Choose A Family : Parent Profile
Marie
Dear Birth Mom,
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I know you are about to make one of the most important decisions of your life — finding someone who will love your child as much as you do — and I appreciate you allowing me to share a little bit about myself with you.
Why I want to be a mom
I am lucky to belong to a loving, close-knit family that includes my parents, 1 brother, 3 sisters and 10 nieces and nephews.
My nieces and nephews are a very important part of my life. Over the years, I’ve changed their diapers, helped them take their first steps and fielded their endless questions about life.
It’s hard to put into words how much they have enriched my life and the joy I’ve had helping them become who they are.
The only thing that could top my love for them is the love that I would have for my own little girl or boy.
What a blessing it would be for me to be able to hold my child in my arms, to tell him or her how much I love them, to cheer my child on at sports games, to encourage him or her to color outside the lines and to help my child become the best person he or she can be.
A little bit about me
The early years. I grew up just outside Philadelphia on a street with lots of families. I could run out my front door any time of day and always have friends waiting to play.
It was a childhood filled with lots of adventures and great memories. One of my favorite memories is of Sunday breakfast. That’s the day my dad would put on his chef’s hat and cook up a feast for the whole family. He’d serve it with my all-time favorite — a big loaf of Italian bread.
I was a pretty good student in school, although I was more creative than brainy. Naturally, my favorite classes were my art classes. (I still have some of my “early work” stashed away in my closet.)
Believe it or not, I majored in finance in college. Not exactly creative, but I have an “organizational streak,” so I enjoyed the challenge of getting numbers to make sense.
After graduation, I enjoyed working in finance. However, a few years ago, I decided to put a different spin on my career. So I went back to school and earned a Master’s Degree in Communications.
Not just a job.
Today, I work as a financial writer for a really great investment company in Los Angeles. They’re very generous with their associates and very much support a work/life balance. And that is important to me.
I love being a writer because it allows me to use both my creative and my analytical sides.
Investing can be intimidating for many people. I help them understand how the financial markets work and how to invest for goals such as college and retirement. I enjoy taking complex topics and simplifying them for people.
My job is also great fun because I work with a wonderful team of creative, friendly people from all walks of life. My coworkers and friends not only make my job easier, they make it interesting too.
The great outdoors.
When I’m not working, I take full advantage of the endless California sunshine. Sometimes it’s hard to get my chores done because I want to be outside enjoying the great weather.
With the beaches and mountains so close by, life couldn’t be more perfect. I enjoy hiking, riding my bike along the beach or just taking walks in one of the many parks near my home.
I’m looking forward to sharing my love for the outdoors and all of the healthy, fun things there are to do with my son or daughter.
The travel bug.
I’m pretty sure I was bitten by the travel bug when I was a baby because I have been excited about traveling for as long as I can remember.
My travel bug has taken me to a lot of fascinating places around the United States and in Europe.
A few years ago, I took my first trip to Asia to the incredible island of Bali. I biked and hiked all over the island visiting ancient temples and witnessing tons of colorful festivals.
And last year, I walked the Inca Trail in Peru all the way to the ancient city of Machu Picchu. What an incredible experience!
Wherever I go, I always buy little mementos of my trip. Every Christmas, I decorate my tree with my collection and have fun remembering the places I have visited.
Traveling has had such a positive impact on my life and I’m really excited about sharing my travel bug with my little girl or boy.
Being creative.
Of course, I’m always looking for opportunities to explore my creative side. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, although I have to admit I’m more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it.
I carry a small camera with me wherever I go in case a “photo moment” presents itself. I’m amazed at how much beauty can be found in everyday things when you take a moment to look.
I also love to cook. My absolute favorite is Italian, however, I am expanding my recipe collection to include other delicious cuisines such as Mexican and Vietnamese.
I’ve learned how to make great food like enchiladas, empanadas, tamales, nopales, udon and pho.
I often invite my family and friends over to test new recipes, including my “ultimate” chili, which I am currently perfecting.
Making a house my home.
A few years ago, I bought a home in a great little area with lots of parks and open spaces.
It’s like the neighborhood where I grew up. There are so many young families. It seems like there are toddlers running everywhere and I’m constantly reminded of my nieces and nephews when they were that age.
I love to walk around the neighborhood just after dinner. That’s when everyone comes out with their kids and dogs for their evening stroll. It’s a great time to catch up with my neighbors — big and small.
Making my house a home has been hard work, but I’ve had great fun learning how to do things like tile, paint, patch walls, rewire lights and hang curtains. I had the most fun decorating, mainly with my photos and crafts I have collected in my travels.
I’m amazed at how much I have accomplished. My greatest compliment is when people say how warm and friendly my home feels.
Meet my family
Mom & dad.
My parents are hard working, salt-of-the-earth people. Originally from Ireland, my mom was 18 and my dad 20 when they came to the United States.
Not long after they arrived, they met at a dance in Philadelphia. They married and 5 kids and 10 grandkids later, they’re still going strong.
What I love most about my dad (aka “pop pop”) is his sense of humor. He’s also a fantastic storyteller. Although, sometimes he laughs so hard at his own jokes, he has a hard time getting to the punch line.
Not only is my mom the greatest “mom mom” in the world, she’s also our head chef. Two family favorites are her coleslaw and her stuffing. Even though she’s a fantastic cook, somehow she’s never managed to master biscuits. We look forward to eating burned biscuits at every family dinner just for the entertainment factor.
Both my mom and dad are excited about adding another grandchild to our family. They were such great parents growing up and they’re such wonderful grandparents now, I can’t wait for them to be a part of my child’s life.
The team
I’d love to tell you the whole life story of each one of my siblings and their children, but there are just too many of them. So, I’ll share a little tidbit about each.
.JPG)
Jimmy and the girls. My oldest and only brother owns Christmas dinner. It’s his day to shine and he puts a lot of thought into the planning from soup to nuts.
He likes to say how hard his life was growing up with 4 sisters. I think God gave him 4 girls — Megan, Ashley, Nicole and Jessica — so he could have a second chance to appreciate us.
Eileen and family. My older sister is a teacher so she has a natural tendency to want to give us all assignments, especially for family gatherings. Of course, we’re not always very good students.
Eileen is mom to 3 fantastic children: Rebecca, Rachel and Daniel.
Geraldine and family. My younger sister is the great communicator of our family. She knows what’s going on with all of us and keeps everyone in the loop.
She’s also in the medical profession, so we all call her when we need a diagnosis. Geraldine is mom to my very tall nephew Colin.
Kathy and the kids. My youngest sister is the family baker. She is mom to 2 bright, affectionate kids named James and Katrina. We can always count on Kathy and the kids (because they help) to bring something sweet and delicious to eat whenever we get together.
The nuts don’t fall far from the tree.
My mom likes to say that I am “my father’s daughter,” which makes me proud. But I’m not the only one who inherited my dad’s gift for tall tales.
Whenever the family gets together, we always end up sitting around the kitchen table telling stories about everything under the sun. Even my nieces and nephews join in.
The importance of friends
I have a lot of great friends, but my best friend, Mary, is like a sister to me.
I can still remember the first day we met. We were walking to school on opposite sides of the street. One day I said to her “My mom knows your mom. Want to be friends?” She said “yes” and we’ve been thick as thieves ever since.
The same can be said of my other childhood friends: Ginger, Donna and Kathy. We’re a close knit bunch and a great support network for each other.
I’m also fortunate to have a great network of friends in Southern California too. They’re wonderful, interesting people from all walks of life.
I like the saying “variety is the spice of life” because it truly describes my friends and family.
In closing
Thank you again for taking time to read my letter and allowing me to share a little bit of my life with you.
I hope my words were able to express the immense love that I would have for your little girl or boy, as well as the immense love that is waiting from my family and friends.
If you would like to speak with us about adopting your child or have any questions, please contact one of our Adoption Advisors at Adopt Help by calling 1-800-637-7999 toll free.
Check Our Rating