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The Pence Family Profile

We would like to adopt a child who is less than 11 years old. We are open to boys or girls. We feel we can accommodate a sibling group of up to 5 kids. Almost any ethnic background will blend in with our family. We are open to children with many, many special needs. We do not mind having contact with the child's biological parents (by email or by phone or by mail or in person ) provided the parent was/is not abusive to the child. We do not mind having continuing contact with the child\'s former foster parents, by email or by phone or by mail or in person . In general, We would love a young sibling group, who are having trouble staying together because of size who loves animals, family and music to grow up together in a loving stable home.

Introduction

Our names are Michelle and Christopher Pence. I am currently 35 years old and was born in Seattle, wa. My partner is currently 34 years old and was born in Kirkland, wa. We have 8 kids. Our children's names are Judah, Serenity, Justice, Callie, Brianna, Ashley, Bailey and Anna and they are 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13 and 13 years old, respectively Like us, our children have a caucasian ethnic background. I enjoy researching topics, normally having to do with my children, scrapbooking life books for eachnof my children to tell their unique story, reading, bike riding, cooking, gardening, and reading. Christopher enjoys spending time with his family, reading, studying, playing games, and campfires. I am a stay-at-home parent and have a flexible work schedule. My partner works full-time for Microsoft as a computer network security engineer and has a flexible work schedule. Our morality comes from our christian beliefs. We attend Cornerstone Bible Church each week. We enjoy celebrating holidays and making them special and memorable for our family!

We would most likely relate with our home teams, Mariners and Seahawks. Though we do not keep up with professional sports very much. We do not find much time watch TV, as we prefer doing projects, playing board games, or outside games and being able to talk and connect with our family. Our interests in music are as diverse as a family as each individual member of the family! When we gather, we usually gather in the main living area is an open floor plan that includes the kitchen, dining room and living room. and We spend a great deal of time at home tending turkeys, chickens, dogs, and often chicks and puppies!

We have a campfire pit where we enjoy evenings of playing outdoors and roasting marshmallows.

We enjoy playing games, doing science experiments and learning together. We take time to travel together as a family.

Home and Community

We live in the State of Washington. Our home is a single family home. We live in a Country/Rural neighborhood. We are friends with our neighbors. We have 2 dogs, who we breed and some farm animals, including chickens, turkeys and every other year cows.

I enjoy meeting my children where they are. I love to engage them with their interests, and to enjoy the talents that each child has. I set aside time several times each day for individual time with my children. What we do during this time is up to them. It often includes drawing with my 10 year old, baking with my 9 year old, reading with my 7 year old, riding bikes with my 5 year old, painting toe nails with my 4 year old, and playing cars and planes with my 2 year old. There are many opportunities for Childrens activities near pur home, including th YMCA and boys and girls club. There are all sorts of sports activities, music classes and lessons, a local library, lots of special needs assistance/help for children with a variety of struggles and more. Anything they want from art to dance, sports to reading. The activities are as diverse as the population around us. While we live in a rural area, we are only 5 miles outside the city, so we feel we have the best of both worlds. The schools offer a variety of services for gifted learners and struggling learners alike. However, I do not know much about them first hand as we are a home school family who seeks help in a variety of different venues for any issues or exceptional educational needs that come up. We are members of Cornerstone Bible Church. We are part of North County Fine Arts. We participate in an informal sports group.

Parenting Experience

We have eight biological children who are each very different and unique. One daughter has presented and been able to overcome an ADHD diagnosis through neurodevelopmental therapy, food allergy treatments and diet changes. Another has cerebral palsy, and has physical limitations in her legs.

Each of our children have taught us the value of life and the beauty of how much of an individual each person is. The same as my own. I am patient, kind, loving and gentle. I strive to see the best in others. He is calm, patient, fun loving, and has an easy smile. He is able to get to the heart of an issue with our children with his intuitive loving and compassionate disposition.

I feel I have an empathy that I can bring to the struggle of what my adoptive children may be experiencing. While each individual will process and reapod differently to the struggle of loss and grief and abuse that have brought this specific child into care, there are certain things that will always be true.

Our hope is to bring a sibling group into a loving, stable home and help them reach their greatest potential! My past will certainly help. We have also had about 60 hours of training to draw from as well as having 8 children who are each very different and unique in our home to parent so far. My husband's mom will come home full time to help. She will take over the daily household chores and driving people to different activities. This will free me up for more individual and instruction time with the children.

As a bigger family, we strive to work as a team, and we hope to bring adopted children on board with that as well over time as trust and relationship is built. Our education include the following: Pride classes Connected child, lifeline pre adoptive training Crossings seminar Speaking with 6 other families who have adopted 4-6 siblings at once Several books And we plan to continue to learn! This training has given us a broad idea of what to expect a well as many resources and tools to help us navigate the tulmoltuous path of adoption and integrating a large sibling group into our family as well as whatto expect and how to deal with the issues they may have once they are placed.

Support

We know of several counselors and both individual and group meetings. Michelle is already a stay at home parent and will continue to to be at home. After our adoption, Christopher's mom will leave the work force to help. Our bio childen are excited to help integrate and to include adopted children into the family. Our extended family and church are our primary support. Our homeschool group and community resources will be our next level of support.

Motivation to Adopt

I was a foster child myself. I understand the struggles and pitfalls of going through the system and never being adopted. My sibling group was also split up, which was harder on me than losing my mother. We plan on being their lifelong family. We are committed to our adipted children the same as our biological children. We will seek out he eat resources for them from traditional and non traditional sources to help their achieve their highest and greatest potential.

Community Participation

Our family enjoys participating in our local county fair where we have dozes of entries from our children. Each child participates in areas of their interest such as photography, art/drawing, painting, wood working, Lego creations, showing dogs in 4H, sewing, crocheting, needlecrafts, food preservation, baking, cake decorating educational displays, scarecrows, and much more.

This has been a wonderful way for them to participate in the community, make new friends, show off their unique talents and gifts, and earn prize money for their entries!