Choose A Family : Parent Profile
Julie
Dear Birthmother,
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me. I admire and respect your decision to consider adoption for your child. While I can’t possibly know the feelings you are experiencing, I do know that this step involved a great deal of love for your child and hope for the life you want him or her to have. I have written this letter to help you begin to know the kind of person I am and the life that I am so very excited to offer and share with your child. I hope that it paints a clear picture for you, and most of all that it conveys the anticipation and excitement I have about starting my family through adoption. It will be an amazing experience and you reading my letter is just the start of the journey…thank you!
My Decision to Adopt
My name is Julie and I have always wanted a family of my own “someday” and that someday has finally arrived. I made the decision to adopt as a single woman, knowing that I am ready to be a mother now, and the husband that I still hope to meet will come later. I don’t want to miss the opportunity to be both rewarded and challenged by the incredible experience of providing a loving and nurturing home for a child.
One of the reasons I would like to be a parent is because of my own childhood experience. I feel very fortunate to have grown up in an environment of love and support. My parents made sure we had every opportunity that they could offer, and instilled in us the values of kindness, openness, integrity, and self-reliance. What I want most is to give that experience to a child. My hope is that he or she feels the same sense of security, love, laughter and fun that I feel when I think of my own family experiences.
When I made the decision to start my family, I felt a wonderful sense of peace and certainty about creating a home for a child who is about to be in the world already… Adoption was the road for me. Thank you for making this a lifetime opportunity for me. Your child will know that the love you have for him or her ultimately led to the start of our family.
About Me-Growing Up
I was born in southern California and have lived here most of my life. My parents inspired my love of the outdoors by taking us on many adventures. The best memories include sailing trips to the Channel Islands just off of our coast on the family sailboat and hiking together on the islands. Family vacations were also spent snow skiing, visiting my grandparent’s cabin in the mountains, spending summers at their beach house in Balboa, California, visiting Hawaii with family and friends and taking road trips to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. The importance of family relationships was always reinforced in our household, which has led to our family’s closeness today.
As a kid, I was involved in several activities after school including girl scouts, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, ballet, tap dancing and jazz dancing. Soccer and volleyball were sports I played seriously in high school and I still enjoy playing volleyball today. I am grateful for my parent’s encouragement in these activities, as many of them have turned into lifelong interests for me. I can’t wait to provide a child with all the opportunities they desire to pursue sports and activities that interest them. I will be there to cheer them on and support them in whatever they choose to do!
Education is very important to me, and I will instill the same values in my child. During my senior year in college, I had the opportunity to study and live in Germany and Austria for about 6 months with local families. It was truly the most amazing experience to be exposed to different cultures by living with and being part of a family. My studies in Europe inspired me to continue to travel and since then, I have been back to Europe several times over the years. My most memorable trips have been those that involved visiting family relatives in the Netherlands. Right after my college graduation, my mom, grandmother, and I (3 generations!) took a special trip there to visit our Dutch relatives-an experience I will never forget.
More recently, I have visited countries in Southeast Asia, Central America, and the Middle East. I hope to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity in my child through world travel experiences.
Work
After graduating from college at UC Santa Barbara, where I majored in Liberal Studies, I started my career in Human Resources. Currently, I am the Human Resources Director for a men and women’s clothing company, where I have been for the past 6 1/2 years. I love what I do as I interact with many different types of people daily. Clothing is also a passion of mine and my workplace is a fun and creative environment. I am even able to bring my dog to work with me! My job gives me a comfortable and stable income to be able to provide for a child. In addition, I have plenty of vacation time and the ability to take time off from work to bond with my baby.
Giving back to the community is important to me and since I love kids and animals, I have chosen activities that involve them. I volunteer at my junior high school each year for “career day” where we do interviews with the children and give them feedback on their school portfolios in preparation for interviewing for a job. I also volunteered for a program recently where I will be bringing a high school teen to my workplace to be my “shadow” for a day, so he/she can learn about my field of work. This past year, I have worked with a Labrador Retriever Rescue Organization where I am responsible for evaluating the homes of prospective adoptive families. My job is to make sure the family’s homes are safe and secure and that they know what it takes to care for a dog.
My Family and Friends
I am the oldest of three children. My parents just celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary! They live just a few miles from me and are retired-my dad was a city manager and my mom was a kindergarten teacher. They are wonderful parents and are very supportive of my decision to adopt. Both are dedicated grandparents and are ready to welcome a new grandchild to the family. Since they are close by, my child will see them quite often. My mom has a special toy room dedicated to the grandchildren and her pantry is filled with juice boxes and their favorite foods for when they come to visit. Having been a kindergarten teacher, she knows every nursery rhyme and child’s song that there is. She has a beautiful voice and loves to sing and play the piano with the grandchildren. My dad is an outdoors kind of guy and enjoys taking the grandkids to the ranch to see the horses. He also has the best hugs and belly laughs of anyone. Your child will be doted on and adored by their grandparents!
My brother Mike, his wife Patty and their children live just down the street. My favorite thing to do on weekdays is to run over in the evening and read to my niece Lizzie, 6 and my nephew Mark, 5 before they go to bed. Lizzie is a very bright and loving girl with a tender heart! She can’t wait for a new little cousin to play with. Mark is a boy’s boy who has just started playing tee-ball and taking Tae Kwan Do lessons. He loves to dance and will break into a jig when he knows he has an audience. Both children have the kind of contagious giggle that makes you start giggling when you hear it. My child will have 2 cousins to play with within walking distance!
My brother Gerrit, lives about an hour away in Santa Monica with his wife and two children, Ava, 5 and their new baby boy Henk, 5 months. Ava has taken a special interest in my horse and loves to ride around on his back when she comes to visit. She sings often and makes up the best songs on the fly! Henk (a Dutch name) is the newest family baby and will be the closest in age to his cousin- to- be! He’s a big baby boy who was over 10 lbs at birth. He has the best smiles…
Both brothers and their families are very supportive of my decision to adopt. My brothers are great dads to their children and are ready to be special uncles and male role models to their new niece or nephew.
My best friend Tina is like the sister I never had. I have known her for over 20 years. She has recently adopted a baby boy as a single mom and has been a constant source of information and support for me as I have started the adoption process. Her son Sam is 6 months old and is a bundle of laughs and smiles. Tina is my adventure buddy. We have surfed together in Costa Rica, ridden an elephant in Thailand, and skied the slopes of Utah and Colorado. Now, we can’t wait to spend time together with our kids going on more fun adventures!
I am a firm believer that children need to have many people in their lives that love and support them. My child will have an extended family that will be very involved in their life, loving them, helping them learn and grow, and most of all, having fun with them!
Play
In my free time, I love being in the outdoors. I enjoy riding my horse on the ranch, hiking with my dog, going for a run, skiing, surfing and spending time with friends and family. I also love to see plays and musicals, something my mom instilled in me as a child. I can’t wait for my activities to center around a child of my own. There is so much to do and see in the world, and I am so excited to share it all with them!
My Home
I live where I grew up, in a beautiful beach community on the southern most part of California’s Central Coast. In addition to the beach, this part of California has many coastal mountain ranges for great hiking and outdoor activities. My home has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a fenced backyard for a child to play in. It is located in a tree-lined neighborhood, which includes many families with children. I live close to an elementary school and my street is filled with kids going to and from school in the mornings and afternoons. There is also a beautiful park, a high school, and tennis courts, all within a few blocks. The best part is that I am just a 5-minute walk to the giant sandbox (the beach) or downtown to see a movie or visit the library for story-telling hour.
My Four-Legged Family
I share my home with my 3-year-old Labrador Retriever, “Lucky” who I adopted from a rescue organization a year ago. She is a gentle, sweet and very smart dog who loves children.
I also have an 18- year-old horse named “Gunner” who lives on a cattle ranch about 10 miles from my home. Gunner is a mellow guy and has had both of my nieces on his back at once. He loves apples and carrots and any and all people who happen to give him some!
In Closing…
In closing, please know that much thought and consideration has gone into my decision to adopt. Both your decision and mine have the same goal in mind, which is to create the best home and life experience possible for your child. I will ensure that he or she has the opportunity to explore who they are and to achieve their dreams all the while providing an environment of unconditional love and support, fun and laughter. Thank you again for learning about me. I hope this process brings you everything you hope for!
Sincerely,
Julie
If you have any questions for us, or would like to talk to us about adopting your child, please contact an AdoptHelp advisor by Calling 1-800-637-7999 or clicking the “Contact Us” button below.
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