Brad & Abigail
Our relationship started out with a few mishaps. Brad took Abby to a very nice steak house in Traverse City for our first date, and everything went well. Our second date, Brad got stuck on a job site without cell service (or so he says 😊). He couldn’t call and let Abby know he would be late. Stood up on the second date, we still gave it another try.
The third date, Brad was working on a 30-foot lift at his office when it broke… and he was alone… with his cell phone in his truck! Luckily, Abby waited it out and he eventually got down. We enjoyed what would become a family regular activity, ice-cream date.
We made it through the first three weeks and have been together nearly every day since. It was a great life lesson; there are times in life when things do not go to plan, but if we push through and trust God, the outcome is often better than we ever imagined.
Our Story
We met at a Diner where Abby worked as a waitress in 2015. After five short months of dating, Brad proposed at one of Abby’s favorite places, the Shed Aquarium. We were married in September 2016 and just celebrated 6 years. In 2017 we added our elderly dog Nellie (nervous Nellie) to the family. She is a beloved member of our family.
We are both independent people and pride ourselves on having a strong work ethic. Abby enjoys traveling and adventure but also loves to snuggle up on the couch with Nellie and a good book or movie. Brad is very grounded and driven but has a spontaneous, adventurous side as well. We have a lot of similar interests but balance each other out in other ways.
We have learned how to best communicate with each other and how to support each other in rough times. We enjoy traveling to other countries and states. We also love exploring northern Michigan and try to take a few day-trips every summer.
Our Relaxation & Fun
Most weekends you will find us at family or friend’s houses, helping with projects or sharing a meal. On weeknights, we usually unwind with a puzzle, games, or a tv show. We spend our summer nights gardening or working in the yard. We love to grill or cook over the fire pit in the backyard. Don’t forget the s’mores!
We enjoy baseball games, whether it’s the Tigers or the Traverse City Beach Bums. Baseball is so much more fun in person- with ballpark food. We try to take trips each fall to explore lighthouses, beaches, waterfalls, and other natural beauties of our state. We usually take a week-long vacation each year with Abby’s family. We love trying new foods and restaurants and enjoy traveling around northern Michigan finding new places to eat.
our adoption hopes
Gender: Any Gender, including an Ambiguous or Transitioning Gender Child
Ethnicities: Any Race and Ethnicity
Age: Newborn to an Older Child
Total of: 1 to 3 Children
a snapshot
of us
We Live In: Cadillac
Our Faith: Christian
Pets: Dog(s)
Kids Already: No Children Now
Child Care Plan: Family Member Child Care Licensed Child Care Home
Our Family & Friends
We are very close with our immediate families and enjoy spending a lot of time with them. We are both the youngest of three children and our parents have been married for over thirty years. They are great examples of strong marriages. We each have one sibling that lives close, and one that lives down by Jackson, so we travel down several times a year. We have 8 nieces and nephews, ages 0-9! We are thankful to have some so close, and often have sleepovers with our nephews.
We both grew up in the area that we now live in, and have some lifelong friends. Throughout the last few years, we have developed strong friendships with our work families and our church. Abby enjoys girl’s night out with work friends. Brad spends his extra time over at his parent’s farm helping with the beef cattle or going to the local racetrack and tractor pulls.
Our Home & Neighborhood
Brad bought our home in 2010, and it has been a labor of love. Abby moved in after we were married in 2016. It is a cute ranch-style home, that sits on just over an acre lot. We always have at least 2 DIY projects going at a time on our 1970’s retro home.
Our next-door neighbors are good friends, and we enjoy spending time on their hobby farm. We have a vegetable garden and flower beds, which Abby enjoys working in during the summer. Our neighborhood is a mix of young families, empty nesters, and those aging in place. We look forward to raising our kids in a rural area where we grew up so they can experience a safe place to roam and play.
Education
We believe that education is important and that there are many forms of teaching. Every child learns differently, some are hands-on and others are book learners. We as a couple learn very differently, Abby loves to read a good book or article, while Brad learns best by doing.
Brad is a strong supporter of the trades, learning hands-on skills that are vital for our economy. We believe that university is an important avenue as well. We want our children to know they have lots of options to choose from when they are ready for a career and that we will support them in their dreams and passions.
Correction & Discipline
We believe discipline is necessary and is a tool to sculpt children into loving, respectful, and productive adults. Children need boundaries and learn to take correction. We want to do that in a loving and safe environment as they are children so they can flourish as adults.
We recognize that all children are different and require different forms of discipline. Because of that, we do not have a set plan for discipline. We have read about many forms of discipline and feel prepared to tailor our techniques to the personality of our children.
Our Faith Views
We describe ourselves as Christians, but not religious. We are regular attenders of a Non-Denominational church in our community. We are involved in the children’s program and Brad helps with the technology. We believe a relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing and want to share that with our children.
Brad's Career
I run my own HVAC Company with my brother as my business partner. I enjoy helping people with their heating and cooling needs, working with my brother, and the challenge that the job can be. Each site is different and we create our own solutions to the problem. I especially enjoy making sheet metal. We recently purchased the machinery and I make most of the ductwork we install.
I plan to continue working full time to support my family after placement. I will assist with drop off/pick-up of taking the child to a licensed daycare or family.
Abigail's Career
I work for the City of Cadillac in the Community Development Department. I run the building department and rental program. Recently I am getting more involved in grant writing and project management. I love being involved in community planning and enjoy it when I get the chance to write grants to add parks, green spaces and improve our local community.
I plan to take a long maternity leave, as I am allowed up to 6 months. I plan to return to work after that. Our childcare plan is to place our child in a licensed daycare and/or with family. We have family members that have young children and stay home, our hope would be to have the child spend as much time with our trusted family as possible.
Brad
I grew up in a small farming community in northern Michigan, the youngest of three children. Both of my parent’s families were from The Netherlands and I grew up in a predominantly Dutch community. My parents have a small farm with around a dozen beef cattle. My mother was a baker for many years, and we always had lots of great home cooking. She still spoils us with her yummy baked goods. Growing up my family enjoyed visiting family in Grand Rapids and going to the family cabin.
Abigail
I am the youngest of three daughters to my parents. We are a mix of German and Scottish descent. Much of my extended family grew up close by, and I grew up spending lots of time with cousins. My immediate family is close, we enjoy holidays together as well as an annual birthday bash and an annual week-long vacation together.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to read our profile and get to know us. Whether you choose us, another Greater Hopes family, or to raise this child yourself, we are extremely thankful that you have chosen life! We understand this is not an easy path, and we encourage you to lean on Greater Hopes. We know that Greater Hopes is here to help and support you, and we chose to partner with them because of the amazing testimonies we heard about the support they give to birth families.
We would love to talk with you and answer any questions you may have. We want to support and encourage you in any way we are able. We know this process will take a lot of raw emotions and honesty from us all, and we are ready for that journey. We have faith that when the time is right – everything will work out just the way it is supposed to.
Sincerely,
- 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
Our ideal open adoption circumstances would be a family-like relationship. We envision participation in school events, athletics, birthdays, and some holidays. We would hope to speak via text, video chat, or phone call every couple of weeks. We hope to have good communication, to be able to speak openly and honestly even when things are hard and emotional.
OUR COMFORT LEVEL WITH DIFFERENT ADOPTION OPTIONS
- Very Comfortable
- Mostly Comfortable
- Unsure
- A Bit Uneasy
- Not Comfortable
Our ideal open adoption circumstances would be a family-like relationship. We envision participation in school events, athletics, birthdays, and some holidays. We would hope to speak via text, video chat, or phone call every couple of weeks. We hope to have good communication, to be able to speak openly and honestly even when things are hard and emotional.
Just one more thing...Our ideal open adoption circumstances would be a family-like relationship. We envision participation in school events, athletics, birthdays, and some holidays. We would hope to speak via text, video chat, or phone call every couple of weeks. We hope to have good communication, to be able to speak openly and honestly even when things are hard and emotional.