Our Family

We're thankful to have our parents live so close!  James' parents, sister and niece in the photos are all a 15 minute drive away.  Joy's mom is her best friend - they share clothes, stories, housekeeping tips, recipes and many, many laughs.  We visit her in Los Angeles every year.  These two have Monday night telephone dates every week where I can hear them laughing for hours.  They are two peas in a pod.

The soon-to-be grandparents have been waiting for years and are anxious for another little one!  Everyone is praying that God will bless our hope to start a family.

We know this baby will be spoiled by love and showered with gifts.  Our family loves to five gifts and do special things for one another!  There is a lot of love, warmth, openness and giving within our family.

We enjoy spending afternoons with James' parents having BBQ's and swimming in their pool throughout summer.  We go on walks and play cards a lot as well!

We enjoy making Thanksgiving dinner together for our families in our home.  We like to make everything fresh, from scratch at 4 AM!

Joy's sausage and sage stuffing recipe was a hit.
Her garlic mashed potatoes are my personal favorite!

James' parents are the couple we double date with most often.
Outgoing, loving and full of character, they are our treasured friends.

Our Home

We bought a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in 2005 on a cul de sac in a family friendly neighborhood.  Every Fourth of July, the families BBQ, rent bounce houses and watch the  kids giggle over their sparklers.

We have a fenced in backyard with plenty of room for a swing set, sand box and slide.  Within walking distance is a large park with jungle gym, soccer, baseball fields and basketball courts where James likes to practice his three pointer!  This is where we routinely walk our sweet dog, Rex, who loves trying to catch squirrels.  He's amazingly quick and agile!

Joy hand painted these modern gray tree silhouettes on the walls
- works well for a boy or girl and as they grow into teens.

Joy also hand made the colorful mobile above the crib.
Babies only see in shades of gray so the different vibrant colors
and different shapes make it interesting for the baby.

Our Life

Our close friends are like family.  We're blessed to have these friends, who are going to be "Aunties" and "Uncles".  we love the traditions we have built over the years - sharing holidays and vacations, joys and prayers together.

We like to go on walks with our dog, Rex, each day.  He of course, loves the dog park!  We have date night on Tuesday when we like to check out new movies together.  James is addicted to theater popcorn...with theater butter and Mike n' Ike or Hot Tamales are a must for Joy!

We pretty much go with the flow in our off time.  If that means going to the Farmer's Market and getting fresh veggies, trying out a new Indian restaurant or going to a ball game.  We love watching little league games at the park and will go root for the underdogs.

Joy and our niece light up at each other

Why we want open adoption

I'm Joy, one half of the James & Joycelyn adopt equation.

I will preface this story by saying that my mother is one of the most humble, self giving, loving people we know.  Afterall, she is a mother.

When I was 8, my parents divorced.  My dad was military and we lived on base.  He had a stable home and career so he had custody of me and my younger brother.

Growing up, I always wondered "Why" my mother 'didn't want me'.  It was a silent thing inside me.  We spoke on the phone on birthdays and holidays and I would cry afterwards because I was filled with love for her and a longing for my mom as well as my 'whys'.

Joy and her BFF/Mom trying to make a <3

As I got into junior high, my brother and I moved in with my mom.  I had the opportunity to ask some of the hard questions I had.  Her being honest, owning the responsibility, listening to my hurts and respecting my strength to ask them have really helped me.  I understood she's human.  She has a right to her own circumstances, short comings, stresses, ambition, and hurts from her own life.  Though she never blamed anyone or made an excuse, I was able to see all these things because she was so open and raw about answering all my questions honestly, even the hard ones.

She was going to school all day and studying all night to stand up as a newly single woman.  I have a lot of respect for her openness and I no longer feel unwanted.  I knew she chose the best life for me and I wouldn't be as stable as I am without her making that sacrifice.  She's in the medical field now and is self sufficient.  She's accomplished and I'm proud of her.  She's an inspiration - I know living without me was hard on her, but she knew I was in good hands.  

That's why open adoption is important to me.  I know what it feels like as a child to wonder "why doesn't my mommy want me".  I want our child to grow up with a strong sense of self, confident and secure.

I'm 37 now.  My mom is best friend, next to my husband.  She is warm, positive, open and free and never judges me.  Growing up with my dad, I sometimes had a different perspective than he did.  Knowing my mom, I realize and cherish where those perceptions have come from.  I'm just like her.  And I want my children to have that depth and sense, too.  I believe children are richer and healthier for it.  Besides, everyone could use more people loving them and cheering them on!

From Our Hearts

Thank you for considering us for the most precious gift you could ever give - a family.  We can imagine that it is not the easiest road but obviously a truly loving one.  You will always be the hero to this child, we know that and so will he or she.  Ask us any questions and we look forward to getting to know more about you, too!

Superman was adopted.  So were Jesus, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs, Mother Teresa and Moses.

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. 

One is roots.  

The other is wings. "  

= Hodding Carter, Jr.

We look forward to giving together both roots and wings - James & Joycelyn