Justin and Melissa

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From Us to You

We are a married couple who found each other later in our 30s. We have been blessed with our son, Damian, who is now at the tail end of his toddler years. Our home provides two caring, hard-working parents that have the means to provide for your child and nurture your child as our own.

We have been trying to grow our family for a few years and have decided on adoption instead of other fertility options. We are familiar with adoption as both of us have been adopted by a parent; however, from a highly different dynamic. Both of our mothers were previously married and in rough situations. They remarried and we were adopted by our new fathers. We each grew up in different family dynamics but share the common ground of having half-siblings. Having different fathers from our siblings didn’t impact our upbringing, as we were raised in the same caring household. We appreciate that families can be of different races and still make any child feel like they belong and matter.

In bringing your baby into our home, we will be active parents, teaching them core values of right and wrong. We are an active family and live in Southern California, where we can be outside often. We like going to the beach, hiking, camping, and taking trips to various parks and zoos. We have extended family nearby that we get together with often. Not only will your child have a brother just a few years older, but we have nieces, a nephew, titi’s (aunts), uncles, Granny, and Grandpa that are all very active in our regular routines.

With this all being said, we hope you also become part of our family. We would love for your child to know you. We won’t hide that he or she is adopted. We have an extensive supportive network of family and friends and would love to incorporate you. We will honor your wishes, even if you are still deciding what an ongoing relationship will look like. We can’t imagine being in your situation, but in the same breath, we are glad you are looking to provide your child with the life you desire for them. We look forward to every stage of your child’s life. We look forward to bedtime stories, family days, birthdays, and holidays and being an example and soundboard for navigating your child to be a successful adult.

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Why We are Choosing to Adopt

We’ve talked about growing our family since we first got pregnant with Damian, who was born in 2020. We’ve been trying and checked by fertility doctors but decided modern medicine is not the route we want to take. Adopting a child has been a recurring conversation between us. Our hearts are open and we look forward to opening our home and raising your little one in our family.

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About Melissa, by Justin

The world needs more people like Melissa. I am blessed to call her my spouse, and she is undoubtedly the best person I know. Melissa came from humble beginnings and earned every bit of her professional success through hard work and sheer determination. She has broken gender barriers for women and is a true trailblazer in her chosen job field of construction. Putting herself through college and working through the ranks of a male-dominated profession makes her a person you cannot help but deeply admire and respect. She is adored by the people she works with and has been affectionately called “La Patrona” or “Boss Lady.”

Melissa is, without a doubt, the matriarch of our entire family. She is thoughtful, stylish, and beautiful inside and out. She organizes family holidays, coordinates birthday or anniversary parties, and will happily be the hostess of bridal showers, baby showers, and any other kind of showers you can think of. She is the voice of reason; everyone goes to her when they need sage wisdom and unbiased advice (me included).

Melissa is a beautiful, gentle soul who will do anything for someone in need. During the holidays, you can guarantee that Melissa will spend as much money on gifts for needy children and families as she will on her own. Recently, a woman with children ran out of gas on the street while trying to pull into a gas station. Melissa used her car to push the woman’s vehicle into the gas station, unknowingly causing damage to her own front bumper. In her eyes, the damage was worth it in order to help someone else.

My spouse is a fantastic mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. Watching Melissa transform into the best mother our son could need has been a pleasure to observe. She is patient, comforting, calm, consistent, and loving beyond comprehension. Not only does Melissa teach values to our son, but she also demonstrates them in every single facet of her life; she walks the walk. Melissa never misses an opportunity to teach our son or explain a “why” and is a master of keeping a routine in our busy household.  I know she will be the same kind of special mother to your child.

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About Justin, by Melissa

My husband, Justin, is the warmest person that I know. He is a solid foundation in our family who stands for what is right, loves with all his being, protects with all his might, and somehow continues to strive to better himself. He is extremely active and uses working out as his outlet to maintain a healthy mental balance. He is active in our community with a group of men who donate their time and effort to community service. He is a leader.

Justin and I met later in life when we were both secure in our careers and ready to start the next chapter of having a family together. He has become my favorite traveling companion and the person in my life that I didn’t realize was missing. His childlike sense of humor always makes me laugh. I adore how he will get on the floor with our toddler and play as if he were a 4-year-old himself. I recall when our son was about 2, all three of us on one of his mobile toys zooming around our kitchen island as if we were all kids ourselves!

Justin values family time, a hard work ethic, and appreciates being an active father and thoughtful husband. He is a rock in our family, selfless and stern; all in the same man. I love him with all my being and look forward to seeing him

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Our Personalities

Melissa: I am a behind-the-scenes, get-it-done kind of lady. I enjoy making things happen, whether it’s a vacation, a get-together, or even checking things off a to-do list. I don’t want verbal recognition as I enjoy the smiles on others’ faces or the task being completed. I am one of those people that wear their heart and emotion on their sleeves. Due to that, I can not lie. I will always be truthful. I do love retreating into a good book or a conversation with a close friend or family member.

Justin: Personality-wise, I am somewhat introverted but friendly and talkative in social situations. Instead of having a large group of people, I prefer a smaller group of friends with whom I am very close. I am reflective and like to take my time and think before I make crucial decisions. When I am closer to someone, I am playful and certainly want to joke. People find comfort in coming to me when they need advice or opinions, and I always take the time to listen first for understanding before speaking my thoughts.

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Lifestyle

We have a very active lifestyle. We keep our days structured because we feel it provides stability for our son as well as accountability to each other. Life is busy and the structure during the weekday allows us to split tasks and be a strong team. A typical day includes work, pick-up from school or summer camps, dinner, bedtime, and sleep. During the weekends, we enjoy being outside together. We have a large backyard to kick a ball, play in the sandbox or enjoy an evening fire. We also live in an area that allows us to be outside often. We take advantage of that by going to the beach, hiking, and taking our child to Legoland or one of the zoos. We maintain a healthy lifestyle with balanced meals and enjoy the occasional dinner out or Door Dash. It seems that Mexican food is on a regular rotation in our home. We all love tacos (especially Justin) and being so close to Mexico, we have delicious options right around the corner. We all have a sweet tooth, so dessert is also a staple in our home. Typically we have something homemade, cookies, brownies, or a pie that Melissa has baked up, but a yummy cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory is always welcomed!

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Home & Neighborhood

Our home is a ranch-style modest home with a modern rustic feel inside. It’s three bedrooms so your baby will have his or her own room. The three bedrooms are all next to each other and it just so happens that your baby’s future room will be the one in the middle! We just moved to this neighborhood in 2021 as we felt it was a better home to raise our son and grow our family. Our street is a cul-de-sac, so we get little traffic. All the homes on our street are single families with lots of outdoor space, and we all wave to one another and watch out for our neighbors. We tend to host our extended family gatherings as we have a large yard for games and gatherings. We recently hosted a bridal shower for Melissa’s brother and future sister-in-law. 4th of July we typically have a BBQ with friends and family, where we get to watch four fireworks shows from our front yard. We also usually get to host either Thanksgiving or Christmas each year!

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Racial & Cultural Diversity

The three of us are all Caucasian with a Hispanic last name. We live in a city area of the country that is highly diverse in culture and race, and Justin is actively involved in different groups that serve the community and spent many years in the Marine Corps with people from different cultures and races. Melissa works in the male-dominated industry of construction, which is comprised of a very diverse workforce. In our own family, our brother-in-law is African American, and our niece and nephew are bi-racial. We are both very passionate and vocal when it comes to equality for all. Rest assured, our voice and ethics will remain strong for your child. Regardless of race or culture, we welcome any child into our home with loving arms!

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Our Families & Friends

We believe it takes a village to raise a child and our families and friends are the main reason we live where we do. We have extended family in the area and love that our son gets to know his cousins, titis, and uncles. We have a good group of friends with whom we also get together regularly. Many of these friends also have young kiddos that we enjoy playdates with. We may not always have the correct answers, but as a couple, we will lean on each other, discuss the situation and find the best solution. Justin participates in a community service group, and Melissa has a group of ladies for book club. Justin’s group has helped out with building maintenance and yardwork at a local group home for teens. They also gather donations for kids prior to school starting so they can come to pick up a backpack full of the essentials.

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Family Traditions

It’s funny to stop and think about what traditions we have made over the years because, at this point, it is just something we have always done. Melissa and our son Damian enjoy baking and making pancakes on the weekend together. We always take the time and eat together at the table as a family during the weekday, catching up on how our day was and what we learned. We camp at least once each summer typically at the local beach or venturing to Mammoth Mountains. We also visit our extended family in the Midwest yearly. Last year we rented a home on a lake and enjoyed the peacefulness of lake life. We both started our morning with a quiet run and ended our day by playing cards around the dining table. We are that family that has matching pajamas on Christmas morning. We also have one kid-free vacation yearly to recharge and reflect while Damian spends time with Granny and Papa. Our vacations tend to alternate between a hot beach vacation in Costa Rica or a winter wonderland. Most recently we ventured into Canada to enjoy skiing and snowboarding.

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Our Relationship with You

Our relationship with you will largely depend on your comfort level. We want to show you that you made the right choice for your child and that they are growing up in a happy, healthy, and loving environment. How you want us to show up will be up to you and what level of communication you wish to have. We have many family members that live near and far away. We meet with our local family weekly and maintain a great relationship with our family that lives far away, thanks to Facetime. Near or far, we possess the communication skills to keep you updated if that is what you desire.

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Our Promise to You

Our number one promise to you is that we will raise your child in a healthy, loving home. Your child will be welcomed into our home and family with open hearts and minds and raised with all the best we can provide. We will raise your child with their best interest at heart. We will ensure that your child knows that you love them very much and that you made the best choice for them to be adopted into our home. We promise to teach your child what is right from wrong and what. We promise to guide them through life to make the most ethical decisions.