Dear Expectant Parent(s)

Dear Expectant Parent(s),

It is with such gratitude, love, and admiration for you and what you are doing that we write this letter. Our journey to adoption has been a process of much thought, daily prayers, and at times overwhelming emotions. We hope this heartfelt letter will lead you in the right direction in your search for adoptive parents. Words alone cannot describe how grateful we are for the decision that you are making to choose life and consider adoption for your child.

We have come to understand that adoption is an incredible way to build a family. We do not feel that we are "cursed with infertility", but rather "blessed through adoption". Our long-awaited dream of becoming parents was fulfilled in 2006 when Tyler joined our family thanks to an amazing and heroic birth mother. We have come to love his birth family as our own extended family and have a very open relationship with them. This includes emails, photos, visits, and phone calls on a fairly regular basis. We are very willing and open to whatever contact and communication you would desire for you and your child. We have an abundance of love to offer to another child and to the loving birth parents that choose us to parent their child. You can be certain that your baby will always know what a wonderful and loving person you are and that your decision for adoption was a pure act of self-less love.

BOY MEETS GIRL BECAUSE OF GIRL'S FATHER

We began our relationship as friends and have maintained that special bond. We were introduced to each other by Christy’s father. Following that meeting, we spent a lot of time getting to know each other before committing to marriage. We have built a relationship on mutual respect, commitment, communication, and love. We were married in the Chicago Latter Day Saint Temple on a beautiful fall day in September of 1999 and went to Sundance, Utah for our honeymoon. While there we courageously took our first-ever hot air balloon ride and were enthralled by the beauty and serenity of the mountains, nature, and the great outdoors.

Family is most important to us, so we always try to place family first. We enjoy spending time with our extended family and all of our nieces and nephews. We feel blessed that both of our extended families live in close proximity to us. Family dinners are a favorite activity where we gather on a regular basis to catch up and enjoy one another’s company. They, too, are anticipating new additions to our growing family tree.

MEET OUR FAMILY

Eric is a kind, gentle, hard-working provider for our family. He is the CEO of his own corporation. He enjoys working with computers as his hobby, as well as working on home improvement projects. Following high school, Eric spent three years serving in the United States Navy, after which he attended the University of Illinois and studied computer science engineering. He is the youngest of three in his family, which includes a married brother and sister, as well as four nephews and a niece.

Christy is a soft-spoken, sensitive person who loves children and enjoys working with them. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University and is a former high school home economics/Family and Consumer Science teacher. Her schedule included teaching foods, child development, and running a preschool program. She now enjoys her new job title of "Stay-at-Home Mom" but she rarely stays at home! She and Tyler love to take walks, go to the parks in our neighborhood, attend classes at the library for Tyler, and shopping. She is very creative and enjoys using that talent when she is planning activities and play groups for Tyler, crafting, sewing, cooking, and teaching. Christy has two married brothers and loves entertaining their four children.

Tyler keeps both of us very active and on our toes. He is such a happy little boy with the bluest eyes and the biggest smile that will just make your insides all warm! He loves trains, trucks, and puzzles. He enjoys reading, and reading, and re-reading books especially books about trucks. He loves to listen for the "garbage can truck" and it is a big treat to run out and watch the truck in action! He knows all of his letters and the sounds they make. He loves to count and he amazes us with how quickly he learns. He has melted our hearts and has made us into big softies! The three of us are excited to add another bundle of joy and happiness to our home and we are confident that Tyler will be a wonder big brother. Family "Group Hugs and kisses" before bed and prayers each night are our favorite time of the day.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US

As a couple, we enjoy spending time reading, taking walks, watching movies, dining out, and just plain being together. We are truly best friends and we want to be positive examples and role models to Tyler and any future children. We believe that we have much to give as a couple. We have learned, even further, the importance of communication as we parent Tyler together. Tyler has taught us so much and has brought us even closer together as a couple and as a family. We are so excited to continue to grow our eternal family.

Involvement in church activities keeps us busy. Our home is located only fifteen minutes from our local church building. Our religious beliefs and it's teachings are extremely important to us and it is the foundation on which we have centered our lives, our marriage, and our parenting style.

HOME IS WHERE YOUR STORY BEGINS

We are very fortunate to have a beautiful home in the suburbs of Chicago. We live in a very child-friendly neighborhood with homes that are filled with children. There is an elementary school, three playgrounds, and a pond within walking distance from our home. We are within driving distance of Chicago, giving us easy access to all of its educational and entertainment opportunities. We have a beautiful three bedroom home, which includes a family room with a fireplace and a finished basement. The backyard is a large, fenced-in area which includes a deck that we love to use for cookouts with friends and family. It is a perfect area for children to play in. It is our belief that the home should be a place of joy, safety, and refuge from the busy world that we live in and we strive to fill ours with peace, love, and warmth.

CONSIDER US TO PARENT YOUR BEAUTIFUL CHILD

Love, education, more love, and happy memories are the gifts we want to give to our children. We have learned that love is not dictated by biology. We feel very strongly that every child should be part of a loving family with caring parents; whether or not they are biologically their own. As parents, we want to teach our children values, correct principles, trust and unconditional love.

One portion of our family mission statement reads, "Attitude is everything. Eleanor Roosevelt said, 'Circumstances may color my life, but I get to choose the color.' Life is meant to be lived, loved and enjoyed, not just endured. Smiles, humor, hope, and happiness are required!" It is our intent to make sure that our family is cared for in every way possible. Thank you for considering us for the precious gift and responsibility of parenting your child.

With Love,

Eric and Christy

“You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”
~Henry Drummond~