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Richard & Michelene are hopeful adoptive parents from Illinois waiting to adopt a baby.

If you are pregnant and considering placing your child for adoption, please read the following Dear Birthmother Letter.

Hello First, we want to thank you for your unconditional love of your unborn child and putting his/her best interest first. Neither of us can even imagine what you must be going through having to make such a difficult decision. We consider it a privilege that you chose to read our profile.

Who We Are Once Upon a Time...
“We” are Michelene and Richard (pronounced Mike-a-lean). We met 6 years ago in an on-line chat room. Following a week of talking on the phone we had our first date, which also fell on my birthday. Richard spoiled me with dinner at a local restaurant and a shopping spree. We dated seven months when Michelene received a marriage proposal through an emailed PowerPoint presentation from Richard. The presentation was clever; Richard had our 2 dogs talking to me about him with a note on the bottom “Michelene, will you marry me? Richard.” It was most fitting given that we met over the Internet. A month after our engagement we moved in together. After being together 2-½ years we were married on April 22, 2005 in a small ceremonyat the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas with a reception for family and friends 3 months later. Everyone had a great time dancing the night away, especially Richard and my 8 nieces and 3 nephews. Our marriage is built on mutual respect, support, communication, trust, and love.

We have both always wanted to start a family; however neither have children from previous marriages. We believe too many children in the world are in need of loving homes and want to open our hearts and home to one. We are a very loving and giving couple and would love any child as if biologically ours.

Richard...
Richard is an intelligent, caring and loving man whose parents were of Swedish and Russian heritage, raised in Syracuse, NY and the middle child of 3 boys. He graduated from Syracuse University with 2 Bachelors degrees in biology and dendrology and after 7 years he obtained his Masters in biochemistry and a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Tennessee. Richard has cloned a gene and also taught graduate students and first year medical students’ biology biochemistry, and gene expression. Currently he has an on-line antique business and will be a stay at home dad.

Michelene...
Michelene is giving, affectionate, and loving women whose parents are of Austrian and Italian heritage, raised in Bensenville, IL, the eldest of 5 children, 4 girls and 1 boy, and has attended some college. Currently she is a Sr. Administrative Assistant for a Fortune 500 company where she supports (manages) 8 Vice Presidents/Directors. For 3 years Michelene was the Chairperson of her company’s charity committee and Vice President of International Angels, a non-profit organization created by her company, which collects school supplies and Christmas gifts for children in need. She will take time off when the baby arrives.

Family...
Michelene’s parents still reside in the house where she grew up, and her siblings live within 30 minutes of our home. We see them often, whether just visiting, special occasions, or watching our 12 nieces/nephews figure skating, play softball, soccer, hockey, and racquetball. Richard’s parents lived in his childhood house until they passed away. His brothers, their wives and 3 nieces and 1 nephew still reside in upstate New York and have kept the family’s childhood home and summer cabin.

Home & Community...
Presently, we live in the community of Warrenville, IL. Warrenville is close to several Forest Preserves while also being close to Michelene’s family and the City of Chicago [30 miles away]. We are near parks, stores, a large shopping mall, restaurants, and a 30-screen AMC movie theater. Our home is comfortable and eclectic. Both of us enjoy searching for treasures from the Past. We appreciate Art and Craftsmanship and our furnishings reflect this. We often entertain on Friday nights and friends drop by often at the drop of a dime. We share our home with our two little Maltese/Shih Tzu dogs, Chin Chin, 10 and Macy, 9 whom are very loving, affectionate, and wonderful with children, adults and other animals. They go everywhere with us, where allowed, and even come on our trips. Friends tease us that we treat our dogs like children!

Activities & Hobbies...
As nature enthusiasts, we enjoy Brookfield Zoo (outside Chicago) taking leisurely walks, people watching, and seeing the beautiful animals. We especially enjoy sitting and watching the polar bears while having a soda and warm pretzel. We also enjoy visiting state parks - Richard loved Mammoth Cave. Each summer we enjoy attending the Renaissance Faire in Wisconsin and recently started attending the Michigan Renaissance Faire where our dogs are able to join in the fun. We are excited to soon be sharing these adventures and going on long walks with a child of our own.

Our hobbies include antique collecting, which helps Richard with his business and enjoy exploring new places by spending time together on our “antiquing trips.” Michelene collects Eiffel Towers, Noah’s arks, and green Cameo Depression glass while Richard collects old plastic toys, watches, coins, and an assortment of other fun items.

Faith & Parenting We were raised Catholic, Michelene Roman Catholic and Richard Byzantine (Ukrainian) Catholic. We feel a strong spiritual foundation is essential through a structured religion and will attend weekly services.

We are licensed with the State of Illinois and are working with Lutheran Child and Family Services. We have attended multiple classes and lectures.

We feel, as parents, it is important to provide a positive learning environment for our child and helping to find where their interests lie, to encourage progress, and to help develop the skills necessary to fulfill their dreams. We also believe in providing a caring and nurturing home, and feel children learn and respond better to positive reinforcement as opposed to reinforcing negative or inappropriate behavior. We expect to provide a supportive and stable home for our child so he/she will grow up to be a happy and emotionally secure adult.

Why Adoption We want, very much to be parents. We have no children and feel adoption would complete our family. We chose to adopt rather than have our own. We believe too many children in the world are in need of loving homes and want to open our hearts and home to one. In our view, nothing is more important than nurturing a child, guiding, encouraging, and providing our maturity and perspective. It is the circle of life, and we are confident the child will ultimately mature into a happy, loving individual. Close friends tell us we are very loving and giving people who will love any child as if it were biologically ours.

Adoption is not something new to us; Michelene has an adopted cousin, adopted friends, and friends whom have also adopted; Richard’s cousin and his wife also adopted a child. To us, adoption is the most unselfish act someone can do for a child, thinking only of the child’s best interests and not one self's needs. The child we are blessed with will always know they were adopted. That their birth mother loved them but was not able to raise them herself so she chose us to be their parents. We feel it is important for the child to know their individual “story.” We believe that it is important to speak to our child openly about their adoption. That the more open we are in answering questions the easier it will be for them to understand adoption as a loving but very difficult choice that their birth parents made for them.

We welcome the opportunity to talk with you about your desired adoption plan. If you choose to have a closed adoption, we would respect your wishes and promise that your child will always know of your love and sacrifice. Presently we feel sending letters and pictures to be most comfortable for us and that you have updates on your child; however, we are open to discussion with the right person.


In closing...
We want to thank you for the time you have spent getting to know us and for considering us. We wish you the best with your decision whichever you decide and look forward to possibly meeting. We are very excited to begin and develop a relationship with you.

Please know that you will be in our thoughts and you can find comfort in our promise to provide a loving, secure, happy future for your baby.

Please do not hesitate to contact us any time toll free at 1-877-507-5471.

With love and respect,
Michelene & Richard