Hello
We are Toby, Jody, Addison, and Avery. We are hoping to adopt and hope through this website, you will get to know our family.
Toby is a lawyer and partner at a law firm. Jody was a special education supervisor and is now a stay at home mom. We are also volunteer members of our local Art Institute Associate Board and help with two major fundraisers for them.
We have been married for six years. We met through mutual friends seven years ago, and our love developed and grew strong quickly. We characterize our relationship as two individuals who have joined together to create what is a close, loving partnership.
We became a family in November 2005, with the adoption of Addison. In May 2007, our family grew once again with the adoption of our daughter, Avery. Both of our daughters have brought joy and laughter into our lives. The girls are active children who love to explore the house, color pictures, and push around the grocery cart or stroller. They enjoy reading books, playing with toys, and dancing to music. They have a blast whenever they are around other children especially their cousins.
We have various levels of openness with our children's birthparents. We send pictures and updates to all of them, and we have visisted or offered visited to all of the birthparents. We hope to have some contact (letters, email, phone, and/or visits) with you based on your comfort level.
We are an active family who enjoy spending time together. We enjoy taking walks in the neighborhood, playing in the park, going to the pool, and playdates with friends. We go swimming throughout the year and love the park.
We value our religious beliefs. We attend church regularly and participate in family activities outside of service. We will have our children attend religious education classes and Sunday school.
TOBY
Toby is 39 years old. He grew up in midwest with his mother and two brothers. Throughout his childhood, Toby was very active in athletics, participating in organized football, baseball, basketball, golf, wrestling and track. He also was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout, and he took art and music lessons.
After high school, Toby entered the United States Air Force where he was stationed in San Antonio, Texas. Following his military service, he earned a 2 year degree, then a Bachelor of Science from a 4 year university, and finally earned his Juris Doctorate at Law School. Toby is a partner with a law firm.
Jody is 35 years old and the youngest twin of three children. She grew up in the midwest. Throughout her childhood, Jody participated in many extracurricular activities, including track, cross-country, 4-H, swimming, soccer, and piano lessons. As a child, she spent many summer days at grandma’s house with her cousins.
Jody has a passion for working with children and adults with disabilities. In high school, she volunteered at the Special Olympics, assisted special needs students in high school, and worked in an elementary special education class. This led Jody to a career in the field of special education. After high school, Jody attended college, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a teaching certificate in the area of special education. She began teaching high school students after graduating from college. While she was teaching, Jody began and completed her Master’s Degree in Education Administration. She was supervising special education programs at a local school district and recently became a stay at home mom.
ADDISON
Addison was born in November 2005 and became part of our family through adoption. She is a very happy,inquisitive, and independent child who wakes with a smile on her face that stays throughout the day. Addison typically spends her day reading books, coloring, collecting items for her grocery cart, trying on her bracelets, and dancing. She enjoys being outdoors either running, taking a walk, or swinging. She is a healthy child and continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Addison loves playing with her cousins and always asks when her friends(that is what she calls her cousins) will be back.
Addison will be starting preschool in the fall.
AVERY
Avery was born in May 2007 and became part of our family through adoption. She is a very loving toddler. Avery will watch first before diving into an activity. Her nickname is Peanut because she is a petite child. Although, she is not afraid of many things. Avery loves all things girl. She takes care of her baby doll, pushes her stroller around the house, and carries around her blanket. Throughout the day, she follows her big sister around, reads books with Addison, and tries to get as many hugs from family as possible. Avery runs everywhere she goes and climbs on everything in the house including the dishwasher, baby gate, and picnic table to name a few. Avery enjoys being outside and will often go to the window or door, look at outside, and watch the world go by. Avery is a healthy child and continues to grow. Avery will hug and kiss her cousins when they visit and loves to be held by her aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
OUR HOME
We live in a 5-bedroom house in a suburban neighborhood. We have a play area with a swingset in the backyard and there are several parks nearby. We often meet neighbors outside to play with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and ride bikes. We value education and live in area with good schools ,and there are many facilities, such as the YMCA and library within just a few miles.
An additional family member is our cat, HoHo. HoHo is very timid and patient with children. She thinks she runs the house. She is very gentle and shy, but most of all, she is very loving.
OUR FAMILIES
Our families are very involved in our lives, and we enjoy visiting them as much as possible. There are six cousins on Toby's side of the family and four cousins on Jody's side of the family, and we keep current on everything that is happening in their lives.
Toby and his brothers have an extremely close bond. Their father passed away at an early age, the brothers have relied on one another for support, mentoring, and friendship. Toby’s mother has always been a strong guiding force in his life, and he is very close with her.
Jody’s family is also very close, and they are always planning the next family get-together. It could be shopping, having a home-cooked meal or going to a sporting event or festival. Being a twin, Jody had an especially close relationship with her twin brother growing up. Their relationship is still one of strength and friendship now that they are both married and have their own families. Jody and her oldest sibling, Tracy, became close when they lived together following college. Jody’s parents are a constant presence and support in our life. Jody’s family has experienced adoption first-hand, with Tracy and her husband adopting both of their children, and Sean adopting his oldest son.
OUR FUN
We are active and enjoy many activities together as a family. We like everything from going out to dinner, catching a baseball or football game, shopping, taking a drive in the country, or attending a church function. Most of the activities we participate involve Addison, Avery, our families and friends. We try to set time once a month for a “date’ to spend time together as a couple.
We both have a passion for golf. We also enjoy walking in our neighborhood, bike riding, and occasionally kayaking at a local lake. Jody loves to spend time at home reading a book or watching a movie, and Toby always has some home improvement project underway.
Perhaps our favorite hobby is traveling. In the last few years we have been to such places as Boston, Chicago, Myrtle Beach, Put-In-Bay, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. We think it is important to enjoy as many different places in our country and overseas as possible, and we look forward to the time we can take our children on these great adventures.
Thank you for taking time to look at our profile.
If you would like to learn more about our family, please email us at jodyc@woh.rr.com.
