In 2013, Andrew (now a member of our Board) and Jere officially became known as “Daddy” and “Papa”. Married in 2009, the two dreamed of becoming fathers together and growing their beautiful family. Jere a kindergarten teacher and Andrew a public advocate for migrant children and families, the two came from homes of shared values around education, hard work, community service, love, joy, family, and friends, and they wanted to impart these values to their future children. They yearned to both teach their kids and learn from them, desiring to experience new depths of love through their parenting journey. To bring children into their lives, the spouses looked to adoption to help form their beautiful forever family.
Today, Andrew and Jere are blessed with three beautiful, intelligent, kind, and unique children, ages 8, 4, and 2. Throughout their parenting journey, they sought to work together with the birth mothers (AKA Angel Mamas) to create an open and positive relationship that was best for their children. The two dads are so thankful for the miracles of life and joy that these Angel Mamas have bestowed on them. Truly the ultimate gift.
Together this family loves to take vacations – trips back home to see family in California, to Disneyland, and to the beach. They take trips to visit and bond with their Angel Mamas and their children, creating one amazing extended family! And they love to dress up as demon slayers and superheroes for Halloween, attend the local Renaissance Festival, have playdates at the park, explore and learn at science centers and museums, and keep their loving au pair very busy!
Through it all was adoption coordinator Laronda Southworth of Courageous Hearts Adoptions. According to Andrew, “From day one Laronda provided my husband and me the best professional care and support along our three adoption journeys! She wasn’t just there for formal meetings or training – she was there late at night for frantic texts, holding our hand during calls with birth moms, and was one the first to be at the hospital to welcome our kiddos. She is a champion of making our forever family – and she will forever be in our hearts.”
