Dear Expectant Mom,
Thank you for taking the time to read our book. You reading this gives us hope that we will be able to start our family and we honestly cannot express the gratitude we feel. We know that this is not an easy decision for you, and we think you are so brave and strong for making this decision for your child. We want you to know just how much we admire the unconditional love you have and for considering going on this journey with us.
No matter what path you choose, we hope and wish for the absolute best for you.
When we were married, we knew we were ready to start a family. Our communication has been and always will be the foundation of our strong relationship. Above all, the only thing that has not changed over the past 10 years is that we are BEST and TRUEST of friends. We felt ready to start a family but it just did not work for us. We spent 4 years working with doctors, going through many rounds of IUIs and IVF. We tried our hardest, had our hearts broken and had a few miscarriages but through all of our heartbreaks, our relationship grew stronger. We took time after our last heartbreak and really just thought about our future and the one thing that always was a constant was that we wanted to have a family. We know that we have so much love in our hearts and that more than anything, we want to raise a family together so that we can share our love. And so here we are, ready more than ever, to start our adoption journey.
If you choose us as adoptive parents, we promise to always have and give unconditional love. We will support and do everything we can to make sure your child has the happiest childhood and the best future possible. We will provide a happy, positive and loving home to grow up in and raise them with the values that we live by. We will teach them respect, the importance of family, and kindness. We will raise them to embrace differences in others, be part of the community and to be a leader. We also promise to honor you by making sure that your child knows how much unconditional love you have and how you made the most beautiful and selfless decision, all for them.
We met at the school where we both work. We started off as friends and took our time getting to know each other. We eventually started dating and a year later, we moved in together. We lived with each other for a few years and then one day, on one of our daily walks, he proposed. I was totally shocked because I had no idea it was coming. It was one of the happiest days ever. We have been together for 10 years. People often say how much we are meant to be. Eight months later we were married and after all the years, we can honestly say that it keeps getting better. Our relationship has become stronger and stronger.
We love to travel. We love going on cruises and seeing different parts of the United States and learning about history. But our favorite trips of all are visiting the different ballparks in the United States. So far, we have seen most of the east coast ballparks - we tour them and then go to the games! We cannot wait to continue this tradition with your child! No matter what season it is, we are always rooting for a team. Sports are such a huge part of our lives. We live for the excitement! We love going to games and rooting for our teams, whether it is with our friends or just with each other. It is always a fun time!
My wife Stacy is the most amazing, loving and caring person I have ever met. Stacy is an elementary school teacher who works with students that have autism. When she first took on this role at work, she submerged herself in knowing everything so that she could do her best to help and support her students. She wanted to be the best person she could be for these kids and make them feel as comfortable and loved when they are around her. It is not a surprise to me that they adore her!
Stacy has all the qualities that show me she is going to be a the most amazing mom. From playing with her nieces and our friends' children to showing compassion and love to each and every student she encounters. When she is not working, Stacy and I love going to sporting events. I even got her into the sport of hockey! She loves the Yankees even though I am a Mets fan, LOL.
Stacy enjoys going to aquariums, zoos, whale and dolphin watching and she even found a Llama walking tour. She also loves watching and going to concerts. Stacy likes to travel and in the summer, you will find us on a cruise or visiting a ballpark! Stacy also has a special place in her heart for Disney - I know she is excited to visit there as a family of three one day!
Stacy's personality will light up a room. She is funny, kind, and will make sure that you are comfortable and feel welcomed at all times. Stacy is also a person who is dependable and someone you can rely on. When I hurt my knee, Stacy took care of all my needs and concerns. She kept me focused on just getting better and she would handle the rest. She is my best friend and my other half. I am truly blessed to have found my soul mate.
My husband, Patrick, is amazing. He is kind, caring and loving. To me, he is perfect. He knows how to make me smile and laugh. He is a great listener. People often ask me what the best day of my life is and I always say that it is the day I married my best friend. It is the day all the planets aligned and now I get to wake up every day to my best friend. He loves me for my weaknesses, which are his strengths. He totally completes me and I fall in love with him each and every day.
Patrick is passionate and works hard. As a husband, at work, and in his hobbies, he never does anything halfway. He is kind, smart and honest. He thinks deeply about everything from his work, to faith to his favorite sports teams. You can always count on him for anything. Patrick has such a good sense of humor. He makes me laugh so much.
Patrick is a student advocate in our school. He works with students who are having any kind or problems or struggles with their education. Patrick works hard to make sure these students get the help and resources they need to engage in a positive learning experience. But the truth is, he gets to know all the middle school students. He pushes them to be the very best they can be. He is someone the kids really respect!
This year, Patrick tore his ACL and had to work from home for 2 weeks. Students would find me and ask me to call him or Facetime him because they needed him. One conversation I overheard was that they felt lost without him and they were not doing well. No matter what the issue is, he is always there to help them find a solution and not by telling but by figuring it out together.
I know with all my heart that Patrick is going to be the best father. He has so much love to share and will be there to guide your child every step of the way.
WHERE WE LIVE
We live in our 2-bedroom home which we have owned for the past ten years. There is a beautiful courtyard, a playground and space to play. Our neighborhood is very family oriented with plenty of parks, sports teams, dance schools, and after school activities for children to take part in. The school we are zoned is highly recommended to many families in the area, which is one of the reasons we decided to move here.
One thing we love to do in our house is decorate. You can be sure that our home is decked out for each holiday! Christmas time is our favorite. The lights just make us so happy. Patrick always jokes that we should send pictures of our house to the show, The Great Christmas Fight! It is no way up to their level though, but we still love it!
Birthdays and holidays all get the same special treatment in our family. We always celebrate with a family dinner! Our families live so close to us that we all celebrate together. We love that our families keep growing!
Our favorite holiday is Christmas! We love the lights, decorating and most importantly, celebrating with each other. There is something so special about the idea of gift giving and we really enjoy watching everyone's excitement opening their gifts and sharing in the season together! Both of our families cannot wait to have another little one to share the holidays with.
Stacy grew up with her parents and two older brothers. Her parents live about 10 minutes away in the house she grew up in. They are both retired and are so excited to have a new grandchild to love and spoil.
Stacy's oldest brother lives about 20 minutes from her with his wife and two daughters. Michael has been a great support and he too is thrilled that we have decided to build our family through adoption. He is the first to offer really valuable parenting and life advice. We are very close with them and are excited for a future full of cousin get togethers!
Stacy's other brother passed away from a heart attack 4 years ago. Her heart is still broken from losing him. Chris and Stacy were close. Stacy knows God needed him and gave him his wings. He is always watching over her and we know he is always protecting us. We keep his memory alive in all of us and the way we live our lives today.
Patrick's family is smaller, having grown up an only child. Patrick grew up in a loving home with his mom and stepdad. Patrick's dad died when he was nine years old. But growing up he was very close with his aunts and three cousins who lived in Long Island. They had a great family life with a lot of strong and positive influence.
Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you no matter what. All through his life, Patrick has made incredible friends that he still talks to daily. They get together often. Friends have helped Patrick celebrate good times and provide support during harder times.
As you can see, we have an incredible village of people who love us and are ready to love your baby.
Thank you again for reading our book and for getting to know us through these pages. We hope you know that if you do choose us, we will love your child unconditionally and show them nothing but love. We will also honor you every step of the way. We have such big dreams that we cannot wait to share with your child.
If your heart tells you that we are the right family for your child, we want you to take comfort knowing that we will always love your child and put them first. We will do everything in our power to make sure they have the most amazing life possible.
No matter what you decide, we wish you the best and are so grateful for you taking the time to read this book. We wish you the best as you make this incredibly hard decision, which we know you are making out of love for your baby.