I recently had the opportunity to chat with hopeful adoptive parents Jesse and Cassie from Washington. I asked them some fun questions that you won’t find in their adoption profile, and I learned that they are an active Christian couple in the Pacific Northwest who are so excited to become parents through adoption!
Jesse is the director of student ministries at their church, so a large part of their time is spent working with the local youth group.
As they put it, “We absolutely love Jesus, our families, and each other. We get excited about travelling, paddle boarding, and dirt bikes, but we are most excited to grow our family through adoption!”
1. You’re stranded on a desert island and can only take 5 movies. What are they?
Jesse: The Italian Job, because car movies and action movies are my favorite. This movie is both in one mixed with a little bit of humor which is an added bonus.
Secondhand Lions – The storyline alone is excellent. The grumpy old guys make me laugh, and it will always remind me of the times I had watching it with my best friends in college.
Jesse and Cassie having fun with photo booth props at a recent youth group event
The Upside – this movie had me rolling. You want to cry from laughing so hard and cry from the main themes. But, it’s also a movie about second chances and purpose, and I think those are key to having a meaningful life.
The Batman – By far my favorite superhero. I enjoyed the story of a rich guy becoming an undercover hero. He’s been my favorite superhero since I was a kid.
2. What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done? Will you do it again?
Cassie: Jesse thinks I’m crazy for doing this, but I’ve been skydiving a few times before! I’ve always thought it would be so cool to have the ability to fly. As a kid, I would dream about flying over my city at night. Skydiving is the closest thing I have to actually being able to fly, and I would 110% do it again. All I need is another friend to come with me!
Cassie and Jesse at a Thomas Rhett concert
3. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
Jesse: The country singer Thomas Rhett.
Not only do I love his music, but I think he’s one of the most down-to-earth, goofy, and genuine guys in the music scene.
He has adopted and loves his kids and his wife, and we have similar interests. He is just the kind of guy that if you got him to your dinner table, he would feel like family.
4. What did you love to do when you were a kid?
Jesse: I loved to do two things: build forts and play with Hot Wheels. My parents lived next to a big wooded area, so my friends and I would go out, cut down small trees and build different kinds of two-story forts. They never worked out, but building them sure was fun.
Throughout my lifetime, I have collected over 500 Hot Wheels that I still have today. I’m so excited for the day that I get to pull them back out and play with them with my own kids. With Hot Wheels, the opportunities are endless! You can make little cities and neighborhoods, take them outside into the dirt, build construction sites and off-road parks, and spend hours just playing with cars. If you haven’t been able to tell, I’m a car guy!
5. What is something from your childhood that you want to make sure your child gets to experience?
Cassie: Some of my favorite memories growing up were when we would adventure as a family. We went together to the Oregon coast, went deep sea fishing (where we discovered my brother, sister, and I were all prone to seasickness ), and we visited several national parks.
In the winter, we would all pack up and ride snowmobiles with the local snowmobile club. We also took trips to visit our grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. I’m so excited to watch our child grow in excitement as we go on adventures together, visiting the people who mean the most to us!
Curious to know more about Jesse and Cassie?
You can view their adoptive family profile online.
If you’re interested in talking to them as potential adoptive parents to your baby, just text or call Lifetime at
1-800-923-6784 and we can connect you with them.
As the Vice President (VP) of Lifetime Adoption, Heather Featherston holds an MBA and is passionate about working with those facing adoption, pregnancy, and parenting issues. Heather has conducted training for birth parent advocates, spoken to professional groups, and has appeared on television and radio to discuss the multiple aspects of adoption. She has provided one-on-one support to women and hopeful adoptive parents working through adoption decisions.
Since 2002, she has been helping pregnant women and others in crisis to learn more about adoption. Heather also trains and speaks nationwide to pregnancy clinics to effectively meet the needs of women who want to explore adoption for their child. Today, she continues to address the concerns women have about adoption and supports the needs of women who choose adoption for their child.
As a published author of the book Called to Adoption, Featherston loves to see God’s hand at work every day as she helps children and families come together through adoption.
