First of all...
I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TWO!!! This is a huge! I love you both to the moon and back and there is not a single couple on this planet that I would be more inclined to endorse for parenthood than you two. I'm a little overwhelmed with all the thoughts I have rolling through my head about what to say (because there are so many GOOD things to say!).
Brandi and I met during an Early Childhood Education course in January of 2007. We were both in school working toward careers that involved children, something that she and I bonded over instantly. We became close very quickly - her fun loving, upbeat and positive attitude was infectious and contagious and we began working together on school projects and developing a friendship outside of class. I had always admired Brandi for her ability to connect with four year olds in our practicum classes and then turn around and relate to a 14 year old troubled teenage girl at the White Shield Center (a place where adolescent girls who are pregnant or parenting can go for many resources) where she worked part time. White Shield really became a fixture in her life and she genuinely cared for each and every one of the girls that walked through that door, whether she had ever met them or not. I think it was a mixture of her upbringing/background, education, faith in god and innate good heartedness that always lead her to say the right things and give each of the adolescent girls exactly what they needed. She was truly a bright spot for many of them going through dark times in their lives.
I met Nathan a few months after the two had met. Because Brandi and I were so close, we had spoken in the past about what kinds of things she looked for in men she thought she would like to spend the rest of her life with. Nathan was everything she had ever wanted in a partner and it was very evident right from the beginning. I will never forget the conversation I had with him right before their wedding ceremony. I expected him to be nervous (like most grooms) but he just gave me the biggest smile, held his stoic stance and said "I love her and I've never been so sure of anything in my life". I knew right then that he was a good man who would love my best friend until the end.
In knowing Brandi and Nathan as husband and wife and in loving them as my family, essentially, there is not another couple I can think of that would be better parents. They have an unbreakable love and bond with one another, they have a deep devotion to and strong foundation in God, they have a loving support system of friends and family nearby and they have developed a consistently comfortable and stable lifestyle. They have SO much to give, so much love, compassion, guidance. The path to parenthood is the path they were meant to be on and there is not a single person that knows them that would argue against that fact!
One night almost 5 years ago, Brandi asked me where she thought I might see her in 5 years. I told her that I had pictured her married to her best friend, living on a farm in Oregon and watching her children playing in their front yard. They've got each other and the farm, all they need now are the children...
Andie L, Best Friend
I have known Brandi Jo since the summer of 2005 where we met while working at a summer camp for children with chronic and terminal illnesses. We were instant friends due to her fun loving personality and amazing sense of humor. As I grew to know Brandi that summer, I learned so much more about her. She was one of the most caring, loving and selfless people I have ever met. The children whose lives she touched were forever changed. She was their biggest support in an unfamiliar environment. She was their cheerleader when times got tough. She was there to listen when they wanted to talk. She was goofy and loving and affectionate... All exactly what these kids needed. When I heard her and Nathan were having trouble getting pregnant, it broke my heart. I know how she has always dreamed of being a mom and I know she will do an incredible job whenever that dream comes true. She and Nathan will be a blessing to any child that comes into their lives and I pray that this journey strengthens them, as I know it will.
Courtney L, MD Camp Friend
I am writing to let you know that my brother and sister-in-law are ready to be parents; in fact they have been ready for quite some time. When Brandi Jo asked me to write a letter recommending them as potential adoptive parents the first thing I thought of was how my brother has always been so comfortable with children. Some men just don’t have that natural parental instinct like he does. I think it runs in the family because dad is the same way with children. Some men get scared just at the thought of holding a baby but Nathan and dad can just pick them up and take care of every need from diapers, spit-up, and feeding to medicine, toys, and nap time.
My daughter is 10 now, but when she was a baby my brother would tote her around all over the place every chance he got. When she was three she had her first slumber party with Uncle Nathan…she was so excited! They fed the cows, watched a movie, and ate ice cream. Over the years there have been a few more slumber parties at his house and several times when he and Brandi Jo have kept her for the day when I have been in a pinch.
Today I stopped by their house and Brandi Jo was yet again babysitting a friends little kids. It seems she always has someone else’s children on her hip. She is as attracted to them as much as they are attracted to her.
Nathan and Brandi Jo are honest and kind people. They are energetic and love the outdoors. They are Christians who go to church every week. My brother serves as chairman on our local church school board. They own a farm that has been in my family for over 100 years. I am confident to say that they would love your child like he or she was their own. They would provide all the love and support that a child would ever need or want. They would teach their child to play hard, work harder, and love God the most. Their child would be loved and doted on by parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. None of our families drink or smoke. We all get together for bon-fires, hot dog roasts, canoe rides, and dinner at Nana and Papa’s house.
If you are considering adoptive parents for your child Nathan and Brandi Jo should be at the top of your list. You couldn’t go wrong in choosing them to love your child. I would be happy to provide more information if you need it.
Blessings,
Cori B, Nathan's Sister
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