JP + Rachel
We have known each other for 16 years. When we met we were just kids. Our friendship blossomed into love and has grown into a bond that can weather any storm. We have had mountain-top joys and valley lows, but through it all, we have stuck together and always will. That is the type of family we are - one that sticks together no matter what life throws at us. Your baby will know that from the earliest of age. They will know that they will never be on their own in this life. They will always have a family who will stick by their side no matter what comes.
Hi!
Our names are JP (short for James Patrick) and Rachel. It's so lovely to finally meet you. We are very nervous to be writing to you, so we want you to know that it is more than okay if you are nervous while you are reading this. We don't know your background, your favorite foods, your hopes and dreams, or the road that has led you here, but we are certain of one thing-- God is writing a beautiful story for you and your baby, whatever that may be in the end.
We want you to know that even though we haven't met you yet, we have been praying for you for a long time. We haven't just been praying for your sweet baby...we have been praying specifically for you. We have been praying for God to bring about the very best things in your life, and that you would know how truly adored you are! We have also been praying that, if you choose adoption, all of us would end up being absolutely crazy about each other and look back and wonder how we ever lived life apart.
We hope that by the end of this profile, you will be able to tell how much we love each other and this amazingly blessed life we've been given. We want you to know that we have so much respect for you and we are cheering you on! We are already in awe of you that you would consider adoption as a possible option for your child. We would much rather be meeting you in person over a plate of chocolate chip cookies, but hopefully this provides some insight into who we are. Maybe, God has crossed our paths for a purpose.
Our Reason Why
Since we were kids, both of us dreamed of our future family. We both had amazing, loving parents that provided safety, love, support, fun, and guidance throughout our childhoods. Early on in our marriage, we would stay up late into the night talking about how excited we were to have kids and provide for them like our parents did for us. Over a number of years, we tried to have kids biologically, but were unable to. Through the process we realized that we cared more about being parents than being pregnant.
We had always talked about adopting someday, but in our minds it was something we would do after having biological children. God had a different plan. We began to pray and meet with adoptive families and hear their stories. We were so inspired by the unique ways in which God intertwined adoptive parents and birth parents to provide the best possible life for a child. Rachel's grandmother and father volunteered in the foster care system her entire life, so adoption has always been something near and dear to her whole family. JP has known about this passion of Rachel's and as they have grown in love and unity, the passion and love for adoption has been ignited in JP as well.
Our Story
Our story begins 16 year ago. We met in middle school at our church's youth group and became fast friends. JP played bass in the church rock band, and Rachel looked on with dreamy middle-school eyes. We were close friends for about 5 years, but started dating when JP was a senior and Rachel was a junior. It took Rachel by surprise when JP asked her on a date, because they had just been friends for so long. When JP went off to college Rachel was very sad to see him go, but he always made her feel special and came back to visit almost every weekend.
The rest is history. We got married in college (Rachel was 19 and JP was 21) and moved back home to be near our friends and family. We've been married 9 years now and are more in love than ever. It has been incredibly special to grow up together and to have so much shared history. We are deeply committed to each other, our family, our community of friends, and our church. Our story began as best friends and to this day we still just love to spend time together.
Meet Rachel
"Rachel is a loyal friend, godly woman, and loving wife. Little kids love her, and she has such a big heart. I can't wait to watch her become a mom. Rachel has such an innate motherly instinct. Every one of our nieces and nephews run right to her when they see her and immediately start talking. Every child feels valued and heard by her. Rachel is also the best at giving kids healthy boundaries and discipline. I think it comes from her work in the schools with kids with severe disabilities and behavioral issues. She is able to be authoritative, but is also kind and loving at the same time. I think kids feel safe with her because of that. One of the qualities that I love most about Rachel is her authenticity. She is never fake and is always honest and vulnerable. She is servant-hearted and generous. Every time a friend, family member, coworker, (or even complete stranger!) needs help, Rachel is the first to volunteer her time, energy, and money. I also love how funny and silly she is. She has an amazing sense of humor, and at least once a day she makes me laugh so hard that I can't help but cry. As a husband, I feel so blessed to have Rachel as my wife, best friend, and partner." - JP
I grew up in a diverse suburban community in North Texas. My parents specifically moved us into a neighborhood that was full of all kinds of different people because learning to live with and love people who were different than us was one of my parents' top priorities for our family. Because of this upbringing, I continue to seek out and deeply value diversity in my own life. I received my Masters Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorder. Since then, I have worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in a school district where I primarily work with under-served populations. My favorite part of my job is getting to educate families on their child's speech difficulties to help their kiddos learn how to effectively communicate! I have recently scaled back my hours to work 2.5 days per week so that I can be at home with a baby that joins our family in the future. One of my other passions is hosting people in our home, whether it be an annual "Friendsgiving" celebration or celebrating a major life event. I love cooking for people and making them feel loved and appreciated. I have a close group of friends, and they would describe me as a great listener, giver of my time, and (hopefully haha) someone that keeps them laughing. - Rachel
Meet Jp
"To put it simply, JP is magnetic. It doesn't matter where you are in your walk in life; to be around JP is to feel known, cared for, and seen. It's honestly one of my greatest privileges to witness this as a wife and partner because people are just drawn to him! He asks the most intentional questions and is always genuinely interested in your answer. He is a natural leader, but so humble and servant-hearted. He is the first to lend a hand when someone is in need and does everything with excellence. All of our nieces and nephews absolutely ADORE their Uncle JP. He is purposeful in learning their likes and dislikes, and he works hard at remembering special things about each of them individually. My favorite thing about him though is that he is so unbelievably kind and gentle. I think this is why the children in our lives love him so much. He talks to all children with patience, respect, and understanding. JP is a provider and protector, and I always feel safe when I'm around him." - Rachel
I started my career working at a church as a youth pastor, but wanted to help people in a really hands-on way. I went back to school, got my Masters Degree, and became a firefighter/paramedic. For the last three years, I have worked for a local fire department, primarily working on the ambulance as a paramedic. I love helping people when they need it most by providing God's peace in the worst situations. I ended up loving my work as a paramedic so much that I decided to go back to school to continue my medical education. I got accepted to the Yale School of Medicine this year and am going to start Physician Assistant school in the Spring (it's an online program, so we aren't moving!). When I graduate, I plan to work as a primary care doctor for communities that don't have access to affordable healthcare. - JP
Welcome To Our Happy Place
Our house is designed for one thing: being together. We have a large, open kitchen/dining room/living room with a big island, long farmhouse table (that seats 10!), and a big cozy sectional couch that we love to cuddle up on and watch movies. The kitchen island has big seats and we both love to cook together as we catch up at the end of a workday. The rest of the house is pretty simple: 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Upstairs, we have a nursery set up and it's huge! It has a big window with a view of the trees and the park. The other bedroom upstairs is currently a guest bedroom/office. Someday, it will hopefully be another child's room. Our neighborhood is really special to us because it is so diverse. There are people of differing races and cultures on our street and our neighbors are very welcoming and kind. Most kids in the neighborhood are in elementary school, and we're probably the youngest family currently here. Our house backs up to a neighborhood park (one of our favorite things!) that has a great jungle gym, basketball courts, and a big, grassy play area.
Our Promise To You
If you choose us to parent your child, we promise to give your baby the best of ourselves... our energy, time, and love! We will be sad to say goodbye in the morning on the way to work, and we will rush in the door for hugs at the end of the day. We will give your child the space he or she needs to become the unique man or woman God created them to be. We promise to provide grace, love, wisdom, and support throughout your baby's life. We will be their biggest fans and will be at every practice, recital, game, graduation-and everything in between!
They will know that no matter what life throws at them, no matter if they thrive or stumble, they can fall back into our arms. We will encourage them to reach their fullest potential and we will provide them with every resource possible to help them achieve their goals and dreams. We promise to teach your baby about adoption and encourage them in how beautiful and unique their story is.
If you choose us, we can't promise that we will always have the perfect answers for all of life's big questions, or that we will never fail in parenthood. We do promise that we will climb this mountain of fears and unknowns with our hearts wide open to you, your family, and your baby. Together. And maybe, just maybe, we will all look around one day and realize that we have reached this glorious summit of love, mutual respect, and redemption. We promise to always talk about you with your child with the utmost respect and honor. We promise that your child will always know that you were the first person to ever love them, and that you made this heartbreaking choice out of that love.
With so much love,
JP and Rachel
Learn More About The Adoption Process
Find out how the adoption process can work for you.