Joel and Danielle

Hello! We are Joel, Danielle, Jude & Levi. We are very grateful to you for taking the time to read our profile. Thank you for considering us as a prospective family to raise your child. We cannot pretend to imagine the journey you are on right now. We honor how deeply you love your child.

HELLO!

- WE ARE -

JOEL, DANIELLE,

JUDE & LEVI

FROM UpSTATE New York!

WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ OUR PROFILE.

THANK YOU

FOR CONSIDERING US AS A PROSPECTIVE FAMILY TO RAISE YOUR CHILD.

We cannot pretend to imagine the journey you are on right now. We honor how deeply you love your child. Please know, if you decide to place your child into our family, we can promise you that he/she will be unconditionally loved and protected.

And they will know how much you love them.

Adoption has always been the way we imagined raising a family. Raising our two boys, who both arrived through adoption, has been the greatest experience of our lives. STILL, WE KNOW THERE IS MORE ROOM IN OUR HEARTS, and our family is ready to grow again.

how we

MET

We met during college, both working for the same community service and justice organization. There, we became best friends. For over two years we supported one another, no matter where we traveled. After a year of not seeing each other because we were living on different continents, Joel came to Danielle’s house to cook Kenyan food. After five minutes of meeting him, her housemate declared, “You’re going to marry that man.” And she wasn’t wrong.

ABOUT

We have been married for 11 years and everyday is an adventure.

We love to explore the city, travel, go to the theater, and visit friends and familyWhen we were ready to expand our family, we knew we would adopt. It has always been our first choice to grow our family. We have two beautiful boys, Jude and Levi, who both came to our family through adoption. They have brought with them boundless love and joy. Though our children are not our flesh and blood, they are more. They are our heart.

We are a tight-knit family and love to be together. Sometimes we are adventurous: heading to the beach, going to the aquarium, and exploring the city. Other times we enjoy the quieter things: watching a movie, playing games, going to the park, reading books, building snowmen and baking cookies. No matter what we do, we do it together.

Meet

DANIELLE

Danielle has always been marked by boundless compassion. Her love for our children and her ability to make them light up with a smile is truly exemplary. She has shepherded others for 11 years as a pastor through their best and worst of times. Danielle’s faith has never ceased to inspire me as she strives for justice for others. Her leadership as director of a faith-based youth leadership summer program has left indelible marks on the lives of countless young people trying to figure out their next steps in life. There is no one I would rather spend my time with, be it seeing a show, walking through the park, or binge watching a TV show. Danielle is, quite honestly, the best person I have ever known.

She is fun, funny, an avid reader, a loving mother, a great dancer and a strong leader.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE,

LOVE WHAT YOU DO!

Danielle has been an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church for 11 years. She is also the director of a faith and leadership development camp for youth and young adults. She is committed to sharing the message of God’s love, working for justice, and affirming the identity and dignity of all people. Her job offers flexibility that allows her to be present for life’s important moments, both large and small.

Meet

JOEL

Joel loves his family to distraction and makes amazing omelets. He has the humor and joy of a camp counselor and the tenacity needed for a primary care doctor. Joel is the kind of man who stands at hospital bedsides with grieving families, offering comfort and the gift of presence. He has the patience, commitment and compassion needed to teach medical residents to be better doctors and our children to be their best selves. He is a man who bikes miles to and from work because its good for his health and better for the environment. He desires and works for justice for all people. He has the imagination needed to enjoy a quality fantasy novel and the passion to bring down the house when cheering for his favorite basketball team. Joel is, quite honestly, the best man I have ever known.

He is the kind of man who spends hours at the park with his children, playing tag and patching up skinned knees.

DO WHAT YOU LOVE,

LOVE WHAT YOU DO!

Joel has been a family doctor for 8 years. He feels privileged to work with patients of all ages. His role as an academic physician allows him to teach and train the next generation of doctors a patient-centered approach to medicine, striving for health care justice for all. His job offers flexibility that allows him to be present for life’s important moments, both large and small.

a place

called

HOME

We live in one of the most thriving cities in the great state of New York.

Our spacious apartment is perfect for impromptu dance parties, Sunday dinners, and playtime anytime. Surrounded by colleges, our backyard is a 4-mile park, dotted with playgrounds. A short drive brings us to the ocean, lakes, farmland, and family; while a short walk takes us to the boys’ schools, museums and theaters. Our community is full of diverse and beautiful people with a multitude of experiences, cultures, and languages.

Future

BIG

BROTHERS

Jude, 7 years old and in second grade, has a kind heart and lots of energy. Jude loves to dance and takes lessons in hip-hop and ballet. If he is not at the dance studio, he is playing basketball, collecting Pokemon Cards, on the jungle gym, or playing with his brother. He looks out for his friends and those around him, and gravitates towards babies whenever they come visit us at home or at church.

“I am excited to play with my new brother or sister and teach them how to be respectful and kind.” – Jude

“I get to be a big
brother!”

– Levi

Levi is a sweet 3 year old boy, who attends pre-school and thinks the world of his big brother. He has an avid curiosity. He loves playing tag, reading books, climbing slides on the playground, making cookies, and spending time with his friends. Levi is full of energy, full of joy and laughter, but also has a strong sense of fairness and making sure that others are cared for and included.

- OUR -

FAITH

WHAT WE BELIEVE.

God loves all people. All people are created in the image of God and are beloved and holy just as they are. God calls us to love. And justice is what love looks like in public.

Our faith community is all about acceptance and lack of judgement. We serve together as a family through our hunger programs. Our kids enjoy Sunday School and sing in the intergenerational choir. Together we build relationships with the wider community.

- FUN FACTS -

about us!

favorite PLACE TO TAKE A CHILD

DANIELLE Aquarium
JOEL Museums
DANIELLE Basketball
courts
JOEL Grandma &
Pop-Pops

favorite children's book

DANIELLE Where
the Sidewalk Ends
JOEL Chronicles of
Narnia
DANIELLE The Magic
Treehouse Series
JOEL Piggie and
Elephant

favorite dessert

DANIELLE Cheesecake
JOEL Ice Pops
DANIELLE Ice Pops
JOEL Cookies

favorite HOBBY

DANIELLE Reading
JOEL Running
DANIELLE Dance
JOEL Drawing/Painting

favorite game (Board, card, computer)

DANIELLE Euchre
JOEL Magic: The Gathering
DANIELLE Gnomes at Night
JOEL Candy Land

LOVE

MAKES A

Family

Danielle comes from a close knit family in the heart of Pennsylvania. Her mom and dad are best friends and are always looking to extend welcome and love to everyone they meet. They learned that from Danielle’s grandparents and passed it on to her and her brother. Growing up, family was central to everything. Danielle’s family camped, played, vacationed, went to church, shared stories and laughs and always did so together. Our children are now incredibly close to their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Joel grew up in Indianapolis, the son of two scientists. Though his family grew up scattered across the Mid-West, family was always a top priority and most vacation time was spent visiting or traveling with relatives. His parents currently reside in Seattle but Facetime routinely with their grandkids. Joel frequently speaks with his brother in Denver, and they almost daily text inside jokes to each other. Joel and the kids just finished a trip visiting his grandparents in Minnesota. Like Danielle, family is a top priority.

There is also the family we have chosen along the way. We are blessed to have many friends around us, including many within walking distance. The kids are routinely growing up with an extended family and our monthly Sunday dinners have become favorite event within our friend community.

AS PARENTS

There is no way to adequately describe or capture our parenting journey for the past 7 years. As parents now and in our expanding family, we hope to provide any opportunities we can to allow our children to grow into the people they are meant to be, nourish their gifts, and help them become good people in our world. There are so many things we cannot control in this world, but should you choose our family, we can promise you this:

• Your child will be loved, protected, nurtured and supported.

• We will do all we can to keep them safe.

• We will do our best to make sure they know they are loved beyond condition, exactly as they are.

• We will build them up to be resilient and support their God given gifts and talents.

• We will give them any opportunity we can to grow into the people they are meant to be.

THANK

YOU

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us.

Should you choose us to raise your child, he/she will know who you are and your love for them. You are part of who they are and that will be honored. We plan on sharing regular updates and photos with you. You have so many choices ahead of you, and no matter what you choose, know that we are praying for you.

– Joel and Danielle

along with hopeful big brothers – Jude & Levi

WE WOULD LOVE TO

HEAR FROM YOU!

If you have additional questions for us or would like to speak to us, please contact The Adoption Alliance by calling 1-800-626-4324.

Joel and Danielle

Information

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