JASON & BETSY

And Lokee We Love Adventure!

OUR THOUGHTS FOR YOUThank you for giving us the opportunity to share our lives with you. Wefeel your choice to consider adoption reflects immense strength andcourage. If you choose us, we want you to know that it will be our life’smission to provide for your child in every way possible. We will let yourchild know every day that you love and care for them.

More than anything, we want to take this opportunity to let you know thatyour child will be loved every second of every day. We wish you strengthduring what must be a difficult time and hope that you find peace in yourdecision.

We love music! It's literally always playing in our house and we love to see our favorite bands live. Once, Jason got tickets to one of Betsy’s favorite bands, Dawes. The day started with us getting soaked by pouring rain while we waited to get into the venue, but the show was great, and as we left we saw the lead singer! Betsy was so nervous, but Jason encouraged her to run after him! He was so friendly and even volunteered for a picture with us!

ABOUT US

Because we love food and adventure, we're always seeking out new dining experiences. Last year we went to this great pop-up restaurant that focused on Mexico City street food. We learned all about antojitos, street snacks, which literally means "little cravings." The food was so good we still crave it a year later. Your child will grow up with an appreciation for great food and culture.

We love game night! On Minnesota winter nights you can find us in a good spirited game of monopoly, and in the summer, you'll find us on our back deck playing cards and listening to music. We always end up laughing with, and at, each other. Game nights are such a fixture for us that we're even known to discover game pieces and decks of playing cards in our pockets, which always provides even more laughs!

MEET BETSY by Jason

Betsy is very passionate about hot Yoga. She’s participated in more than 500 classes! It took her a year to master the half moon balancing pose. By not giving up and trying again she found strength through persistence. Her centeredness ensures she doesn’t sweat the small stuff! Your child will always be inspired to live their passions, whatever they may be.

Betsy is a kid at heart. My sister, always retells the story of the first time she met Betsy. We walked into my parents’ house and my nephews were playing games in another room. After introductions to the family, Betsy immediately went to the kids, got down on the floor and started playing with them. She didn’t do it to “butter up” my sister or anyone else, it was just what came naturally to her.

Betsy loves to cook. She grew up very close to her Grandma spending days in the kitchen rolling tortillas, making tacos and enchiladas. She loves to share her Mexican roots with friends teaching them how to fry taco shells and make real guacamole. For her, cooking is not just about the food, but about taking care of those that you love. Your child will have an appreciation for good food, and the love that goes into making it!

MEET JASON by Betsy

Jason loves to make everyone laugh. One of the first times our families met, he effortlessly jumped right into a game of “Headbands.” He laughed along with all the kids while trying to figure out that he was a unicorn. Whether everyone was laughing at him or with him didn’t matter to Jason. His playfulness always ensures our house is full of laughter. Your child will always have a smile on their face with Jason around.

Jason is always up for new adventures, even if they don’t work out so well. This past winter was Jason’s first time ice fishing. He drilled the hole in the ice and waited, and waited, and waited... all day for a bite that never came. He never caught a big fish but that was no big deal, he laughed it off and enjoyed the day. Your child will grow up learning to find the fun in new experiences even if they don’t go as expected.

Family is essential to Jason. When his nephew, Jax, was born he went over to his sister's house every day for the first three months. It made him so happy to hold Jax every day, to see him grow, and start to smile! While Jason was teaching Jax about Pink Floyd and basketball, his sister and brother-in-law enjoyed the much needed nap time.

We met on Match.com! Betsy didn’t know it at the time, but it would be her first and last online date! Between our chemistry and our nerves, the conversation was non-stop, but that’s not what stands out for us. Betsy ordered a steak! That might sound like a mundane detail, but since that night Betsy has NEVER ordered another steak! Apparently, she was so nervous that steak just seemed appropriate in the moment and it was the first and last steak we ever shared. We still laugh about it!

We’ve always wanted to build a family together. After trying, we were never successful. Through all of it we never lost faith that we would have a family. We are delighted that adoption will be our path. One of Betsy’s best friends is a birth mother. Through our friendship with her, we recognize the amazing gift you are considering and can only imagine the emotions you are experiencing. Please know we respect you and your decision. It's important to us to maintain comfortable contact with you throughout the child's life. We are thrilled to become adoptive parents and excited to see how our journey and yours come together.

Jason and our dog Lokee are big Wisconsin Badgers basketball fans. When we were dating, the Badgers were in the March Madness NCAA tournament. Jason didn't have a tv at the time, so we watched all the games at Betsy's house with her two cats. We didn't realize it then, but that time together cheering on the Badgers helped our furry friends become best friends and all of us become a family.

OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER

MEET LOKEE

Initially, Lokee was not too happy about sharing Jason with another woman. When we first started dating she would not let us sit on the couch next to each other! She always jumped up and plopped down right between us! This has turned into a cute Lokee quirk because to this day, she still gets in between us whether it’s on the couch or in bed. However, these days it’s to snuggle with both of us rather than make sure she’s still Jason’s first love!

Lokee loves kids! Likewise, all the kids love her. Our nieces and nephews call her “Stubby Cow,” and whenever they are at our house their attention immediately goes to playing with her. Last Thanksgiving, the kids took turns taking “Lokee-rides” around the kitchen. She absolutely loved the attention. Your child will grow up knowing the unconditional love of dogs.

We love animals! We both grew up with pets. Jason rescued Lokee and she immediately brought love and joy into his life! Although Jason’s family grew up with dogs, they were a bit apprehensive when they heard he wanted to rescue a pit bull. But it didn’t take long for Lokee to win them over. The first time they met her at her foster home, there were a lot of people in the room and only one couch, so Jason sat on the floor while everyone chatted. Lokee was sitting across the room with another dog. Suddenly, she got up, crossed the room, crawled right into Jason’s lap and gazed up at him lovingly. Jason’s family was sold!

UP FOR ADVENTURE!

We love to explore new cites on foot and call it “Urban Hiking.” We’ll walk ten miles in one day checking out the sights and eating local food! Sometimes we plan entire days around what neighborhoods to visit just so we can eat their food! Once, while out of the country, we visited an artsy neighborhood with huge murals on every building. We wandered the streets taking in the art, architecture and looking for a famous gnocchi shop. It was 90 degrees and 10 am but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the hot, delicious gnocchi!

We love exploring nature! Jason’s parents have a vacation home in California and we love to hike in the mountains when we’re there. One time we went on a hike to see a special waterfall. We walked up hills, down steep paths and across streams. When we finally found the “waterfall,” it turned out to be barely a little trickle! It certainly wasn't as cool as the waterfall in this photo, but we laughed and enjoyed the view. It might not have been the payoff we expected, but we enjoyed the journey. Your child will grow up in an active family!

OUR FAMILYIf you choose us, your child will be adored by 4 grandparents, 4 aunts and

uncles, and 6 cousins.

Our family loves to hang out at the pool. Last summer, we had our own water Olympics where we cheered everyone’s skills on the water slide! Betsy’s mom got in the mix and we all had a blast watching her make a big splash! Your child will have a big cheering section at everything!

Our family loves to try new things! Last year, we celebrated Jason’s sister’s birthday with a family trip for indoor skydiving. It was a bit intimidating when we walked into the fly zone and not everyone was sure about trying it. After a test run, it was exhilarating feeling the air push against your body just like flying! Your child will grow up with that sense of adventure and be encouraged to try things that excite them!

Our family is diverse. We're Hispanic, Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, a bit of everything, and we love it! We celebrate Jewish and Christian holidays. Every year we celebrate Hannukah with Jason's family and Christmas with Betsy's family. It makes for a busy and fun holiday season that adds richness to our lives. We feel blessed to be able to experience both traditions together.

FAMILY & TRADITIONS

Every Christmas our family spends a day baking and decorating cookies while watching Harry Potter movies! Once the creativity is flowing you never know what works of “art” will happen. Last year, our nephew Matthew snuck a “poop” cookie into the batch. The entire family started laughing at who would eat the poop cookie. Your child will grow up with a sense of humor.

We live within 10 minutes of Jason's family and we have family dinner every Sunday. Our nephews are always more interested in playing than dinner. Recently, one dinner turned into a ”Just Dance” competition! The boys ended up "winning" with their awesome dance moves to Earth, Wind & Fire. Watching three generations of our family bust a move together had all of us laughing hysterically. At the end of the game we all felt like winners.

For birthdays, we love to do special days with our nieces and nephews rather than give gifts. Our special days have included the Zoo, Science Museum, Children's Museum, musicals, and baseball games. One year we took our nephew, Jax, to the Zoo for an interactive playground exhibit. But little did we know that his favorite part of the day would be making his own bunny ears at the petting zoo. He wore them the whole day and still has them. Your child will enjoy special days with family.

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOODWe love our house, but it's our neighbors that are most special to us. We live less than a mile from Jason's parents. They are some of our best friends and it's a luxury to have them so close to us. Just last week, we were cooking dinner and realized we were out of butter. We called Jason's parents and luckily they had plenty in stock! They were even nice enough to run it over to our house, and our dinner was back on track. Your child will benefit from the close relationship we share - in terms of both proximity and love!

We live within walking distance of a wonderful public library, restaurants, a coffee shop, a toy store, a bakery, and our very favorite bookstore. They specialize in children’s books and have live animals that live in the store! One time, Betsy and our niece got to feed the Chinchillas! Now whenever our niece is over, a trip to the bookstore to see the animals is a must! Your child will enjoy story time with the cats, birds and chickens that live in the shop.

We live in the land of 10,000 lakes, but the one 4 blocks from our home is our favorite! It’s got two beaches, a park, kayaks and pedal bike rentals, a cafe, and a bandstand. One recent summer night we walked down to the bandstand to catch a free show from one of our favorite local bands and grab ice cream. It was so much fun to be able to enjoy a night like that just steps from our front door.

WEEKDAYS

Jason works for his family business – a wine and spirits store. The store is steeped in history and is iconic. It has been around since the 1930’s and he is the 3rd generation in his family to run the business. Jason makes his schedule and has a full staff which gives him a lot of flexibility. He is always home for dinner and can work from home too.

Betsy designs children’s accessories for a National Retailer. Her favorite part of her job is to talk to kids and incorporate what they love into her work. She loves seeing their face light up when they play with her designs. Betsy has a lot of flexibility with her work schedule and often works from home as well. Your child will grow up in a home of creativity and art.

After work, we change our clothes, grab Lokee’s leash (her favorite part of the day) and walk around the lake near our house. The lake is alive with families walking and playing on its beaches and parks. Just last week, we saw a Bald Eagle and a huge turtle during the same walk. Your child will grow up with nature walks and playing in the park as a daily routine!

THANK YOUThank you for considering us as the adoptive family for your child. We canonly imagine how challenging this experience must be for you. We want toassure you that we will always be open with your child, letting them knowat every opportunity how much you love them. We also want to reassureyou that throughout your child’s life we will love them and care for themwith every fiber of our being. They will grow up in a home that is nurturing,supportive, fun and loving. And all along the way we want to have a levelof openness and contact that is comfortable. Thank you again forconsidering us, we are thinking of you and hope to speak with you soon!