Jersey’s Family

August 5, 2025

Our adoption story is unique as it goes back to us wanting to adopt back in 2019 before our third son was conceived. Lacey gets very sick when pregnant, and we were convinced that adoption would be the better route to try and grow our family at this time. As we were considering all options, Lacey found out she was pregnant and so we stopped pursuing adoption at that point in 2019. Soon after the year of 2021 started, we were again excited and felt the need to grow our family through adoption.  As we were looking into adoption options again, we soon found out that Lacey was pregnant with twins (shocking and unplanned), who would join our family later that year (2021). Our twins spent several months in the NICU where they received the extra care they needed due to being 9 weeks premature. At the time Lacey delivered the twins, she and the Doctors decided that it would be best for her health if she did not have any more biological children, and therefore Lacey underwent a tubal ligation surgery. The twins were both diagnosed with 2 different forms of cerebral palsy, around 17 months of age. Zachary still has a G-Tube for feedings and is on oxygen as needed due to a diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Zachary has Ataxic cerebral palsy and Skylar has Spastic Cerebral palsy. Zachary is able to walk, and is involved in OT, PT, and Speech therapy as well as early intervention preschool. Skylar cannot walk, but is able to somewhat crawl, and is involved in PT, OT, speech therapy, and early intervention preschool as well. Both boys do have some learning disabilities, but we encourage them to do their best at everything they do. It is such a miracle that these boys thrived from birth; the joy and happiness that they bring into our lives daily is incredible. Lacey is a Registered Nurse, she has been able to care for these two little special boys and stay home with them while having the opportunity to meet their various medical needs. As a couple of years have passed, we still felt that our family was not fully complete and that one more special spirit is waiting to be welcomed into our home. We started the adoption process almost a year ago (Summer of 2024), and we are so honored and grateful to have been chosen by a birth mother. The baby has a confirmed Trisomy 21 diagnosis. We were so blessed to be able to adopt this beautiful baby girl (Jersey) who was born 8/5/2025..  We were able to travel to the state of MO and be there while she was born. She is thriving in our home and we are so lucky to have her presence in our lives. Our children adore her and her little spirit just radiates love from Jesus!  We love her and are so grateful for her. We both look forward to meeting every individual medical, emotional, spiritual, and educational need that this infant may have. And of course, love this baby with all our hearts. A little more about adoption within our family: Lacey's Aunt adopted five children, three from China, two from the United states. This has inspired Chris and Lacey to adopt. More specifically about the reason "Why" Down syndrome: Our family would love to tell our “Why” we would love to adopt an infant with Down syndrome. Lacey, being a Registered Nurse, has loved (previously) working in the NICU with babies who need extra care right from birth. She has had the opportunity to work alongside wonderful healthcare individuals and prioritize the healthcare needs of these special spirits firsthand. Lacey realizes the level of commitment that is needed to give these children opportunities in life that all children deserve. Chris has had the opportunity within his profession of teaching, to be around children with special needs and has come to love the special people that these individuals are – he states, “It is a blessing to have these students at the school, learning, growing, and thriving just as other students do.”