Tuesday, November 8, 2011



It's been a few weeks since our last update, but sure enough, we are moving right along.  About 99.9%  100% of our paperwork is done, and we should soon be ready for our home study.

Our good friend Dave Mason took some photos of us downtown one evening, and we're really happy with them. We need to pick one really good one that will be on the cover of our letter. One of our favorites is over there on the right.

Here is the text of our Dear Birthmother letter:

Dear Birthmother,

We are grateful and thankful for your courage and selflessness in considering an adoption plan for your baby, and want to help fulfill your desire to find a caring family for your child. Knowing you want your baby to be cared for and given every opportunity for a bright future, we will raise him or her in an open and loving home where you will always be welcome as an important part of our lives. We will honor you and your wishes, and we look forward to getting to know you. With friends who have welcomed children through adoption, we know we will love your baby from the moment we meet. We will raise him or her with hugs, kisses and fun, with the knowledge that your love made it possible.

About Us
We met as neighbors ten years ago and have truly loved and respected each other since that day. Married for six years, our appreciation for time spent together will carry over easily in the love and care for a child. When Kenny isn’t playing in his band or listening to music, he is doing outdoor activities and getting the house ready for a family. Becky enjoys reading, shopping, and making jewelry, but is most comfortable in the company of family and friends at home.

Becky’s job as a teacher enables her to have holidays and summers free to spend happily with a child. She also has some insight and experience in getting through the difficult adolescent years and helping him or her with late-night homework sessions. Kenny works for a family-friendly graphic design firm where he enjoys holidays and a flexible schedule to care for stuffy noses and forgotten homework or lunches. Although we work during the day, we will devote each evening and weekend to family activities and opportunities to share. We even have a babysitter-in-waiting who’s ecstatic about caring for a little one, not to mention grandparents who can’t wait to snuggle and read with their new grandbaby.

Our Home and Parenting
We live in a quiet, safe neighborhood where our child will ride a bike in the cul-de-sac, explore nature or play in the park, and walk the dog on the trail. Our fenced-in backyard is perfect for a game of kick ball or a swing set. Living in Lafayette, Indiana, we are close to Purdue University and Prophetstown State Park, where we can visit with farm animals and walk through the prairie. Our home is shared with Ranger the Lab and Fingers the cat, who already enjoy inquisitive children.  We can already picture a little one joining in on walks, reading books, and hiking trails around town, as well as many shopping trips.

Our travels take us only an hour away to the baby’s grandparents’ houses, both on and near lakes, so summers will be spent swimming, tubing, and being Grandpa’s fishing buddy or Grandma’s shopping partner. Holidays are a very important part of our time together with family, so the baby will travel to the grandparents’ houses for Christmas dinners and traditions, like watching the lighting of the Christmas Tree on Monument Circle in Indianapolis, or watching “A Christmas Story” multiple times on Christmas Eve.

Hopefully the good times will outweigh the bad, but understand that we will be there for the difficult times that lie ahead with sleepless nights, adolescence, losing games and teen relationships. With an appreciation for education, we will prioritize college and furthering his or her options for the future. Most importantly, we want our son or daughter to appreciate life and nature, family and friends, and we hope to teach these through vacations with family to the mountains of Tennessee, or a backyard cookout, sitting by the fire.

Friends and Family
Our families are very excited and hopeful about us becoming parents, and our niece and nephew are looking forward to becoming cousins and playmates, teaching the baby everything they know. We have a tight-knit group of friends whose support is amazing, and our siblings are ready to be aunts and uncles, excited about what our future holds together as a family.

About Kenny, by Becky
Kenny is the most patient and giving person I know, and I can envision him embracing the role of a father. When I met him, I felt this sense of calm and warmth that I know will be felt by our child. Changing diapers, playing every chance he gets, coaching a sport, or teaching the child to play guitar or creating a hands-on art project are all activities he will happily engage in. Kenny possesses a peaceful understanding of the world around him, seeing the big picture and careful to see the good in people and situations, which he will surely pass on readily. He will be there to hold the child’s hand when they stumble, and will applaud every success. He will be an extraordinary father.

About Becky, by Kenny
Becky is my best friend, and we both knew we'd be together from the day we met. That simple fact is what makes our relationship so perfect and so effortless. Becky has a huge heart - I see it daily in her playfulness and smile and I witness it through her kind, caring nature and hilarious sense of humor. Over the last 10 years, Becky has helped me reach lifelong goals that I could never do alone. Without her love and support I wouldn't be who I am today, and I know that she will always be there for us. She's going to be a great mom. Becky has learned so much about what it takes to be a great mom from being a middle school teacher and an aunt to our nephew and niece. Becky is a wonderful wife and a wonderful person, and I know she is going to be an amazing mom.


Closing
We are excited about being parents and hope we can share the joys with you, because you made this courageous decision. We hope you wish to contact us and can’t wait to hear from you and get to know you. Thank you so much for your strength, and we truly hope we can welcome you and your baby into our lives and learn about your hopes and dreams for the future.

4 comments:

  1. You letter makes me smile . . . just the picture of you two and Ranger walking a little one on a trail is so perfect.

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  2. Woot! Is your letter approved yet?! We are getting all of our paperwork together then signing next month. I've re-written our letter based off of the first, but then it actually changed a lot. So excited that our faces just might be up there next to your family. :) A weird way to reconnect after all of these years but very cool all the same. Best wishes for a quick home study turn around. It is nothin' to sweat. Can't wait to hear the next update. So cool that you're getting ready for the hurry up and wait part!

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  3. Lisa- it hasn't been officially approved as of now, but that is the latest after a couple of small adjustments per their feedback.

    We definitely need to get together sometime- when does your group get together? It's actually quite comforting to know someone that's been through this exact process!

    K

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  4. You will be amazing parents! We are excited for you and Kenny and hope things happen quickly!
    Deanna & Steve

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