Meet our newest #EndlessCaravan crew who hit the road this week – the Joneses!
After a short summer hiatus, the Airstream #EndlessCaravan continues with Wild Free Ones, a family from Ohio who advocates for adoption by sharing the story of their own journey in the fostering community.
Jeff and Kristina Jones think of their family as a mosaic in which each piece plays an integral role.
“Each part of our family is separate and unique, and they all come together to make something great,” says Jeff. “We saw so much need for adoption and foster care – we knew we could make a difference in the lives of these kids while at the same time growing our family.”
Born and raised in Ohio, Jeff works as a photographer and Kristina is a social worker. They recently moved back to the Buckeye State after spending several years in Kansas City. They plan to settle soon in Cincinnati, where they will work with the nonprofit New Oaks Community, whose mission is to create a support system for adoptive and fostering families.
Over the course of both their lives, Jeff and Kristina saw firsthand how important the foster and adoption community is in the lives of neglected and abandoned children. The couple adopted their son Elijah when he was eight months old and their lives were forever changed. Now, ten, Elijah is a natural leader, curious and observant. His biological brother, Mattais, came next – adopted as a newborn.
“He’s the creative of our family,” says Jeff, laughing as Mattais draws an Airstream travel trailer and tow vehicle on a whiteboard at Airstream headquarters.
Liam, now six (“Six and a half,” he emphasizes) rounds out the trio of brothers. He was intrigued by the manufacturing process as the family toured the Airstream production floor, asking questions about each stage of the manufacturing process.
“Liam was a surprise call,” remembers mom Kristina. “We got the call and brought him home as a newborn.”
Like many boys, Elijah, Mattais, and Liam are full of energy, humor, and creativity. They are excited to see the country as the family’s Endless Caravan takes them down through the south and back up the East Coast, with planned stops in Smoky Mountain National Park and Acadia National Park in Maine. Kristina and Jeff plan to “road school” the boys as they make their way through their itinerary.
“We really believe in the power of nature,” says Jeff. “When our boys go outside, they are so interested in what they find. A sense of peace and calm comes over them that’s hard to describe.”
As they travel, the Jones family will meet up with other families as they share their fostering story.
“We want to show people how important this is, and how it can transform not only the life of a child who needs a family, but the family who takes that child in,” says Kristina.
Follow the Joneses on their Endless Caravan at airstream.com/blog, and on social media at @airstream_inc and @wildfreeones. Jeff and Kristina also post to their personal social media channels at @ohsnapjeff and @everydaywonderings and they blog at wildfreeones.wordpress.com.
