Dear Birthmother,

We are so appreciative that you are taking the time to get to know us.  As we write this letter to you, we are very excited about the prospect of becoming a mom and dad, and we really hope you’ll consider us as parents for your baby. 

Although this must be a difficult decision for you, please know that regardless of whether you choose us or someone else, what you’re doing is amazing.  You’re giving someone the greatest gift imaginable—the gift of family and the opportunity to love and cherish a child.

If you do choose us, rest assured that you will also be giving an incredible gift to your baby— a safe and happy home with two loving parents who will give him or her great opportunities in life.

ABOUT US
We are Karen and Steve.  We met in 1999 at, of all places – the gym. It was a small gym near the beach that had an outdoor balcony overlooking the ocean and people would often bring their dogs to play there while working out.  One morning, a Golden Retriever puppy named Archie came bounding up the stairs onto the balcony.  Karen, a lifelong dog lover, couldn’t believe how cute the puppy was…and as a matter of fact, so was the human on the other end of the leash, who happened to be Steve!  So, giving credit where credit is due, it was actually Archie who introduced us.

We were married in 2001 at a big family wedding in a Catholic church just outside of Chicago.  We are currently living in a quiet suburb in Southern California, in a restored 1923 home that we recently purchased to make room for our growing family.

Steve’s parents, Bill and Eileen live in his hometown of Denver, and his sister, Lori, and her family are in Oregon.  We have been blessed with five nieces and nephews whom we spend a lot of time with, despite the distance.  Tari, Jeff, Robbie, Corey and Sydney are each wonderful and all so different—they’re loving, respectful and all do well in school.  In fact, we hope to glean a bit of parenting advice from Steve’s sister and her husband!

Although Karen’s dad, Joe, passed away in 2002, her mom, Audrey, still lives near Chicago with quite a bit of family in the area.  We travel to Chicago a couple times a year, particularly around the holidays, when Karen’s family gets together for a traditional Christmas Eve celebration.  It’s always a great time—everyone eats too much, Uncle Eddie whips out the accordion and we all sing Christmas carols, and someone always puts on a Santa suit and passes out gifts.  Admittedly, it’s a little hokey, but we wouldn’t trade it for the world.  Karen’s mom and her Aunt Bev also have a bit of an obsessive Christmas shopping habit.  They start around June and by Christmas time, there’s a somewhat embarrassing gluttony of gifts, large and small, for everyone. 

ABOUT STEVE…BY KAREN
The one thing I love the most about my husband is that he makes me laugh at least once a day, often all-out belly laughs.  He’s witty and funny and I often wonder how his mind comes up with his hysterical observations about the normal course of life.  Besides that, there is quite a laundry list of reasons that he’s so special. He’s honest and trustworthy and I always feel safe and secure with him and in our relationship.  Steve is also one of the most thoughtful human beings I have ever met.  He never forgets a birthday, anniversary or special day and has a unique ability to say just the right thing at just the right moment.

I often say about Steve that “you can take the boy out of Colorado, but you can’t take Colorado out of the boy.”  He’s down to earth, friendly, caring and humble.  Sometimes it seems that no one is more surprised by his success than he is.  Steve works as a writer, and I am so proud of all that he has accomplished.  His job affords him the ability to work at home, and since I work too, it’s really great having him around the house.  He probably helps out more at home than most husbands do and I’m really grateful for that.

Steve is also quite a kid at heart.  He loves theme parks, spook houses and all things Christmas. We migrate to Disneyland at least once a year and I know he’ll be an amazing dad because he just can’t wait to bring his son or daughter along for the ride -- literally.  We both really love holiday traditions—pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving feasts, summer BBQs, Fourth of July fireworks, and of course, Christmas.  We’re usually the first ones on our block to put up our Christmas tree every year.

I should also mention how much I admire Steve’s musical talent, which includes singing and playing the piano—both of which I fail at miserably.  Since I met Steve, I have always thought he is the Ying to my Yang and we’re so happy we found each other.

ABOUT KAREN…BY STEVE
To put it simply, Karen is the most beautiful and wonderful woman I’ve ever known.  She’s incredibly smart, thoughtful and loving.  She’s also great with kids, and when I see how she cares for our pets, Archie, Bea and GoGo—not to mention me—I know she’s going to make an incredible mom.  I also know that because Karen was adopted herself, she’s going to have a unique perspective as the mother of an adopted child.  For one thing, she’ll be able to relate to the questions our child may have as he or she grows up since Karen had those heartfelt questions as well.

Karen has many wonderful qualities, but one of her best is the way she interacts with people.  She can strike up a conversation with anyone and make them feel completely comfortable—as if she’s known them all her life.  That’s one of the reasons why she’s had such a successful career in the hospitality business - planning parties and events of all sizes, and making sure that everyone is happy.  (And that goes for birthday parties and special events at our house, too!)

Of course, I couldn’t talk about my wife without mentioning what an incredible cook she is.  Karen is never happier than when she’s in the kitchen trying out a new recipe or putting the finishing touches on a freshly baked cake (for which she has become somewhat famous among our friends and family).  But cooking and baking aren’t just hobbies for Karen—she’s actually a trained chef, and no one benefits more from her education than me!  Needless to say, I can guarantee our child will not only come home from school to a plate of homemade cookies, but he or she will have the most sought-after lunch box on the playground!

Karen also has an amazing knack for decorating and making our home beautiful, colorful and comfortable.  We’re both excited about our new house, and Karen especially can’t wait to decorate the nursery.

In our free time together, the simplest things can make us happy—playing with our dogs, trying a new restaurant, even walking up and down the aisles at Target!  Of course, we also love to travel, and while there are so many places in the world we hope to visit one day, there are many others which we find ourselves going back to again and again.  Lake Tahoe and Maui are among are favorites and we also love New York City.  I proposed to Karen at the top of the Empire State Building, which wasn’t easy considering it’s almost impossible to surprise her!

OUR WISH
We’ve always known we would be parents some day.  It was a little difficult when it didn’t happen naturally, but we figured there was something more in store for us.  We know first-hand that adoption is a beautiful and amazing way to build a family and trust there’s a special child out there for us. 

We respect the decision you are about to make – becoming parents would not be possible if it weren’t for someone as selfless and giving as you.  We thank you for considering us and hope that you have a better idea of who we are and how much we want to bring a child into our lives.  If you are interested in meeting us, please contact one of the adoption advisors at AdoptHelp by calling 1-800-637-7999.

Thank you again and please take care.

Sincerely,
Karen & Steve