Jessie Soukup was raised in the Seal Beach community, settling in Long Beach with her husband Darren after meeting at a Christmas party in Redondo Beach in 2010. This is the story of their growing family.
“It took me a while to realize, I may never carry a child,” Jessie Soukup said.
She and her husband, Darren, had always wanted kids and after years of trying, finally privately adopted a son, Gavyn.
From the very beginning, it was as though Gavyn was meant for them. The moment the birth mother saw Darren and Jessie’s profile, she felt a strong sense that they were meant to raise her precious son. When she showed the profiles of prospective parents to her family, every single person without knowing the other one’s choice picked the Soukups.
The Soukups were elated when they got the call informing them a birth mother had picked them. They supported her through the entire process and when she gave birth, it was Jessie’s chest that Gavyn first laid upon.
Although worth every single penny, private adoption is not an easy or affordable process and can cost over $30,000. Between savings, donations, and second jobs, it cost a great deal to bring Gavyn home.
Now, Gavyn is 1 year old and the Soukups want to bring this kind of love to another child in need. Gavyn laughs and wakes up smiling, adding immeasurable joy and laughter to the Soukup house. “Once we adopted him, I felt like my purpose was being fulfilled. Since I was little, I knew I wanted to be a wife and a mom,” Jessie said. The Soukups are looking to make their family of three, a family of four.
But, how does a family expand when the cost to adopt is so high? That is where organizations like Both Hands come in. Both Hands helps families raise funds for their adoptions in a way that not only helps the adoptive family, but also reaches into the community at large.
Adoptive parents are paired with widows in order to create a day of service for the widow where adoptive parents gather a team, access the widow’s needs, and go to putting their hands together to help with tasks around the home such as repairs, painting, landscaping, and de-cluttering. Private donors sponsor the supplies and tools necessary for the project so that the fundraised money can go 100 percent towards the adoption while the team helps with the labor necessary to complete the tasks.
You can also support their growing family by donating through their Both Hands page at: https://bothhands.org/project/soukup-335 or if you want to reach them directly, emailing at darren.jessie2013@gmail.com.
“I know a lot of people are silent about infertility and adoption. But, why be silent because who knows who is going through the same things?” said Jessie. It’s families like the Soukups who not only bring blessings to those that they directly help but also, free others to speak up, seek help, and bring about positive change.
