Amanda & Jon In Arizona

Our story starts in June of 2014. We were both going through a divorce and hoped to meet someone that shared our passion for life, travel and family. Divorce meant getting back in the game, and getting back in the game meant finding a new friend, but where? Yep... you guessed right... on a dating site. Isn't it the hot new trend? "Que the dramatic music.

The communication came easy, almost as if we knew each other for a lifetime. It was almost magical! A couple months of late-night talking, goofy facetiming and messages back and forth led to a meeting that would change our lives forever. Ultimately starting a relationship that would test the sands of time. We came to learn how much we had in common. So much so, we were almost like the same person. We got married in May 2016.

As hopeful and optimistic as we could be, we planned to have a child together. We went through several failed fertility treatments, before becoming pregnant through in-vitro in 2019 with identical twins. Sadly, our joy turned to sorrow not long after as we had to say goodbye to our girls too soon. Reality set in and as the previous five pregnancies before them, they joined their siblings in Heaven.

Jon was blessed with a stepson and four biological children from his first marriage. Cody and Jordan are adults now with their own families. Cody and his wife, Erika, are parents to Brayden and are expecting their second. Brandon and Jordan welcomed their first daughter, Sloane, in May 2022. The three younger boys, Cameron (14), Jacob (13) and Jackson (11) stay with us on the weekends. These boys bring so much excitement to the house when they are around. From painting parties to binge watching Star Wars, there is always something new and stimulating to do!

We started embarking on spontaneous trips when we could, which sparked our love for travel and nature. In 2021, we were blessed with the opportunity to build a new home in Queen Creek, Arizona. The purchase of our new home brought us closer to family and friends, and the opportunity to engage and serve at our local church. We love supporting our community and take each moment we can to enjoy our home with others.

Our home is within walking distance to many parks, urgent care and a health clinic. Our home has all the fun features we felt our family needed, especially to grow. We have five bedrooms, three baths with a den, and a small but quaint backyard with a fenced play pool and lounge area. Our kitchen is large and always ready to provide a warm, home cooked meal. We are very close to our surrounding neighbors whom we call friends. The neighborhood has many different types of families and ethnicities, children reside in every other household and everyone enjoys decorating for the holidays. We are proud to announce we won the first annual holiday lights contest for Dec 2021!

There are a variety of schools to choose from, all within a five minutes drive or less. The food truck festival sets up on the corner each Friday night, and during the holiday season there are always events and festivals taking place. With the ample amount of room our home provides, we have a large nursery on the other side of the master bedroom, which allows all the necessities our new little one will need, including a walk-in closet as he/she grows.

Jon is the second child of four born in Montclair, California. He has an older sister, Lisa, a younger sister, Vikki and a little brother Sam. Raised in Fontana, California and later, Riverside, California. Jon grew up spending time with many of his uncles, aunts and cousins as family gatherings and reunions were always on the calendar. Jon learned from his father at a very early age that music wasn’t only fun to listen to, but beautiful in its own way. He learned that each song has a story, and his love of music was born. His mother taught him that cooking can be exciting and how to make the most amazing authentic Spanish dishes. He has even been told he should open a restaurant with the knowledge and pallet he has, making his mom very proud! Jon thanks his family for always teaching him and his siblings the meaning of family, what it means to have faith and supporting one another.

With the passing of Jon's father in 2000, and recently the passing of his mother in 2020, his family has become stronger. Sam, Jon's brother, resides in Iowa. He is the most caring, selfless person who wears his heart on his sleeve. You'd say he is the awesome Uncle, always there when you need him. Lisa, Jon's older sister, is sweet, loveable and will drop what she is doing to make you smile. She is beautiful inside and out. Vikki, Jon's baby sister, is genuine, adventurous and always spontaneous. There is so much love wrapped up in Jon's family, there is always someone around to lean on.

Amanda is an only child from a little town called Enid, Oklahoma. She is extremely close with her mother; visiting often, living near each other and always a call away. They are an inseparable pair. From photo shoots together to family trips, having your mom as a best friend is the best. Being an only child meant visiting grandparents often. Amanda spent most summers with Grandpa Paul, eating dairy queen, going to the park every Sunday and taking a ride in the StingRay Convertible. Grandma Louella always took Amanda to the local salon to get their nails done and gossip with her friends. Both Amanda’s mother and father share her love of children and have always been tremendously supportive to the ideas of growing our family.

Danielle is Amanda’s best friend from the third grade. From leaving Arizona to Pennsylvania and coming back after high school, they have stayed best friends through all phases of life. Danielle and her sister, Pam, are the closest to siblings that Amanda has. Growing old together is only the beginning. You can’t separate this type of relationship, cherished and adored, life wouldn’t be the same without them. It’s a sisterhood.

Each year Lisa, Jon’s sister, will get everyone together and have an annual Christmas dinner around Thanksgiving. During Christmas, visiting the Mission Inn is a must to see the Christmas lights and the parade. It is just beautiful! We enjoy gathering with family often and taking as many trips as possible.

We enjoy spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with Amanda's family each year. Turning our traditional dinners into a fun potluck party never fails to impress. Amanda’s mom loves to cook and bake the most thoughtful desserts for birthdays and holidays. Her dad loves Classic Rock music, and plays the bass in a local band of friends that like to “Jam”. He can bring life and dancing to every party!

We are involved in our local church and community, from attending service each Sunday to serving in the children's ministry. We all play an important role each Sunday when we choose to guide and minister to the little ones that are in our care while their parents enjoy worship and service. We all serve with 4-5-6 graders. We are both leaders to a small group who join us weekly to talk about life, children, work and relationships centered around faith and food. We find it rewarding when we are able to converse with people who share our love for faith and are able to find comfort in each other's situations.

Raising a child together has always been a dream of ours. The idea of adoption fills our hearts just as effortlessly as saying I love you. Adoption gives us the opportunity to be there for someone who needs us just as much as we need her.