Jeremiah and Janette

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From Us to You

Thank you for considering us to raise your baby. We want you to know that God and family are big deals to us. We long to grow our family and thank God for the opportunity to share our profile with you. We also thank God for you and will continue to do so. We don’t know your situation or what this feels like for you, but we want you to know that we care. We care and we will be with you on this journey as much as you want us to be.

We are Jeremiah and Janette, and we live on a farm in rural Kansas with our biological son Caleb who is six. We have always had a heart for adoption and are ready and excited to grow our family. We feel we have lots of room in our world and hearts and would love to welcome your child into our home and family. The love and support they would receive will reach far beyond the boundaries of our home. We have an amazing support system in our extended families and are even more blessed to have a tight-knit community around us. As part of our family, your child would be blessed to spend lots of quality time with their grandparents and be known by most when walking down the street of our small town, into the library or at the city pool. We feel safe and will ensure your child is safe and will feel safe too.

Farming is an important part of our story, not only because Jeremiah works on a farm, but we live on the farm as well. Of course, there are benefits and drawbacks for any location and vocation that one may have in regard to raising children, but we value living here where we get to spend a lot of quality time with our family while working from home and managing our own businesses. On a farm, children can safely spend ample time outdoors with activities such as riding bikes, playing in the sand and dirt, as well as being around and learning to care for animals and the land.

We love Jesus and want to teach our children from a Biblical worldview. We will teach our children to exhibit characteristics such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. We are not perfect, nor do we expect our children to be perfect; we believe in grace and forgiveness. We know there will be challenges, but also many good times. We do promise that we will love your child unconditionally and do everything in our power to provide a healthy home, training them up to love and trust God. There are some verses in Psalms that have come to be very meaningful to us as we have planned and prepared to adopt a child. They include this one, “And all the days of my life were written in Your book before any of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16). We believe this is true for us, for you, and for your child.

We can’t begin to imagine how difficult your decision to choose adoption and then to choose a home for your baby must be. We admire your selfless strength and courage. We can only guess how scary it must be to try to choose a family for your beloved child, but we would be truly honored if you chose us. Regardless, we believe God has a plan for our lives and yours. He brought our family together and has not stopped writing our story. We trust him and look forward to what the future holds. We will welcome you to be as much a part of your child’s life as you would like and are able to. We always want your child to feel connected to both their biological and adoptive families so that they know who they are, where they come from and that they are so very loved. Ultimately, all of our lives will be enriched, stretched, and abundantly more joyful than we can imagine.

Thank you for considering us as you make this difficult decision. We admire you for your bravery. If you decide we are the family that you choose, we will come along side you as we continue this process together and support you and your baby in any way we can. We are forever grateful for you.

Much Love,

Jeremiah, Janette and Caleb

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Why We are Choosing to Adopt

Nothing about our story has been ordinary and growing our family is no different. When we met and were dating, we talked a lot about how family was important to us and how we both had always wanted a family of our own. Jeremiah joked that we could have 12 kids (don’t worry, we won’t), but we would love to have at least two children to love. We discussed having children before we were married and we knew even then we would be open to adoption. We were overjoyed to have our biological son Caleb join our family a year and a half after we got married. These past couple years we have longed to have another child to love and care for, but we now realize that it is not going to happen biologically, and we are trusting that God will work out the details. We strongly believe God is leading us to grow our family through adoption and we are all in. When we told Caleb about it, he was so excited about becoming a big brother. We are thrilled to welcome a precious boy or girl into our home and hearts.

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About Jeremiah, by Janette

He’s not perfect but he’s close! Jeremiah is one of the most patient, kind and loving people I have ever known. He works extremely hard to provide for his family and will always put others’ needs before his own. Jeremiah is not big on words but everyone around him feels taken care of and safe. He regularly helps neighbors, friends, and family with physical (and other) tasks. He can always be counted on for any work around the house; he willingly helps with dishes and laundry (although he’s not much for cleaning). He is a great husband and a wonderful daddy! He takes his responsibility to teach and train Caleb very seriously and is always so patient. He also loves playing with Caleb even when I know he is tired after a long day and would probably rather sit and rest. Hearing the two of them playing ball or giving horsey rides always warms my heart. I am so grateful that God brought us together and I thank God every day for the blessing that Jeremiah is in my life.

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About Janette, by Jeremiah

I love Janette so much. She is a thoughtful, kind and patient person. On top of that she has an incredibly strong spirit and stands up for what she believes in. She is unwavering in her faith and loyal to not only me but also our friends and family, too. Janette allows me to lead our family and yet inspires me and encourages me to chase my farming dreams. She is an amazing mother and juggles the roles of wife, mother, and work so well. She always puts others before herself. Janette is creative and resourceful. While her craft area may be disorganized, any new additions to our family will have a room, wardrobe and heart that will be covered in messages of belonging, family and love. Although Janette is a dietitian and tries to get me to eat healthy, she does make cookies and cinnamon rolls on occasion to feed my sweet tooth. She may not be perfect, but I can promise you there is not a more qualified, better person to be a mother. She was born for it and excels at it.

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Our Home and Farm

Western Kansas is very rural. The population of the towns are very small, but the community is huge. We live outside of a very small town that has only a post office, but we’re also centrally located between two towns that allow us to call each of them home as well. In one town, Caleb attends school and daycare, and Janette works at the hospital there. In the other, we attend church, bank, and conduct farm business. Both towns have amazing history, backgrounds, celebrations and parks where Caleb loves to play and swim in the summer.

n June of 2020, during the middle of the pandemic, we moved from town to the farm. We live in the house that not only Jeremiah grew up in but also where his dad and grandpa grew up. The farm and house have been in the family for over 100 years, since Jeremiah’s great-grandfather built the original house in the early 1900’s. To see it today, you would not know that it was an old farmhouse, but the original foundation and structure are still there. Each generation has built onto the previous one, and it has evolved over the years to meet each family’s needs. When we moved into this house, Jeremiah’s parents remodeled an apartment over their garage and workshop. We now have the blessing of having them right next door. We consider ourselves amazingly blessed to raise our children as the 5th generation in this house and on the farm.

Pulling into the farm you will see our house and the building behind it that Jeremiah’s parents live in. There are several other farm buildings and grain bins. We have a big yard with trees lining the north side of the property. Looking out our kitchen window you can see the sheep feeding in the pen or watch Caleb play on his swing set. The sunsets here are breathtaking and we don’t take the serenity and safe wholesome environment for granted.

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Our Pets

We love animals and living on a farm allows us to have lots of animals around. We raise cattle and sheep, and often have at least a couple bottle babies to care for. In addition to sheep and cows, we have two llamas, Katie and Candy, that protect the other animals. We also have several barn cats and two dogs.

Stormie, who was Janette’s dog even before we met, is a small Shih Tzu who lives in the house as the princess of the castle. She has reluctantly adjusted to farm life and doesn’t mind venturing outside as long as one of her ‘people’ is nearby. Most of the time she sleeps on the softest spot she can find – usually one of the beds or on top of a throw pillow on the couch.

Skipper, is a black lab, border collie cross puppy that we recently adopted. He is training to be our outside farm dog. Skipper is full of energy, curious about everything and continues to try becoming friends with all the farm cats. Some of them are more receptive than others but fortunately we have plenty of space for all of them!

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Our Families

Family is very important to us – both our immediate and extended families. We have one biological son named Caleb who is six years old. He has never met a stranger and can often be found riding his bike, reading books, playing tractors, or sneaking sweets. He plays t-ball and soccer and takes swimming lessons in the summer. Caleb also spends a lot of time hanging out with his Grandpa and Daddy riding a tractor, playing basketball, or caring for sheep and cows when his mom is working. Additionally, both sets of grandparents are more than happy to babysit whenever the need arises. He is so excited to become a big brother and have someone little to join him on all his adventures.

We both have close relationships with our parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews which are our primary support system.

Jeremiah’s parents are Rick and Laurita, and they have been married for 49 years. He has two younger sisters who are married, and we have a total of 3 nieces, 2 nephews on his side. Our oldest nephew is now married and has a baby girl. Jeremiah’s whole family resides in Kansas.

Janette’s parents are Dick and Joyce and they have been married 50 years. She has a younger brother and sister, their spouses, 3 nieces and 1 nephew. Caleb’s cousins that are closest in age (5- & 7-year-old girls) are some of his best friends. They get along great; he plays dress up with them and they run around the farm with him. Janette’s parents, siblings and their kids all reside in various parts of Nebraska.

Loyalty and support in our family runs deep and whenever any of our nieces and nephews has an event– music, sports, etc., if our schedules allow, we go and support them. We’re confident our children will experience the same type of support from our extended family as they start to get involved in activities as well.

We both grew up in close families and consider our cousins as some of our closest, lifelong friends. Janette has two cousins who were adopted at birth, so adoption has been an important part of her family’s story. Both of our families are very excited and supportive to welcome a new addition through adoption.

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How We Met

You could say it was an unlikely romance that started on Eharmony. Ironically, we had both decided to give internet dating “just one more try.” We were matched in May, but Jeremiah thought the relationship would be fruitless as he is a farmer “tied down” in western Kansas. What he didn’t know was that, although Janette was living in Denver, she had grown up on a farm in Southwest Nebraska not far away and wasn’t the city girl he assumed she was.

We finally met in person in July and began to see each other regularly. In November, Janette moved closer, within an hour of the farm. We were able to see each other more and we were engaged 3 months later.

We got married in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado with our families and some close friends present. The day seemed like a fairy tale. The only hiccup we had was that our unity candle would not stay lit. Since we have always both been problem solvers we quickly came up with a solution and grabbed a nearby candle to replace it. I guess you could say that we’ve been solving problems together as a team ever since.

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Our Lifestyle

I think the best way to describe our lifestyle is that as a family we work hard and play hard. Farming is not just an occupation but is a way of life. We are grateful that, while farming, we can combine work and recreation. It’s all about mixing work and family.

Jeremiah works many long days with a lot of physical labor but enjoys working alongside his dad. He often gets to bring Caleb along for tractor rides or to check on cattle.

Janette is fortunate to have a flexible job and works part time at home. There are days she may have to drive up to 4 hours to work onsite at a variety of hospitals and nursing homes but while some days are long, she can also be very flexible with her schedule. Caleb is able to stay at home sometimes and go along with his dad and grandpa and she can adjust her schedule to help on the farm when its needed or be a part of Caleb’s activities.

We are also able to get away on weekends sometimes and even take a longer trip every now and then. A lot of our free time is spent with extended family, and we often try to include one or both sets of grandparents on our adventures. We travel to our nieces’ and nephews’ events, for birthday parties, and special occasions. For example, we were able to vacation in Branson with Janette’s family early this summer in celebration of her parents’ 50th anniversary. Later this summer, the 3 of us took a family road trip around Iowa on what Janette called the “Iowa tractor tour.” And this fall we traveled with some of Jeremiah’s family to the balloon festival in Albuquerque. We also enjoy attending local events in our nearby towns. Some of our adventures this fall were to a pumpkin patch and Husker Harvest Days Farm Show in Nebraska. In the winter we enjoy some the Christmas celebrations in our hometowns like the Christmas event with a tree lighting.

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Family Traditions

Traditions are so much fun. We have implemented a few from each of our families and are making new ones of our own. One tradition we love is having a huge Easter dinner and egg hunt for both kids and adults on the farm with our extended family and friends. We enjoy going to church for Christmas Eve service and have celebrations with both sides of the family for Christmas where they both have traditions we adore—driving around to look at Christmas lights, singing carols, holiday decorating, and making more cookies and candies than we can eat or give away. We get together with Janette’s cousins for a camping trip every summer as well as attend the county fair. We trick or treat at the nursing home (as well as regular trick or treating) and always make sure to have the right candy to match the holiday to feed Jeremiah’s sweet tooth. We also have started smaller traditions that we cherish and look forward to each week such as eating ‘breakfast for supper’ on Sunday nights and having a pizza and movie night a couple of times per month.

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Our Education and Careers

We both value education and have a lifelong love for learning.

Jeremiah: I have always struggled with some learning disabilities, including dyslexia, and school wasn’t always easy for me. However, I love learning and was determined to get a good education. I am proud to say I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. When I have few minutes free, you can often find me watching videos learning about ways to improve farming techniques and new developments in equipment, studying science to learn more about how the world works, and occasionally catching up on the new jokes of my favorite comedians. (I’m sure there is some educational value in that as well!)

Janette: I also attended college after high school and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition. I then spent a year completing an internship to become a Registered Dietitian. After working at a hospital for several years I went back to graduate school, while continuing to work full time. I completed my master’s degree remotely through an online university. Being a dietitian requires continued learning to remain current in many different areas around food and health. I enjoy attending conferences and webinars online and have become really interested in how nutrition and agriculture are related, from ‘farm to fork.’

Jeremiah: I grew up on the farm, helping to work the fields and tend the animals from a young age. Farming has always been my passion. After graduating from college, I returned to the farm and worked alongside my dad and grandpa. I have continued to be a pivotal part of the farming operation ever since. I have felt a renewed sense of purpose and passion on the farm after getting married and starting a family, knowing I will be passing this legacy on to the next generation.

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Our Vacations

Janette has always loved to travel and has traveled extensively throughout the US. Prior to meeting Janette, Jeremiah had never flown on a plane (although he had traveled thousands of miles driving a cattle truck for several years). As a couple we have visited San Diego and Florida – Orlando and a small part of the gulf coast. One of our first dates involved driving in the Rocky Mountains to view the fall colors and, since that time, we have been able to enjoy lots of road trips together. Even our wedding was somewhat a destination wedding in Estes Park, Colorado. We have changed how we travel as a farm family with a young child, but we have not lost our sense of adventure. A Sunday drive may turn into exploring a lake or new restaurant or even something as simple as exploring on the farm. And checking cattle in a field or pasture is sometimes an adventure. As far as leisure time, Janette enjoys baking, crafting, and decorating the house for each season and for holidays.

Even our leisure time and hobbies often revolve around farming. We may spend our free time on yard work and projects around the house and farm. We don’t watch much television but enjoy a movie date at least once a month. Jeremiah loves tractors, machinery, and road trips.

Fortunately, Caleb is up for anything and goes along with us. Caleb says he’s a farmer and loves to climb on anything with wheels. At home, our most common and favorite pastime involves crawling on the floor, driving a tractor, combine, race car or monster truck.

Our lives are full and we have a great appreciation for each other and the busyness of being a married couple with a young child.

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Our Faith

Faith is the foundation of our family. We were both raised in Christian homes, going to church on Sunday, learning to love and serve God with our lives. Our backgrounds are somewhat different in that Jeremiah was baptized and grew up in a Lutheran church. Janette grew up in a nondenominational Christian church and was baptized as a teenager. We are now active in the same Lutheran church Jeremiah grew up in.

Jeremiah is currently president of the church council and we both help during Sunday morning services. A lot of the attendees at our church are older and Caleb loves all the attention he receives every week. We want to continue the legacy of raising our children to know and serve God. We believe God is our father and has adopted each of us into his family, because of his son Jesus. We know that he has a plan for our lives. He brought us together and has not stopped writing our story. We are so excited to see what the future holds, including the children we adopt into our family.

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The Kind of Parents We Are

In our experience so far with raising Caleb, we both try to be patient and caring, very slow to get angry. We try to use each teachable moment as a time of learning in a positive manner. In our view, God is our teacher and provides guidance to us through his word. Using the teachings of the Bible we feel that we can calmly raise a child through skilled discipline and teaching. If a child is started off with a strong foundation, then later life challenges and lessons can be processed in the child’s own way, therefore guiding them down the path God has given them. As our children grow, we would like to be able to identify their weaknesses and help to better them in those areas, but at the same capitalizing on their strengths and letting them shine to their full potential. In this way, they can find their life path and excel in it, while as parents, we’ll stay close to be the bumpers, offering guidance as needed.

In addition to the Bible, we enrolled in a parenting program called Positive Parenting Solutions. We have found this to be invaluable as we navigate the challenges of parenting. It offers us many practical suggestions that we have been able to apply with Caleb. We would like to think since we have some experience with one child, we know what we’re doing. But we know every child is different and you can’t necessarily parent them the same way. However, we feel we have a good foundation of a positive parenting viewpoint and ongoing support that will continue to help us in our parenting journey.

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Our Promise to You

We both believe we have been blessed to receive a legacy from our parents, grandparents and beyond and want to pass that legacy on to all our children. Our promise to you is to raise your child in an unconditionally loving and laughter-filled home. We will raise your child to know Jesus and to be a friend to others. Bedtime stories and prayers will be part of our day-to-day lives. We will be their biggest cheerleaders and supporters. We will raise them to know you and how much love you have for them.

We will welcome you to be as much a part of your child’s life as you would like and are able to. We would always want your child to feel connected to both their biological and adoptive families so that they know who they are, where they come from and that they are loved. If you are comfortable, we will gladly share letters, photos, and have yearly visits.