We are ready to adopt again! Please help us spread the word. Feel free to contact us by leaving a comment on this blog or emailing us at justinandlara@gmail.com. Or contact our caseworker Claire directly at claire@anewbeginning.org.

Our Parenting Philosophy

Parents have a purpose and that is to teach, show, and nurture. We don't believe in physical punishment, humiliation, or authoritarian rule. We’ll do our best to be good examples for your child to look up to and respect. And we’ll love your child. No matter what his or her talents or passions are, no matter what arguments or struggles we have, no matter what trials lie ahead, as parents we will provide love and support.

Unconditionally.

Teaching the right way to eat an Oreo is an important parental responsibility.

 Being parents to Jocelyn has been nothing short of magical. There have been lots of surprises. Lara says the one thing that has surprised her the most about being a parent is how intimate it is - having a life so dependent on you. From baths, to shots, to diaper changes, to feedings, there are no secrets between a baby and her mother. It's intense and so beautiful.

Bath time!

Parenting has its challenges, too. It takes a lot of patience.
Sometimes we have to step back and see the world through our child's eyes to understand her behavior - try to grasp her frustrations and limited understanding
of a big, big world.

As far as discipline goes, we find we get better parenting results when we focus on and praise good behavior and give her bigger reactions for the good things than the bad. Of course time-outs are still necessary. We believe it's important to establish boundaries and never make exceptions so we don't confuse our daughter. Even when we must be stern, we are always kind and loving.

The cutest time-out ever!

As parents, we feel grave responsibility for Jocelyn. From learning to count to ten to knowing it's wrong to hit others, it is our job to teach her so many things. We drive a little slower, take a little longer, and fight a little harder. Our Mama Bear and Papa Bear instincts kick in automatically and we do all we have to do to take care of our little girl and keep her healthy, happy, and learning what she needs to.

A 3 a.m. breathing treatment when Jocelyn was very sick with RSV


Parenting is not easy. We have become more selfless, more patient, more fun, and more compassionate people because of it. We love it. It's the most important job we will ever do and we can't wait to do it again!

Making Valentine's for birthparents.
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