Erin and Jen
Hello - We are Jen (on the left) and Erin (on the right). We are so excited and ready to become parents, and at the same time, we are humbled at the prospect. We have tried to imagine what this process might be like for you, and we know our ideas fall short. Please know that our hearts are open to you as you consider whether we are right for you.
We live on a lovely piece of land that we’re slowly turning into a small farm. We have a great big vegetable garden, 3 adorable baby goats, a little creek and some woods out back. We just planted apple trees and we’re getting the berry plants ready. Our house is open and colorful; it was a country preschool before we came along, with great kid energy and a built-in outdoor play area. We live with 3 wonderfully furry indoor critters. Gracie is our dog, the sweetest one on earth. She’s great with kids, quiet and gentle. Our cats are Audrey (the adventurer) & Edgar (super-cuddly). We get excited imagining what it will be like for a child to grow up here.
We mention our farm first because it really shows you who we are at this point in our lives. We met 8 years ago and have been doing all kinds of school/work since then. Throughout, we have sought balance in our lives… like spending days both inside and outside, working with our minds as well as our bodies, and spending time both quietly to ourselves as well as openly with others. The farm helps us maintain that kind of balance. We love growing our own food and sharing it, having neighbors stop by to chat, and experiencing the natural world each day. Our place is 15 minutes from a great university town, so we have a “city life” of sorts, too. We are both hard-working folks who can transition easily into relaxation and fun. We love hiking, traveling to new spots, outdoor concerts, watching funny movies, eating good food, and spending time with friends and family.
Erin is a miracle of joy and kindness, and people are just crazy about her. She has had a versatile professional life—she created a city recycling program, worked in affordable housing, studied marine animals and most recently monitored environmental lawmaking at the state capitol. Now she is taking farming classes, managing our farm projects and getting ready to be a stay-at-home mom for awhile. She is always thinking of others and helping out neighbors and friends.
Jen is easygoing and very kind. She has a great sense of humor and loves it when someone laughs when she’s being silly! She has worked as a social worker for many years, and is currently directing child mental health programs at her agency. She also volunteers with a homeless shelter that serves families with kids. Jen is a little more of an introvert, so she adores coming home and doing farm chores or having downtime with Erin.
One thing we’d like you to know about us is that we are solidly committed to one another and to being great parents. We can talk with one another about anything and we always strive to come from a place of love and respect for others.
You might wonder about the distance between where we live (North Carolina) and the Northwest, and how an open adoption relationship would work in this case. We have thought about this a lot, as we are deeply committed to building an open and ongoing relationship with you. We have several close friends in Oregon and Washington, and imagine traveling there and/or helping you travel to our home. We also imagine letters, pictures, emails, phone calls… there are many ways to build a strong relationship over the miles, and we know we can make that happen, for the health and well-being of all.
Our hearts, our family, and our home are open and ready for a little one (or more, as the case may be) to join us. We also look forward to growing into a relationship with you if it turns out we’re the right fit.
Warmest regards,
Erin and Jen
For this family's complete adoptive parent profile, please contact Open Adoption and Family Services.