5 Fun Facts About Adoptive Family Mark & Genesis in Texas

I recently connected with Mark and Genesis, a warm, adventurous couple in Texas who are hoping to adopt again. Having already experienced the joy that adoption brought into their lives with their daughter, Mark and Genesis dream of sharing their nurturing home, family life, and love with another precious child.
 
If you’re considering adoption for your baby, you have the opportunity to connect and speak directly with families who are hoping to adopt. This meaningful step in the adoption process puts the power in your hands. Before any final decisions are made, you can sit down and have real conversations with hopeful adoptive parents, asking them anything you want about their values, their lifestyle, and their vision for raising a child. It’s a chance to truly get to know them: their home, their traditions, what brings them joy, and what they hold dear.
 
I asked Mark and Genesis some fun questions that you won’t find in their adoption profile, and I learned that their faith-centered Texas home is full of laughter, homemade bread, board games, and the joy of raising their sweet daughter Lola. Mark and Genesis’s hearts are wide open as they eagerly await the chance to welcome another child into their warm, love-filled home. They’re ready to offer the same devotion, laughter, and cherished family traditions that have made their family so beautifully whole.
 

1. What is your favorite thing to cook or eat?

Genesis: We recently received a copy of Mark’s late grandmother’s cookie recipe, called peppernuts. The recipe was handwritten with minimal directions, so there has been some trial and error in figuring out how to bake the cookies just like Nanny did. We’ve had a lot of fun as a family testing out the recipe. Mark has shared some sweet memories of his grandmother from growing up, which the cookies remind him of, and we’ve all enjoyed eating the delicious treats!
 
Mark: I’ve been cooking pizzas for years, and my favorite way to cook pizza is at a make-your-own-pizza party. Everyone gets to pick their own toppings, and we always find people get really creative.
 
For my favorite thing to eat, nothing will ever beat Peppernuts at Christmas, especially last Christmas when Genesis surprised me with them. After not having had them since I was a teenager, Genesis made them exactly how I remember them. That’s a Christmas memory I’ll cherish forever.
 

2. When you were a kid, what did you absolutely love to do?

 
Genesis: As a kid, I loved to dance. Throughout my childhood and until I went to college, when I wasn’t in school, I could be found in the dance studio. I studied ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, and tap. I even worked as an assistant teacher at my dance studio after school and on weekends during high school.
 
Mark: As a kid, I loved playing piano. I would listen to great performances and do my best to recreate them. My greater passion, though, was for reading classics. When I was a teenager, I got a set of the “Great Books of the Western World,” and I have been reading classic works ever since. Each book from time periods long ago connects us with people from those times and enriches our imagination like nothing else.
 

You can get an even better glimpse into
Mark and Genesis’ lives in their video:

3. What was your first job?

Genesis: My first job after college was working for a nonprofit as an assistant meeting planner. I helped plan conferences funded by the STOP Violence Against Women Act, including law enforcement trainings and regional and national conferences. The job could be stressful at times, but I learned so much and got to travel around the country to events. Some of my favorite trips were to Santa Fe, New Mexico, Miami, Florida, and the US Virgin Islands.
 
Mark: My first job after college was co-founding an AI company. While I was doing postgraduate work in AI, it became clear to me that the field was entering a period of rapid progress, with major breakthroughs happening every year. It’s a demanding industry to work in, but it’s also incredibly rewarding because of the meaningful impact the work can have.
  

4. Is adoption already a part of your family?

Adoption is a huge part of our family, and we love to celebrate it. Not only was our daughter, Lola, adopted through Lifetime, but Mark and his sister were both adopted, as was Gen’s sister. Mark’s mom also worked as a social worker for an adoption agency for many years.
 
Adoption has always been important to both our families’ histories, and we enjoy sharing that with our daughter. We celebrate Mother’s Day Eve, where we share the story of how Lola came to us and pray for her birth mother (we call her Angel Momma), as well as Lola’s forever day, which is the day her adoption was finalized. She loves hearing the stories and celebrating those days. She’s always known about her adoption and enjoys celebrating our special family.
 

5. What is your ideal vacation?

Genesis: My ideal vacation would be tech-free. I’d love to go somewhere tropical,, spend time on a beach and/or by a pool, and be together as a family without screen interruptions. I would love to try some new foods and maybe take in a show or two.
 
Wherever we go, it would be fun to also explore the local area, maybe an open-air market or a local attraction. The most important thing, though, is spending time together and making memories.
 
Mark: My ideal vacation is also tech-free. Vacations are a special time to be with family in a different place, so it’s always fun to see something new. My childhood vacations are among my main memories, and my ideal vacation is one where we all build warm, shared memories.
  

Would you like to learn more about Mark and Genesis?

You can check out 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, anytime, even right now! We’ll get you connected to talking with Mark and Genesis over the phone or through a video call.