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Kids & Family

Berkley Couple Hopes Twitter Will Help Them Find a Baby to Adopt

After years on the adoption list, Rick and Erika Jones are trying a new method that they hope people will help out with in order to bring a new born into their lives.

Berkley couple Rick and Erika Jones, who have been married for six years, have spent the last two on the adoption list, hoping for their first child.

WXYZ reported that the couple is now not just relying on the adoption agency to help them find the newest member of their family, but they are reaching out through Twitter in hopes to connect with a prospective birth mom. 

Rick Jones uses the Twitter handle rjman48 to spread the word, telling people he is a "Metro Detroit firefighter who's currently going thru an adoption journey!"

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Before the recent media attention brought by his tweets to celebrities (and retweets from national media, like Good Morning America anchors), the Joneses used a blog to share their story. 

There, they send a heartfelt letter to potential birth moms reading their plea:

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"We cannot imagine how hard it is for you to consider the option of adoption and take this path. We want you to know that we do not take this opportunity for granted and our sincere compassion and blessings go out to you.

Since we have been married, we have been very eager and ready to start a family. We have always wanted children and cannot wait for that day when we are blessed with the opportunity to adopt."

The Joneses were willing to take it a step further, however. “Our agency told us that we should market ourselves,” Erika Jones told 7 Action News in the report that aired Thursday. 

So, Rick took his search to bring a baby home to Twitter in order to reach a different audience. He says his hope is to be retweeted by many, particularly famous people, who can spread the message in a vast way. 

Thus far, Rick is following 406 people on Twitter and has 68 followers. Of more than 400 tweets, Rick's request to others is simple: Retweet. 

"RT requests aren't spam! Just hope-to-be adoptive parents asking to help us reach out! It takes a village to convey a message! Thank you!" one of his recent tweets said.

For more information on the Jones' journey to adopt, visit their blog and adoption profile

And of course, help them see if Twitterverse has the answer they are looking for – a way to connect them with their very own Baby Jones.

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