What does "Family Life" mean to you?
“Family Life” means laughter, understanding and taking time for one other; for example, developing fond memories such as camping and cookouts with our friends and family. Family Life is celebrating holidays and birthdays together. Family Life means being supportive and loving one another no matter what.
Describe your childhood:
Adoptive Mom: I grew up in a country setting on a wooded acre lot. There was a cornfield to play in at the end of our street. My brother and I played games, like hide-and-seek and kickball with the other neighborhood children. We chased fireflies in July and jumped into piles of leaves in the fall. We went trick-or-treating dressed in homemade costumes. We went swimming, and attended summer camps and Bible school. For vacations my family visited theme parks and went camping. I grew up with pets, having cats, dogs and rabbits. My parents helped me with my homework, and attended every recital or sports practice I had.
Adoptive Dad: I grew up in a country setting on two acres next to a ten-acre farm. I have three brothers and a younger sister. We played together, making up games to entertain our imaginations. We went horseback riding on the neighbor’s horses. We had a pool and enjoyed swimming in the summertime. We loved to play waffle ball and had a dirt baseball diamond in our backyard. We all attended summer camp for music. We all sing and were in the school choir. Our mom bred Collies and we rescued stray cats. Our home was always filled with noise, because after-all there were five kids growing up under one roof!
Tell us about your home?
Our home is a very comfortable, single-family home with three and one-half baths, four bedrooms, a large family room, kitchen, kitchenette and formal dining room. Our basement is fully finished with a full bathroom and an office. We have a one-car garage and our backyard is fully fenced, with lots of trees, a garden and open space. Our lot is landscaped with beautiful trees, plants and blooming flowers.
When you have a 3-day weekend, what do you like to do?
Normally a three-day weekend accompanies a holiday, so we plan a cookout or picnic with family and friends. We catch up on housework, and enjoy relaxing on our sun porch.
Do you have pets? If so tell us about them?
We have two Pugs named Bonnie and Clyde, who are brother and sister. Their previous owner passed away from cancer, and one of her final wishes was that they go to a good home, and not be separated; so we adopted them about two years ago. We were so excited to add them to our life!
What is your favorite food?
Adoptive Mom: Pizza, Chinese, ice cream, Raisinets, French fries, and sushi.
Adoptive Dad: Pizza, Chinese, ice cream, chips and salsa, hot dogs, and sushi.
What do you hope to teach your children?
We hope to teach our children good values, morals and manners. We hope to teach them everything we have learned, and to benefit from our mistakes.
Do you play any musical instruments?
Adoptive Mom: Guitar, drums, and piano.
Adoptive Dad: Guitar, piano, and trumpet.
Describe your neighborhood?
Our neighborhood is quaint, safe, and peaceful. It’s filled with children, pets and parents, beautifully manicured lawns, playgrounds, a bike and a walking path. All of our neighbors are friendly, and everyone decorates their home for the holidays.
Share something about your spouse that only you know:
Adoptive Mom: I fold laundry upstairs, and Bill will be in the kitchen, not knowing I can hear him singing. And he will be singing loud and clear, and dancing around like Tom Cruise in the Risky Business movie and I’ll catch him when I walk down the stairs. I’ll ask him, “What were you singing?” and he will reply, “Who me? I wasn’t singing.” And I just smile.
Adoptive Dad: Gidget has an incredible talent for making friends. When we go out, she’ll talk to anyone, and find out the most interesting details about other people. Sometimes we leave a restaurant having made new-found friends! She’s much braver than I am, when it comes to talking to new people.
Describe the last romantic thing you did together?
We tell one another every day “I love you”, yet the most current romantic time we spent together was aboard a Disney Cruise ship called the Magic! And it was a magical experience! Our voyage was a seven-day cruise, and we participated in Pirate Night by dressing up as pirates, dancing to great music on the top deck, and having our pictures taken with several Disney characters.
What will you tell your child about their birthmother?
We would tell our child that their birthmother was a selfless individual, who only had their best interest at heart. And in an act of love, sought out a loving and caring home for them, and after careful consideration, chose us as their forever parents.
It's Daddy's day - what activity do you want to share with your child?
For Daddy’s day we would start the day off with a family breakfast. Afterwards, we would all go for a long walk and talk about what we see on the way. We would then visit a playground and push our child on the swings. In the afternoon, we would play a board game or do some outdoor activity, like swimming. For dinner we’d have a cookout, and then get ice cream for desert.
Do you plan on sharing with your child what their birth parents were like?
We would share as little or as much information as the birth parents requested. We would be open and honest with our child, about any and all information provided to us, about their birth parents.
What kind of education are you hoping to provide for your child - Private or Public?
We will provide our child with the best education possible. Currently, private schools in our city are better recommended for early education, whereas public schools are recommended for high school ages. We will definitely support our child in pursuing a college education.
How did you come to the decision of adoption?
We came to the decision of adoption after two grueling years of fertility attempts, and the loss of our only pregnancy. Exhausting all avenues to conceive a child of our own, we turned to adoption, having friends and family members who themselves are adopted.
What faith will you raise your child?
Christian
How will you help your child accomplish their dreams?
We would help our child accomplish their dreams by teaching them to dream, and have an imagination. We will support them emotionally and help them to be empowered to set goals, and become responsible. We will also open as many doors as possible in order to help our child accomplish his/her dreams.
What kind of a relationship do you hope to build with your birthmom through her pregnancy?
We hope to build a supportive, friendly, open and trustworthy relationship with our birthmom. We will respect her wishes, even if she decides she would prefer a closed adoption. We will do our best to provide her with moral support no matter what type of relationship she wants with us.
How did you meet?
Bill and I met at a local restaurant. Bill was dining out with his best friend, and I was waiting to meet a friend for dinner. I eavesdropped on their conversation because they were making me laugh so hard! I ended up chatting with Bill and his best friend for about a half hour. I thought to myself, “Wow, this guy is great! He’s smart, educated, goal-oriented and good-looking. He would never ask me out.” But I was wrong! At the end of our conversation Bill asked me out, and we have been together ever since!
What was your relationship with your parents like?
Adoptive Mom: I have always had a close relationship with my parents, although they are divorced. As a child, my mom helped out with Girl Scouts and bake sales. She sewed and made us both matching dresses for Christmas. She drove me to sports practices, and attended every music recital I ever had. As an adult, my mom and I speak on the phone at least twice a day. If I need advice or a shopping buddy, she’s always there for me. As a child, my dad helped me with my math homework, because I had a hard time with fractions. My dad also taught me how to drive and taught me the importance of a savings account. As an adult, although I see my dad infrequently, he still calls to touch base and tell me he loves me.
Adoptive Dad: My dad split on our family when I was 15, and left my mom the only parent of five children.
My mom is a strong lady, and managed to teach us good values, to work hard, and to be financially responsible. My family is close; we spend a lot of time together playing board games and video games, having pizza night, or just visiting with one another. We get together for everyone’s birthday, and every holiday, and because my family is big, that’s a lot of get-togethers!
What attracted you to each other?
Gidget was attracted to Bill’s laugh, his stunningly blue eyes, and his intellect.
Bill was attracted to Gidget’s red hair, green eyes, and their common interests.
We both love to laugh, and make one another laugh. We love to go dancing, go to the movies, travel and experience new things, like trying a new restaurant or seeing a great concert.
Please describe your personalities:
Adoptive Mom? Friendly, nurturing, warm, witty, laidback, upbeat, and has a sunny disposition.
Adoptive Dad? Funny, nurturing, passionate, inventive, and a good storyteller.
What are your hobbies (please share those you enjoy as individuals and those you enjoy as a couple):
Adoptive Mom? Fashion, dancing, movies, music, softball, biking, scrapbooking, skiing, reading, and knitting.
Adoptive Dad? Modeling, dancing, movies, music, softball, biking, skiing, jogging, woodworking, and cooking.
When you close your eyes and see yourself holding your precious baby in your arms what are your thoughts regarding the birthmother?
My very first thought regarding the birthmother is Thank you. Thank you for making such a brave decision and choosing us to be the forever parents of your child! Thank you for fulfilling our dream!
How will a child enrich your life?
A child will enrich our lives in more than a thousand, million, billion ways, more than any words we could write or express: more than all the stars in the universe. Just thinking about being parents brings tears of happiness to our eyes. A child would complete our dream of becoming parents and fill our hearts with the deepest happiness, only a child can bring.
Why did you each choose the career path you decided on?
Adoptive Mom: I chose my career path as an Administrative Assistance in the Fine and Performing Arts because I work in a non-typical, creative setting. I work with theatre, speech, music and art students. Being around such a creative atmosphere makes me enjoy my job, and allows me to watch students grow.
Adoptive Dad: I was always told I am a good listener, and offer good advice. So I followed up these compliments by obtaining my master’s degree in counseling and becoming a School Guidance Counselor. I work with students ages 13-18, and help guide them to meet their graduation goals, as well as set goals for their future.
What makes a birthmom special?
What makes her special is her heart, her intelligence and her bravery. The fact that she will be nobility in our minds and represent an angel who gave a child the most precious gift of all: life and a loving family.
|
Adoption Brochure