We adopted Jayla from Guatemala in June of 2006. She did not have a good start in life; she was abandoned at birth, and then shuffled from foster home to orphanage, here and there, back and forth, because the people there simply didn’t know what to do with a child who had Down syndrome. Sadly, all they needed to do was treat her like any other typical kid: with love and kindness. But due to their fear and ignorance, she was severely neglected and ignored, spending much of her time in a playpen, fending for herself. When we brought her home at almost 4 years of age, she couldn’t walk upright, eat solid food, speak, or even see clearly. Since then she’s had eye surgery (to un-cross her eyes), heart surgery (to repair a large hole in her heart) and today she is beautiful and healthy and whole.

Jamey was adopted in August 2007 from Liberia, West Africa. She came home at 10 yrs of age, from a country that has no electricity or running water. She spent her first few months learning about things like lights, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuums, and what it’s like to always have food to eat. She’s now going to school and playing basketball, loves her siblings, and is a perfect match for our family! She is a beautiful young woman.

Jessi is adopted also, but she’s been here since she was 2, which was way back in July 1998! She is our only domestic adoption, and she’s been with us so long, we often forget she isn’t our biological daughter! She too is a beautiful young woman, and we will be forever grateful that God chose us to be her parents.

Justin and Jackie are out of the house, all grown up and on their own. Justin lives in Southern California, while Jackie lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is working and attending college.