DJ & Cassandra

We know you have a lot of great families to pick from for your child, and we hope that our family is the right fit for your child. We can’t begin to tell you how much we admire your strength with your decision. Your courage and concern for your child speaks volumes about the amazing person you are. We promise that your child will know of your unconditional love, and that we will love him or her unconditionally just as you have.

Our Passion for Family, Food, Fun and Far Away Places!

Family
We share many of the same passions like food and travel, but family is the most important. Before we ever got married, we both agreed that family would always come first. So much so, that DJ left a large law firm and started his own practice so that he would have a more flexible and family-friendly schedule. Most days DJ comes home to join Cassandra and Kai for lunch. Cassandra stays at home with Kai (and hopefully one day your child too!). It’s important for us to have a lot of family time together.

Food and Fun
We love reading books, going for long drives, spending time with our extended family and watching football games in the fall! DJ’s a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan as he grew up in New Jersey, and Cassandra loves the Atlanta Falcons! It’s a tradition in our house for us to wear our favorite team’s jersey, order hot wings, watch the games and cheer like crazy! Whether our teams win or lose, we always have fun!

DJ and I still love to talk about our first date seven years ago. DJ was impressed with how I ordered and ate several appetizers during our first date. I’m definitely not shy when it comes to food, and as it turns out DJ is a big foodie too! We love to try new foods—everything from Ethiopian to Vietnamese to unusual toppings on burgers such as Wisconsin cheddar cheese and two strips of chocolate-covered bacon on a toasted Krispy Kreme doughnut bun (it’s called the Luther Burger after singer- songwriter and record producer Luther Vandross). We’re always up for a food adventure!

Far Away Places
After our first date, we continued to discover more and more things we shared in common such as our love for all types of music from classic rock to hard rock to classical to salsa and jazz. We also love to travel. Our favorite trips together have been to Egypt and Italy. We love learning about the local culture and exploring the small towns. We also have a tradition of stopping at the local bakeries in the small towns to sample their pastries! It’s been seven years since we met and four since we’ve married, but we still feel like newlyweds and cherish each day together!

My Soul Mate and Husband DJ
I used to think finding your soul mate was just something you only saw in the movies. But after I met DJ seven years ago, I knew I had found mine. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful for him and the happiness he’s brought and continues to bring into my life. His generous and loving heart, big smile, amazing wit and strong commitment to family are just a few of the many things I admire about him. When my family first met him, my little cousin said he got an “A” in her book. When I asked her why not an “A+,” she said she didn’t like his goatee! While I love his goatee, my entire family agrees that DJ and I are a perfect match. A+!

I still get butterflies in my stomach when DJ comes home from work. Seeing DJ and spending time with him, no matter what we’re doing, is truly one of the best parts of my day. We love to tease each other, talk about our days, share quiet moments together and play with our son Kai. DJ is definitely one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He makes smart decisions not only for his own business, but also about our personal finances and our future together. I’ve never felt so connected, inspired and loved by someone.

My Amazing Wife Cassandra
Cassandra never ceases to amaze me. She is the most giving person I have ever met. She always thinks of others first whether it’s me, our son, a friend or someone in the neighborhood we barely know, she always cares about their happiness and comfort above her own. Her caring is not limited to a feeling but extends to action when she does what she can to make other people’s lives a little brighter.

One of the many reasons I chose to spend my life with Cassandra is that, in addition to being intelligent (she is very, very smart) and beautiful, she is strong emotionally and physically. Whether faced with success or adversity she handles it with the same smile, lovingness and determination. When getting married I wanted a partner in life and my equal—I found that in Cassandra. One of the most amazing things about Cassandra is how she obtained scholarships to pay for school all the way through to her PhD! She has so much to offer and so much love to give.

A Home Filled with Love
We live on a family-filled cul du sac in a suburb of Atlanta. Every evening about a dozen young children come outside to play! We like to call it the “Welcoming Committee” for our neighbors coming home from work. The children ride their bikes, put on puppet shows, make obstacle courses and during the summer, run through the sprinklers and eat popsicles in the front yards. They love playing on our backyard playset with swings, a rock climbing wall, tire swing, bumpy slide, monkey bars, and a fort. We are known for hosting picnics in the backyard for all the kids or on rainy days playing inside and making forts with the furniture and pretending we’re pirates.

We love to celebrate and decorate for the holidays, especially Halloween and Christmas. During Christmas, Cassandra gets tremendous joy sending everyone who visits home with a plate of fresh baked cookies (especially the ones with sprinkles!). She remembers making cookies with her family as a young girl—it’s a tradition she looks forward to passing on. She also loves making desserts from scratch, and her friends frequently request her Red Velvet cake and Tiramisu. Yummy!

Our Youthful and Energetic Families (by Cassandra)
We both grew up in small towns in the North. DJ’s from New Jersey and I grew up in Connecticut. I remember when I first met DJ’s parents. We flew to New Jersey for the weekend and as soon as I saw his mom and dad, they immediately embraced me and treated me like their own daughter. In fact, I went to India with them (without DJ!) and their entire extended family made me feel so welcomed and loved. Since that trip, we’ve stayed in touch and have visited with each other ever since. DJ’s parents often call just to talk to me! We love to tease each other on the phone and I love all the stories about DJ when he was a child. When you see DJ’s parents together, you would never guess they’ve been married 45 years! They’re both so youthful in spirit and appearance and continue to openly express their love for one another.

DJ wasn’t able to meet my parents who were killed in a car accident when I was 18. However, I have two amazing sisters and when our parents passed away, our sister bond grew stronger than ever and it continues to grow stronger each day. My parents’ accident is one of the reasons I’d like a large family – so our children will always have each other through their journey in life.

I’m also blessed with amazing grandparents who live only 2 hours away. They run circles around everyone with their endless energy! My grandmother (Oma) loves to bake and makes the most amazing chocolate chip pecan pie from scratch—including the crust! My grandfather (Opa) is a huge WWII buff as he fought in that war and Vietnam. He loves reading books and teasing his six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. There’s always lots of laughter when we get together!

Our Son (& Future Big Brother!)
Kai is a sweet and fun-loving two and half year old boy who loves to sing, chase our three cats, jump on his indoor trampoline, play with other kids and pretend he’s a lion. When we go to the zoo his favorite exhibits are the panda bears, lions (of course!) and kangaroos. He loves playing with our neighbors’ children in our cul de sac and with his wooden swing set in the backyard.

When we read books, Kai always points to the babies, smiles and says baby. He’s extremely gentle with babies and loves to give lots of kisses. We know he’ll be a great big brother.

Our Furry Family
We have three cats, Hobbes, Mia and Moses. Our cats are sweet natured and love to sit on your lap and purr. They’re also very patient and gentle with Kai who loves to pull their tails! They add tremendous joy to our lives.

How Our Friends Describe Us In Their Words

Cassandra

• Family-focused
• Energetic
• Loves to laugh
• Creative
• Super smart

DJ

• Athletic
• Dedicated dad
• Generous
• Nurturing
• Brilliant

Favorite Food
Cassandra: Guacamole
DJ: Cake, cake, cake, and more cake!

Favorite Movie
Cassandra: The Illusionist
DJ: Close Encounters

Favorite Sound
Cassandra: Children laughing
DJ: Cat purring

Favorite Children’s Book
Cassandra: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
DJ: Where the Wild Things Are

We Promise To...

• Always love your child unconditionally, just as we were when we were children.
• Dedicate our lives to creating a safe, happy and loving home for your child.
• Provide your child with opportunities to laugh and play every day.
• Give your child opportunities to discover the world around him/her.
• Foster a positive environment that builds your child’s confidence, self esteem and makes him/her always feel secure.
• Create endless happy childhood memories.
• Enrich your child’s life with educational, travel and cultural opportunities.
• Let your child know that your love and sacrifice allowed him/her to be a part of our lives.

If you have any questions for us, or would like to talk to us about adopting your child, please contact an AdoptHelp advisor by Calling 1-800-637-7999 or clicking the "Contact Us" button below.

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