Sometimes life doesn't quite go the way you think it should, but God has something else in mind. After countless failed attempts at different fertility treatments, we found ourselves exploring the option of adoption. Occasionally life forces you to make difficult decisions, decisions that not only affect ourselves but also those we love and cherish.

We both feel that our ability to adopt a precious child is an amazing blessing and an opportunity to help another family by offering a loving and accepting home for a child. We believe we have more love to share in hopes to grow our family more.

20 years ago, our journey began when a co-worker at Sears named Sandra was showing Vicki around on her first day, and said, "You need to meet my friend Jason, he sells appliances, and he is great." Instead of teaching Vicki about the sales process, Sandra was playing matchmaker. After we were introduced, we began talking only to find out that we had similar interests in life, hobbies, and beliefs. We were both really into hot rods, so dating was going to car shows, drag races, and dinners.

We dated for 3 years before Jason proposed to me on Christmas day. He hid the ring in a Lifesaver wrapper in an ornament on the tree. No time was wasted in planning. Four months later, we were married in the backyard of our new home, which we still reside in today.

by Vicki

Jason is the most exceptional man I've ever met, showcasing kindness, wit, handiness, photography skills, sympathetic, and has always been good with children. He stands out as one of the most selfless individuals I've known, and I've always believed he would make a fantastic father.

He possesses a blend of spontaneity and reserve, always eager to explore new experiences and places. Together, we make a great team, and he has been a valuable teacher in various aspects of life, from finances to hobbies.

Jason has renovated our entire house, while still maintaining his full-time job, pursuing a bachelor's degree, and taking care of our family and pets. His dedication to my happiness is unparalleled, always surpassing my expectations.

I eagerly anticipate witnessing Jason's journey into fatherhood, guiding our future child in sports like t-ball or soccer. I look forward to seeing him revel in fatherhood and witness our child's admiration and love for him as the incredible man he is.

Fun Facts

• He is a natural athlete. Every sport he has ever tried he surpasses the teacher in a matter of tries.
• Is a great photographer; he has done 2 weddings, announcements, and so many famous landmarks on our travels.
• He has an impressive tool collection from the constant remodeling.
• He can also rebuild car motors and still has his high school 1968 Ford Mustang.
• He doesn't hunt or really have a huge interest in watching sports (big bonus for me and our future child!)

Meet Vicki

Vicki is a very strong and spirited individual, one who will not stop at anything until she finds a solution. Working from home, she devotes her time to making sure not only our household is fortified with love and care but also looks to others as well. From nieces and nephews (The kids in the photos), brother and sister, to our extended family and neighbors, she never misses an opportunity to support them in any way she can. Vicki also earned her bachelor's degree along with me, allowing us to walk across the graduation stage together as husband and wife, showing our support for each other. Vicki's interests and drive make her curious to explore and learn about new things, especially when we travel. She always finds new adventures and areas of interest to explore.

Vicki also has a personality that is refreshing, giving off a welcoming vibe that people and kids seem to fall in love with. She has a nurturing aura about her and has a special bond with her nieces and nephews that they all cherish.

Fun Facts

• She worked for a veterinarian for years and has a passion for animals.
• Has worked in childcare for the church she grew up in.
• Loves music, movies, and fashion.
• She has a competitive side that carries from her competitive swimming days.
• Vicki enjoys the mountains and oceans, she is ready to go at any moment.

2007 was a big year for us, in terms of change. In March, we closed on our very own house after searching for the perfect one for months. Then in April, we had a small wedding ceremony of our closest friends and family in our new backyard. The house is a peculiar design from the early 1980s and is a prime example of mid-century modern architecture, not often seen in our area, but as soon as we saw it we both knew it was the one for us.

We have slowly renovated each room over the years and now it is a completely different house that has been totally personalized. We have always felt that something was missing, so now our focus shifts outside the home, to the next phase of personalization. Some would say that we are a little unconventional by "normal" standards but we like to think that planning and preparation have been worth the wait. We have completed most of the work ourselves making the process even more specialized.

We plan to stay in the home and enjoy all the hard work over the years while we start our family. The home isn't extravagant or worth a whole lot of money but it's ours and we can't wait to hear the sounds of a child within the walls. We both feel this will be the final stage of the transformation of the house into our home.

We both have always had a passion for animals and have been an easy target for attracting them. We both fell in love with Dachshunds when we got one for Vicki's father. The placement ended up not working out with them, but she ended up where she was always meant to be, with us. After that, they kind of started dropping in our laps. Schnitzel (blonde girl) came after the final IVF failure at the perfect time to help heal our hearts, she was 8 weeks old and our first blondie. Rizzo (black/tan) was rescued from an abusive home. It took a lot of patience and love but she is now one of our most social pets and loves playing with the niece/nephews! Then came Dash (black/white speckled) was another one that somehow ended up being spotted by a good friend on Craig's List of all places. He was 6 months old when he joined our family and was our first boy! It has been so much fun watching him grow up. Jake (big boy) was another rescue. He showed up on Vicki's parents' front doorstep and wouldn't leave. Due to his size, they couldn't keep him and we couldn't bare to see him go to animal services. He is a great big brother, very patient with the Weens and gentle. Finally JJ (blonde boy) came a couple of years age. He was a stud for a breeder and once he outlived his use they rehomed him. Their loss, our gain, he is absolutely the sweetest thing!

Our cats were both rescues and have been with us for over 15 years! They enjoy the sanctity of very own atrium!

Our family is so very important to us. Most of the siblings live close and that makes it easy to stay involved in the kids' sports and school events. We all got married around the same time, so in a sense, we all kind of all grew up together and were there to help each other through the growing pains and hiccups of early marriage. We are both the oldest of our siblings, so we all joke that we are more like the grandparents but really just the cool aunt and uncle.

We do have another niece and nephew who live around 5 hours away. We don't get to see them as often as we would like to because of the distance, but when we do it is more like a vacation, so it is fun.

We have several honorary or adopted family members who have been great role models and help out with advice and support. One couple we know through work, we've known them for roughly 15 years, and we have learned so much valuable information from them, not only pertaining to the line of work but also about life. They have been very supportive of us during our journey and will continue to be there even after we adopt.

Everyone is so excited for us and is ready to be there for support and guidance since we will be the oldest of the siblings starting from the beginning with raising a baby. The younger siblings will get a kick out of getting to tell us what to do, for once.

We have some typical family traditions and some that are a little unorthodox. We have traveled for a few of the holidays for things like Christmas at Disney Land and Thanksgiving in Hawaii. We do enjoy the holidays that we are here and usually all gather at Vicki's sister's house for laughter, food, and fun!

We can't wait to introduce our child to our family traditions as well as creating our own traditions and family activities!

One thing that we have always shared is our love of travel and experiencing new places, cultures, and beautiful scenery. We have enjoyed our adventures together and cannot wait to share our memories as well as making new memories as a family. One of Jason's hobbies is landscape photography and he has captured some breathtaking scenes of what we have experienced.

For us, traveling is more than jetting from here to there but promotes a greater appreciation and respect for our beautiful world and the creatures and people that all cohabitate.

We both love to visit zoos, aquariums, museums, and other places of cultural significance.

We cannot even begin to understand the circumstances that have taken place in your life that have led you to us, but we can promise you that we will raise this child with all the love we hold in our hearts. We will always make sure that this child is protected and feels secure while nurturing and gently guiding them toward the amazing life that God has in store for them.

- JASON & VICKI