Before you choose your baby’s parents, you can speak with several hopeful adoptive parents. Sometimes, it’s nice to just get a bit more info to understand who they are and what they’re about.
 
I recently had the chance to chat with hopeful adoptive parents Jeremy and Kim from California. I asked them some fun questions that you won’t find in their adoption profile, and learned that they are an adventurous, outdoorsy couple who are excited to start their family through an open adoption! As they put it, “We promise to keep an honest, open connection with you through messages, pictures, and meetups, that meet your comfort level!”
 

1. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving! It is a time to get together with family and friends, cook delicious food, and play games!
 
We love to catch up with family we don’t get to see often and create new memories. It’s incredible to see how fast our nieces and nephews are growing up!
 
We enjoy cooking Thanksgiving staples, as well as funky new dishes for a fun twist. We especially enjoy making dishes with healthy local ingredients and surprising our families with how delicious it is!
 
It’s also a time to enjoy football season and root for our favorite teams! Last year we played Yahtzee around the table as a family while eating our homemade pumpkin cheesecake muffins. It was a big hit!
 

2. Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without?

Hiking in fresh air and sunshine! Being active is a very important part of our lives, and respect for nature is equally important to us. We are fortunate to live within walking distance of hiking trails, mountains, and lakes.
 
Our day begins with a morning hike in the woods or on the beach. It ends with enjoying the sunset over the mountains. Rain, snow, or sunshine, we will always be found outside enjoying God’s beautiful landscape with our dogs.
 
We find that immersing ourselves in nature is the perfect way to start the day fresh and clear our minds of daily stressors before a restful night’s sleep.
 

3. As parents, what is something specific you want to teach your child?

We think respect and appreciation go hand in hand. If you appreciate your friends, your family, the things you are given, and nature, you will naturally give and show respect to all things: life, opportunities, people and their opinions, animals, and nature.
 

4. What are 3 words your friends would use to describe you?

Passionate, honest, and genuine, both as individuals and as a couple. We are passionate about the life that God has given us, our work, and adventure. We believe that honesty and being genuine is the foundation of all good.
 
We have a very close group of friends that are passionate about supporting our journey through adoption and are genuinely excited to include our child in that strong support circle!
 

5. What is something from your childhood that you want to make sure your child has or gets to experience?

An opportunity for creativity and adventure. Both of our families had different styles, but we both had opportunities to build forts, travel, immerse in and learn about nature, and have free license to be creative and dream big! These foundations helped to shape us into who we are as adults today.
 

Written by Heather Featherston

As the Vice President (VP) of Lifetime Adoption, Heather Featherston holds an MBA and is passionate about working with those facing adoption, pregnancy, and parenting issues. Heather has conducted training for birth parent advocates, spoken to professional groups, and has appeared on television and radio to discuss the multiple aspects of adoption. She has provided one-on-one support to women and hopeful adoptive parents working through adoption decisions.

Since 2002, she has been helping pregnant women and others in crisis to learn more about adoption. Heather also trains and speaks nationwide to pregnancy clinics to effectively meet the needs of women who want to explore adoption for their child. Today, she continues to address the concerns women have about adoption and supports the needs of women who choose adoption for their child.

As a published author of the book Called to Adoption, Featherston loves to see God’s hand at work every day as she helps children and families come together through adoption.