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Tom and Jennifer Bell, Hawaii

Our Family…
Hi. We are the Bell's, and we have an outstanding family of five. My husband Tom and I love the Lord. We are doing everything we can to ensure that our three boys (ages 12, 5, and 4) grow up knowing that they are gifts from God, and have a responsibility to teach others about the love of Christ.

We have very personal relationships with the Lord. Tom tries to take Jesus to work with him every day, and Jen seeks to teach the boys about Him while she homeschools the boys. Jesus is the foundation of our family. He is the Rock we stand upon.

Tom and I seek to educate ourselves about every one our children’s needs, and we would do that with your special needs child. Based on the available options, we pray and ask the Lord to give us wisdom before we make decisions. We are certainly not perfect parents, but like to make sure that we are doing everything we can to ensure our family is well cared for.

Our family has an awesome dynamic, for which we are thankful. We laugh – a lot. Jay, our five-year-old, said the other day, “I’m glad I’m part of this family because it’s funny.” He found humor in my nagging him to buckle himself into the car! We do look for humor in every situation. Even when we are tired and stressed, we believe that our attitudes can help or hinder the outcome of any situation. Tom and I are both “go-getters” and can often be found engrossed in a home-improvement project. Tom plays hockey two nights per week (yes, even at age 46!), and plays in an annual tournament in the Wine Country of northern California, called Snoopy’s Senior World Hockey Tournament. Jay and Evan take gymnastics on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Andrew takes sailing lessons on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I am the mini-van driving mom, always taking the kids to this activity or that, and unable to keep my eyes open past 10:00 p.m.

We live directly on Pearl Harbor’s mid-loch, in Pearl City, Hawaii. We moved here in August, 2009, when we were relocated by the US Air Force. We have a four-bedroom home, with two and a half baths. It has taken us a while to get used to the idea that we no longer have a garage. Even though this house is smaller than the one we had on the mainland, it’s still got plenty of room for the kids to have play space, and room for our homeschool. We have stunning views from our patio, and we often take the kids to watch the little crabs down by the water. We have two dogs, which finally joined us after Thanksgiving. The State of Hawaii has a lengthy process for importing animals. We have a small, fenced back yard, where our boys play only occasionally. Usually, I take them out front, where they play with the neighbor kids. There are 14 preschool and school age children living in our cul de sac, in addition to our three boys. There are also several infants. Jay figured out how to ride his two-wheel bike at this cul de sac, but prefers to ride his scooter. We have some of the most consistent weather in the world, so we have extended our living to the outdoors.

Because we are military, we have an awesome network of peers. We are surrounded by families who know what it’s like to be where we are, and we feel blessed to be able to relate or commiserate. It’s amazing that we moved 2,500 miles from home and find old friends in Home Depot. We are blessed to have good friends, with whom we have kept contact, as well as large families to keep us grounded. We have outstanding medical and life insurance, and have made arrangements for my brother and his family of six to care for our children if something should happen to us, as they share our parenting style and our family values. We are active with the US military’s Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs. That’s how we found information about Andrew’s sailing lessons. There are also programs for military dependents with special needs.

Our Desire to Adopt…
We have always had a heart for children, and have wanted to adopt for several years.

We believe that each child is unique and loved by the Lord. We want to be able to shower another child with blessings, and opportunities that he or she may not otherwise have. Children deserve to know that Jesus is looking after them, just as He is looking after us.

In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ... Ephesians 1:4

Dear Birthmom,
Hi. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little. We have been praying for you for some time, even though we have never met. We are confident that the Lord is working in all of our lives to orchestrate our meeting for His glory - and all in His time.

We are committed to offering your child a life of unconditional love and constant nurturing. We are Christians, attending church services weekly, and are committed to making sure that your baby grows up understanding how much he or she means to the Lord. We believe that he or she should always know and feel your love and we will do everything we can to make sure of that.

We will tell your baby how much he or she is loved by you as well as anything else you would like your child to know about you and your family. We will also look forward to staying in touch with you and sharing pictures and information about your child. We would also be open to sending you letters and pictures of your child's development in the future.

We would be happy to keep in touch over the years and would like to be as open as you like. We have deep respect for you and the difficult decision you are facing. Thank you for reading this letter.

God Bless,
Tom and Jennifer