John and His Brother Working on the Kids’ Race Track at Christmas

John is the younger of two boys. His older brother is married and has two sons. John's brother was adopted at 6 months of age.

John's father is retired from a gas company, and his mother is retired as an administrative secretary. John's parents and brother live near by and we visit them often. We get together for Sunday dinners and there is most often a game of football or time to play in the creek. John's family has a large family reunion every year at the beginning of May at the church where their ancestors attended. John's fondest memories are of their family vacations in the summer. John's family is very excited about our decision to adopt and can't wait to have another little one running around. Having adopted themselves, this is very close to their hearts.

The Ladies in Rachel’s Family after Thanksgiving Dinner

Rachel is the younger of two girls. Her older sister is married and has 2 boys and a girl.

Rachel's father is a retired teacher and principal, and her mother is an office manager for a newspaper. Because of her father's academic background as a history teacher, her families' summers were spent traveling and visiting historic sites. Both of Rachel's parents were very involved in her sporting events and her dad often coached her softball teams, while her mother was leading the other parents in singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" between innings. Rachel's parents live close by and they talk daily. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is when everyone is together…aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. There is always lots of food and time to get together and stay connected. They are all ecstatic about our decision to adopt and can't wait have another grandchild to love!

Our Home

We live in a 2-story home with a basement on the outskirts of a mid-sized town in Tennessee. Our house is very traditional inside and out. It is very spacious, with big open rooms and high ceilings. We have 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. We have a big, sunny kitchen, a large family room, a dining room, a living room and a sun porch. Our family room is the perfect place for toys and games. Our house is situated in 5.5 acres and is surrounded by open fields. We have a creek that is great for wading. Wildlife is abundant in our backyard. A family of deer visits every evening about dinnertime.

Play Area at Our House

Our town is rich in history with some of the South's finest antebellum homes. Our town offers many community related events. There are several parks and a nice library. There is a mall, but we also have several specialty shops located on our town square. We also have a wide variety of restaurants, fast food and local eating establishments. Our church is located here as well. The school system is ranked one of the best in the state. We are a short drive from a major city where there is a zoo, cultural activities and major sports teams.