Justin & Jodi
Justin & Jodi
We went to Maui in 2018 for a trip. While we were there, an alert went out for a nuclear missile threat. The warning said to take cover, but everything in Maui is open; open lobbies, hallways, no basements, etc., due to the tropical climate. Many people were fearing for their lives–screaming, crying, even crawling into storm sewers to seek shelter.
As a couple, we stayed strong and leaned on each other for comfort. We did not panic, we called our loved ones and told them how much we loved them, we held hands, and we prayed. While the whole thing ended up being a false alarm and nothing happened, that experience really taught us to never take a day for granted and to be so grateful to have each other and live each day to the fullest.
That experience really made us stronger as a couple and in extremely stressful times we find comfort in Jesus Christ and being with each other. We would love to share this deep level of comfort and confidence with our children.
Our Story
We both consider ourselves pretty simple and easy going. We actually connected with each other online and decided to meet up in person because we had so much in common. Our first date was just grilling hamburgers and enjoying the evening on the patio followed by a ride out to see the sunset at Lake Michigan.
After that first date it was pretty obvious we shared a deep connection with many of the same goals and aspirations. After dating for about a year we took a trip to Florida together and Justin rented a minivan and filled it with 10 tires and rims, a generator, a tile saw, and some other things to take back to Michigan. After Jodi put up with all of that without complaining Justin knew in his heart it was meant to be!
We have been blessed far more than we’d ever deserve, and really just wish to share our home and provide a child / children with an awesome life where we can all just grow in love together and be there for each other.
Our Relaxation & Fun
We both love to be outside when the weather is nice. We enjoy the beach, pool days at our sister-in-law’s house, and gardening. Sometimes we go for hikes, bike rides, or grab ice cream! In the winter months with the cold weather, we enjoy grabbing pizza and watching Netflix. We also enjoy traveling to Florida one to two times a year. With Justin’s job, we have been able to travel to Hawaii and Arizona.
our adoption hopes
Gender: A Boy or A Girl
Ethnicities: Any Race and Ethnicity
Age: Newborn to 4 Years Old
Total of: 1 to 2 Children
a snapshot
of us
We Live In: Holland
Our Faith: Christian
Pets: No Pets
Kids Already: No Children Now
Child Care Plan: Family Member Child Care Stay-at-Home Parent
Our Family & Friends
Our family and friends mean the world to us. We are close with both of our families. We enjoy spending time with our family and friends. We have a great small group of close friends and a bonus small group through our church. Our families and friends are caring, kind, and would drop anything for anyone. We are also the same way. We love to help and bless others in any way we can.
Our Home & Neighborhood
We live in a suburban area in Holland. We have a ranch-style house with 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. We live on 3 acres off of a private drive. It is nice and quiet and a safe place for kids to play.
Education
We both really value education and would say that there is never too much education, and even after school we continue to learn something new each day. We would definitely promote a child pursuing a college education if they desired, but also really see the value in trades, construction, the service industry, and other skilled labor careers if they chose to go that route.
We would support the child fully regardless of the career path they choose. Our main objective, simply put, would be to equip the child to be prepared to go out into the world as an independent self-sufficient adult having the knowledge and skills to be a productive member of society and the ability to pursue their dreams.
Correction & Discipline
We were both raised in homes with a clear structure and level of expectations growing up. Neither of us have ever experienced any type of abuse. Our primary objective is to love the child and equip them to succeed. We understand that children need discipline to follow rules and later in life grow into adults that respect laws and authority.
We will discipline the child as needed, but primarily offer support, reward, and encouragement for positive behavior. We have read several articles on how there may be some specific discipline to avoid on adopted children such as time outs or taking privileges away as these can create more feelings of isolation and rejection rather than a positive outcome.
We will rely heavily on Greater Hopes, our support groups, and other resources to navigate through situations as they arise. Regardless of what challenges a child may present, the child’s best interest will always be our objective. This may not necessarily be what’s easiest, what everyone else does, or what someone on social media posts, we will very much tailor discipline to our specific child’s situation and what will be best for them.
Our Faith Views
Our Christian Faith is extremely important to us and we try our best to live by that each day. Like everyone else we sin and fall short, but we believe in a God that forgives and extends grace beyond measure. Along with our Christian Faith, we believe it is most important to love everyone.
We believe everyone deserves love and respect regardless of their background, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. We go to Engedi Church; Engedi is a very diverse church with people from all different backgrounds and ethnicities and our church really just focuses on sharing the love of Christ regardless of where we are on our journey.
Justin's Career
I went to Ferris State University for Construction Management. I work for a small business in Hamilton, MI that sells and installs agricultural (farm) equipment such as grain bins, generators, and irrigation systems. My primary role is in sales, but being a smaller company my job varies greatly day to day. My days vary from being in the office, loading and unloading trucks and trailers, working on job sites, traveling and meeting with customers, and sometimes doing service work as much as 150 feet up in the air!
Being a small company there is a lot of freedom and flexibility to make sure family comes at the forefront of things. It is a family owned business and the owners are very accommodating and understanding. Being employed here full time since 2009 there has never been a year or season with a lack of work or layoffs. Storing the nation’s grain goes back to Biblical times and one of the most basic fundamental aspects of life–it has been a very stable career to this point.
I plan to remain working full time. I will leave work for important appointments, activities, and school functions for our future child.
Jodi's Career
Since graduating from college I have worked in the medical field. I was a health and wellness coach. I am a caregiver at heart and wanted to work more closely with patients. I went back to school for a second degree and am a Medical Assistant at an OB/GYN office.
My anticipated employment is to work part time once we are a family. We have many family members (including our moms and sisters) who are willing to help out with child care.
Justin
I grew up in Holland and still live in Holland. My parents and siblings also still live in Holland. Most Sundays after church we go to my parents for lunch. On my side we are blessed with 3 nephews, and 6 nieces. We also celebrate holiday’s and birthday’s together. As a family in the summer we go to Big Star Lake for a long weekend.
My ancestry is made up of Dutch and German.
Jodi
I grew up in Zeeland. My parents and siblings still live in Zeeland. Justin and I live in Holland, which is not far from both of our families. On my side of the family, we are blessed with two nieces. We celebrate holidays, birthdays, and stay in touch throughout the week by texting or calling each other. We don’t just need a holiday or birthday to see each other. We all enjoy ice cream, so sometimes we will meet at our favorite ice cream place!
My ancestry is made up of Dutch and German.
Thank you for taking time to look at a snapshot of our life. We know you are facing a very difficult decision and one we could never imagine. We haven’t met you yet and you are the strongest, bravest person we will ever know. We have so much love to provide and can’t wait to share it with our child. We will do everything we can to make sure your child has the best possible life and provide them with whatever support they need. We are comfortable with you being a part of their life as much as you feel comfortable with. Without you our dream of becoming a family would not be possible.
- 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 hope to have an open adoption and envision the relationship to be family-like. Depending on circumstances we would hope you could attend school events, sporting events, activities, birthdays, and holidays. We hope to create a trusting relationship with you and be able to discuss things even if they are hard. We also plan to communicate by calling, texting, sending pictures, or facetime, but only at your comfort level.
OUR COMFORT LEVEL WITH DIFFERENT ADOPTION OPTIONS
- Very Comfortable
- Mostly Comfortable
- Unsure
- A Bit Uneasy
- Not Comfortable
We hope to have an open adoption and envision the relationship to be family-like. Depending on circumstances we would hope you could attend school events, sporting events, activities, birthdays, and holidays. We hope to create a trusting relationship with you and be able to discuss things even if they are hard. We also plan to communicate by calling, texting, sending pictures, or facetime, but only at your comfort level.
Just one more thing...We hope to have an open adoption and envision the relationship to be family-like. Depending on circumstances we would hope you could attend school events, sporting events, activities, birthdays, and holidays. We hope to create a trusting relationship with you and be able to discuss things even if they are hard. We also plan to communicate by calling, texting, sending pictures, or facetime, but only at your comfort level.