Choose A Family : Parent Profile
Tamera and Park
Dear Birthmother,
We want to thank you for reading our letter and for considering us as the adoptive parents for your child. This is a very difficult decision for you to make and we appreciate the level of love, courage and strength it takes to make such a selfless choice. We are Park and Tamera and we realize that this is just a glimpse into our lives; however we hope it gives you an idea of who we are as a couple, provides insight into our families and conveys the abundance of love we have for each other and that which we want to share with a child.
Why We Chose To Adopt
We met and fell in love when we were in our early 30’s. Having a family has always been a priority for us as was having our large extended family nearby. Therefore we moved back to Tamera’s hometown so that we could raise our children near her parents and the vast majority of aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings and cousins. We had always been open to the idea of adoption and this seemed like the path we were meant to take. We have received tremendous love and support from our friends and families regarding adoption and have seen through first-hand experience what a blessing adoption is. Tamera herself was adopted by her step-father as a young adult. This was a wonderful gesture of love as she was already of legal age and therefore adoption was not legally necessary. She and her sister shared such a magnificent bond with their “step-father” that they all wanted to proclaim openly, so they proceeded with adoption as adults. Additionally, Tamera’s best friend and three cousins were all adopted and have shared with us what an amazing experience adoption was for them.
How We Met
We met when Park joined the staff of the chiropractic office where I was a patient. He was new to the area and didn’t know many people so I often invited him to join me and some friends on rollerblading or biking excursions to the beach. Park never took me up on my offer as he thought it inappropriate to socialize with his patients. However, once Park moved to another practice, we went on our first date, quickly fell madly in love and were married one year later. We spent a week in Cancun and a week in Lake Arrowhead for our honeymoon. It was an incredible experience. We went scuba diving, hiked Mayan ruins, swam with a manatee, shopped and enjoyed tasting the local food. Sometimes we find it hard to believe that ten wonderful years have already gone by so quickly.
Tamera Shares about Park
Park was raised in Southern California by loving parents that have been married for 48 years. Being raised in a blue collar environment, Park learned the value of hard work when he was growing up. As a boy he was involved in Future Farmers of America and enjoyed raising steers that he showed at local fairs. He has an older brother who he truly admires. His brother was the first in his family to go to college; this gave Park the motivation to do the same.
Park went to college like his brother, and then went on to become a doctor of chiropractic. For many years he had a successful Chiropractic practice but a few years ago decided he wanted to become a high school science teacher. Not many people have the courage to voluntarily change careers in their late 30’s. Since becoming a teacher I can easily see that he truly wants the best for his students and is the coolest teacher I know. How many people can say that their teacher brought in an old Playstation 3 game console to school and set it up in his classroom so that his students have something to do during lunch? His students respect him and many look to him as a mentor and father figure.
Park has many friends that he enjoys spending time with. Park loves playing rock, jazz, and classical guitar. He also likes to read and learn about science. Park enjoys scuba diving, hiking and spending time outdoors. He has developed a charming sense of humor that can make anyone laugh and feel good about themselves. He keeps me in stitches and I love that about him! He also has an amazing aptitude toward technology; my grandmother calls him “magic fingers” based on his ability to fix any electronics he touches.
Park is one of the kindest people I know and strives to make all those around him happy. He is always the person that the nieces and nephews gravitate to for playing silly games. He encourages me to pursue my personal interests and eagerly participates in those we enjoy together. I believe that Park will make a wonderful dad, one that will nurture and guide your child to achieve anything they set their sights on.
Park Shares about Tamera
Have you ever met someone, and after five minutes of talking to them, feel like you have known them all of your life? That is how I felt when I met my wife, Tamera. She has so many great talents and skills that make her a wonderful person. These attributes will make her a terrific mother as well.
She is the product of a loving family, and it shows. Her family consists of the most affectionate, caring, and fun people that I have ever met. She adores and admires her parents and we both enjoy a loving relationship with them. All of the good traits of her family have been passed down to her and have made her the person that she is today. Tamera would make a fantastic mother. She is extremely loyal and dedicated to the people and the causes that she believes in.
One of her best attributes is that she really cares about children and their well-being. As an elementary school teacher for children with special needs, she works extremely hard at being the best teacher that she can be. To enhance her teaching skills, she received her Master’s degree in special education so that she could understand more about the world of special needs children.
Tamera is also one of the most intelligent people that I have ever met. She regularly beats me at most games of intellect, including our nightly game of Jeopardy. In addition to being smart, she is also resourceful. I call her “Lady MacGyver” after the 1980’s television show because she can fix anything. After she rebuilds our sprinkler system, she can get cleaned up and change into the most beautiful woman in the world. In her youth, she raised animals for 4-H. This experience taught her the value of hard work and dedication.
Our Home
We just moved to a newer home in a quiet, family oriented neighborhood in the city of Palmdale. Palmdale lies about 45 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles, far enough from the hustle and bustle of the city yet close enough to enjoy all that LA has to offer. The house has five bedrooms and three bathrooms with an open floor plan that is ideal for large family get-togethers. There is even a Casita in the backyard that we plan to use as a cabana when we eventually put in a pool. The house sat empty for a while and much of the landscaping needs some TLC, which really excites Tamera as she is an avid gardener and can’t wait to make it lush once again. We have planted a small vegetable/herb garden and can’t wait to enjoy the bounty from the garden. Our home sits up on a hillside overlooking the entire Antelope Valley, which provides an incredible view. We live near hiking trails, a park with numerous sports fields, the local performing arts center, a water park and the elementary school where Tamera works. The school district we live in is the best in our community, with many schools achieving California Distinguished School honors. We have a rescue dog named Ashley and a cat named Fred.
Our Life
We are both active and love spending time outdoors. Scuba diving, hiking, bicycling, rollerblading, canoeing, snow skiing and swimming are some of our favorite activities. Last Memorial Day weekend Tamera, her sister and mother camped at the Grand Canyon. For years we have had season tickets to all the USC football games and we love to tailgate. We enjoy spending a quiet night at home curled up next to a fire reading a book, having friends over to BBQ, going to the movies, playing board games, and our nightly Jeopardy challenge. We have enjoyed traveling over the years to exciting locales including Hawaii, Cancun, the Caribbean, New York, Connecticut, Florida, Oregon, San Simeon and San Diego. Every summer we go to Laguna Beach for a long weekend and enjoy the Laguna Arts Festival and Pageant of the Masters performance. We recently celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary with a trip to the island of Saint Maarten.
Family is very important to both of us. Every year we take a trip with extended family to Cabo San Lucas. There is nothing better than spending Thanksgiving with our family in Cabo burying our toes in the sand and eating lobster. Back home it is not unusual to have a family get together with 20-30 people. As a family we are fiercely loyal to one another but at the same time open our hearts and homes to each others’ friends as well. Our family motto is the more the merrier. There is no doubt in our minds that any child that joins our family will quickly know the indescribable joy of being part of a loving family, full of rich and unique experiences to be shared. We will feel truly blessed to be given the chance to share our love with a child that joins our family through adoption.
Hope for Tomorrow
Nobody can say with absolute certainty what the future holds. We can only promise you that we will provide your child with a loving home. A home that puts the interests of the family above all else, a place that offers a strong moral road map, along with the courage and confidence to tackle head-on all of life’s wonderful adventures. A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.
We appreciate that you have taken the time to learn about us and hope that you will consider us as adoptive parents for your child. Choosing who will adopt your child is a monumental decision to make; we want you to know that we would forever be grateful to you for choosing us. Your child will always know what an incredible treasure they are to us.
With Love and Gratitude,
Park and Tamera
If you have an 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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