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From Me to You

I can only imagine the love, strength, and courage it takes to consider an adoption plan for your child. While I can never fully understand your journey, I want you to know that I see the incredible love behind this decision.

If you choose me to be your child’s adoptive mom, my hope is that this is not simply the beginning of my story – it is the continuation of yours. I believe that a child can never have too many people who love them, and I would welcome the opportunity to build a relationship rooted in honesty, respect, and compassion. Every adoption story is unique, and I would always want our relationship to grow in a way that feels healthy, comfortable, and honoring of everyone’s needs.

Your child will always know that they are deeply loved by you. I will never hide or minimize the important place you hold in their life. Instead, I will speak of you with kindness, gratitude, and respect. From the very beginning, I will share their adoption story in age-appropriate ways, so they grow up knowing it is something to be celebrated – not something to be hidden. I want them to understand that they have been surrounded by love from the very start, by a birth mother who made an incredibly selfless decision and by a family who longed and prayed for them.

Their story begins with you, and that part of them deserves to be cherished. I want them to know their roots, to be proud of their story, and to feel connected to every part of who they are. Knowing their beginnings will help them to grow with confidence, security, and a strong sense of identity.

As a single mom, I may be raising a child on my own, but they will never be without a village. They will be surrounded by family and friends who will love them unconditionally, celebrate them, and remind them every day how wanted they are. Most importantly, they will always know that their story begins with love.

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Why I am Choosing to Adopt

I always dreamed of getting married and starting a family. I haven’t met the right man yet, so I explored other ways to start a family. In doing so, I discovered I am unable to bear children. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean I can’t have a family. Genes are not all that make a family. Love makes a family. And this family, my village, has love and joy to spare.

Your child will experience different cultures and know all kinds of people, from those we worship with on Sunday to those we meet while traveling. We will discover this big, beautiful world together!

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Lifestyle

I work in our small family business, setting my own hours and working from home. This flexibility will be valuable in starting a family. I live in a city with many opportunities for learning and fun. We are surrounded by parks, museums, and a great public education system. My church community provides a sense of belonging, welcoming all races and cultures. It has also provided me with friends who I see regularly at book club, dinners out, and concerts. This has become an important part of my life that I plan to share with a child.

In addition, I enjoy every kind of music! It’s the universal language that we can all speak. Sometimes on hot summer nights, my family will rock on the porch and sing (no talent required, thankfully!) Any chance to see a live performance is always welcomed, whether it is listening to a friend perform in a coffee shop or going to a sold-out arena, we’re all in. I look forward to watching a child dance and sing as they discover the joy of a melody.

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About Me

I am a quiet, reserved woman. I have seen how the best laid plans change and how necessary it is to adapt to those changes. After graduating from college, I mustered all my courage and flew across the ocean to a foreign country where I knew no one. I worked a new job, made friends, and learned about taking risks. I discovered that I am brave and that I can do hard things. My large, extended family was cheering me on and waiting for me when I returned.

Education & Support

My parents and I realized early on that learning in a traditional school setting would be hard for me. My parents provided the support I needed through tutors and lots of homework help. It was hard, as many things are. During this time, I felt the belief in me my parents had, and I’m prepared to provide the same for a child.

It’s hard to write about myself, so I asked 2 friends, my best friend, Zainab, and a life-long family friend, Emily, to share their thoughts about me.

“Over the years, I have been honored to watch her bloom as she navigates her career, her personal life and venturing into homeownership-she has done all this beautifully with the grace of a kind, gentle and independent woman. I look forward to her expanding her family and continuing to open her heart and home to a very special child that will be immersed in bountiful love, attentive care and most importantly a safe space that will extend beyond her home, but also with the village around her.”

“Love colors everything she does, every decision she makes, every relationship she is in, and the way she sees the world. She has a strong faith and is part of a caring faith community.”

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My Home

The historic district where I live is close to parks and coffee shops, where families walk their dogs on the sidewalks and stand in the yards to chat about the days’ news. We look out for each other and welcome new neighbors as they move in. We have block parties and even a neighborhood book club.

Home is my favorite place. I spend lots of time on my screened-in porch where I can hear the children laughing next door. I’ve got a cozy living room, perfect for curling up with a book and plenty of space to welcome friends and family. Having a large, open kitchen has enabled me to experiment with cooking. (Not there yet, but improving!) The nursery is set-up and ready for bedtime stories, rocking, and the everyday moments that make a house feel like a home.

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My Family

I feel fortunate to have been raised in a loving family with parents who have been married for 45 years. My brother and I are surrounded by many cousins (some who are adopted), aunts, and uncles, all who have played a part in our upbringing. We’re as comfortable in our aunts’ and uncles’ homes as we are in our own. As children, we’d pull up a chair at their supper table or seek comfort in their laps as easily as our own parents. This is the kind of family I dream of having myself one day.

I feel grateful that my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, their children, and lots of cousins all live close by. I see my nephews (who are absolutely adorable) regularly. I’m very close to a cousin and her husband who have adopted a little girl. She is the apple of all of our eyes!

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Racial & Cultural Diversity

Having gone to public school, I’ve always had a diverse group of friends. This has enriched my life as I’ve learned about different cultures, religions, and traditions. In fact, my best friend, Zainab, is of a different race and religion. I have experienced her faith, and she has experienced mine. This mutual respect has taught me that people have more in common than we have differences. I am grateful for this relationship as well as other friends of culturally diverse backgrounds.

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Traditions

Like my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, I grew up spending my summers in a small community in the woods on a little bend in the river. This community was founded by my ancestors 200 years ago. It is rustic (VERY rustic) and full of cousins from far and wide who return each summer to swim in the river and reconnect with family.

The woods are filled with barefoot children chasing dogs and slamming screened doors. We have a 4th of July parade down the dirt road leading to the river. All the kids decorate their bikes and wagons and process around the block ending with popsicles and a picnic by the river. At night, we gather to sing on the porch. Children of all ages play together, and adults (some in their 20’s and some in their 80’s) rock and talk on the porch into the evenings. It’s a loud, fun, safe family with arms wide open.

The security of these relationships and this little community, my village, have provided me continues to nourish me today. Your child will have this village as we carry on the tradition.

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My Promise to You

As a little girl, I always saw myself as a mother. As we know, things don’t always turn out as we planned. There are adjustments and compromises to make, and plans change. That is a part of life. Through it all, my dream of becoming a mother has never changed. I know I will be a good mother because I have a good mother. She taught me compassion, raised me to be strong, and continues to love me unconditionally. Because of her, I also know I have the support a single mother needs. My village is wide and deep, full of cousins, friends, and community. I truly believe a child is out there waiting for me, and I will wait with my arms wide open!

In Closing

I respect your courage and am grateful to be considered as a part of your child’s journey. I want to be clear that I plan to honor you, and I thank you for honoring me by taking the time to get to know a little about me. No matter where your path leads, I hope you always know that you are seen, valued, and deserving of compassion. If our stories become connected, I promise to spend a lifetime loving your child with my whole heart while honoring the beautiful beginning that only you could give them.

I wish you peace, comfort, and strength as you make the decision that’s best for you and your baby. Please know that I am ready and eager to welcome the newest member of the family.