Hello,
We are Stephen and Jami, and we are so honored that you are taking the time to read this. It is our hope that you will be encouraged as you consider this gracious and compassionate step of adoption.
Our story begins in Pennsylvania where we met. We worked together and had fun together leading children at summer camp. Jami was a camp counselor, and Stephen was part of the staff leadership. We were on the same team for the whole summer of camp competitions. We ran the gauntlet together (getting hit with water balloons and socks filled with flour), yelled with our team as we tried to win the best cheer, and fought together to get the Big Ball to our side. But that was just the beginning of getting to know one another. It was after the summer that Stephen wanted to pursue Jami as a beauty to be rescued, so he asked Jami’s dad if he had permission to date his daughter.
As I dated Jami I experienced how beautiful she is not only on the outside but also on the inside. A couple of years after we met, I finally got to marry this young lady. I look forward to a lifetime of getting to know and love all that she is. Jami carries herself with integrity, humility, and love. The Jami that I grew to know and love is the same at home, at work, at church, and with friends. She has a great sense of humor and is simply a joy to be around. Sometimes I stair at her when she is doing something funny (like yelling gleefully, “We’re almost on vacation!”), and tell her that I could watch her all day. I never know what she might do next. She is reserved, but has the ability to step up and lead. I love watching movies and eating homemade pizza on Friday nights with Jami. My favorite thing about her is that she is incredibly good at loving me. I am not perfect, but she just keeps on loving me as if I was the most special person in the universe. If she can love me well, I know that she will love deeply the little one God brings into our home. Jami makes a great mother as a role model and parent; she aspires to one thing...taking care of her home and rearing children. That focus and desire is exactly what our family needs to grow in life and love.
Stephen has been my wonderful husband and my best friend. 2012 will mark our 10 year anniversary. He truly was an answer to my prayers, and God knit us together perfectly for each other. He complements me well in areas where I lack and vice versa. I think we make a great team! He desires to follow and serve God with his life. He is patient and kind and makes me laugh. In his ministry over the years, I’ve seen him interact with children and teens. Stephen has a way of reaching and connecting with them that allow the kids to open up to him and befriend him. His nieces and nephews love playing with him whenever we all get together. He was raised in a loving, godly home where the standard was taught to be a gentleman. As a result, he continues to open my door to this day. I enjoy being with him, talking with him, especially on our walks together, and laughing with him. He is great with our daughter Madison. She is definitely a “daddy’s girl,” and they have such a special relationship. He is great playing with her and spending time with her. He usually puts her to bed in the evening and that is their special time together. I know Stephen is ready and willing to love and nurture any children that God brings into our home.
In 2010, we were blessed with the gift of adoption. We brought home our beautiful daughter, Madison Grace. She has been such a blessing to our family that we can’t really imagine life without her. She keeps us laughing, and we wondered what we did for entertainment before she came along! She is a happy girl with big hazel eyes that just melt your heart. She loves playing with other children, and we know that she will make a great big sister because she always wants to help mommy. She is well-loved (and spoiled) by our family and even our church family. Every Sunday, there is a lady who always brings her some kind of treat. Madison has brought such joy to our lives.
God has not chosen to let us grow our family through biological children. But we know that God wants to grow our family. And adoption is the best way of demonstrating God’s love for His children. We look forward to the days when another precious child will join our family. We hope you can see by reading this letter that we are deeply in love and committed to each other and to our family. We promise to raise any child we adopt with love, values, and faith. Thank you for considering us!
Sincerely,
Stephen & Jami
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Adoptive Family at a Glance
| Father's Name: Stephen | Mother's Name: Jami |
| Occupation: Pastor | Occupation: Stay-at-Home mom and Reading Tutor |
| Education: Masters of Divinity | Education: One year of college |
| Religion: Christian | Religion: Christian |
| Age: late 30's | Age: early 30's |
| Ethnicity: Caucasian | Ethnicity: Caucasian |
| Hair Color: Brown | Hair Color: Brown |
| Eye Color: Hazel | Eye Color: Brown |
| Height: 5'9" | Height: 5'5" |
| General Health: Good | General Health: Good |
Date of marriage: 6/08/2002
Children: 1 girl (adopted in 2010)
Interest and Hobbies: We enjoy visiting different places, watching movies, hanging out with friends and family, reading, games
Home: We have a beautiful two-story home with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths nestled in a quiet neighborhood. We enjoy the country feel of the surrounding woods but close to area shopping. We have a nice-sized backyard for games or a swingset.
Pets: None
Finances: We are financially stable and operate a monthly budget to ensure we use what God has given us wisely.
Why are you interested in building a family though adoption: We have always had a desire to adopt because God has given us a heart for the fatherless. After experiencing several years of infertility, we decided to begin the process for adoption in order to start building our family. We know this is part of God's plan and His unique way in growing our family. After adopting our daughter, we are excited about who else God would add to our family through adoption.
Openness to Birth parents: We are willing to work with the birthparents in a relationship that is suitable for both families.
Childcare Plans: Jami plans to stay home. Stephen's job allows flexibility also where he can be home at times.
Statement of Faith: We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as the only way of salvation, by faith. He lived a perfect life, died on the cross, shed His blood and rose again three days later. Salvation is a free gift, offered to all who will confess their sins and believe in Jesus Christ.
Type of child we wish to adopt: We are open to any boy or girl, including twins.
We are represented by Nightlight Christian Adoptions. If you need more information about us, or would like to meet us, please contact Nightlight toll-free at 888.933.2237 or fill out Nightlight's contact form