ParentProfiles.com

Mike & Kelly 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.

Call Toll-free at (888) 233-9717 Dear Birthparent(s):

How courageous and loving you are. Obviously, you want the very best for your child. God bless you on your journey and thank you for taking the time to read our letter. We hope that, after getting to know us, you will find that we’re the family you are seeking for your baby or toddler... but whatever your decision, we wish you and your child everything wonderful in this world.

ABOUT US After meeting in 2001, we tied the knot the following year and have been partners ever since. We both married for the first time a little later than many of our friends – but it was worth the wait! A few years later we were blessed with our son, Matthew.

Being parents is more wonderful than we ever could’ve imagined. Family is very important to us and we feel it’s the right time to add to ours. Although we tried unsuccessfully for another pregnancy, we both have thought a lot about adoption. Mike was adopted as an infant and Kelly’s sister and brother-in-law adopted a baby girl (and are in the process of adopting again)… so adoption is close to our hearts.

We have always loved children and wanted to help them along their way in life. When we met, we discovered each other had been active for several years in the Big Brother/Big Sister program. Together, we sponsor a child in Chile. Plus, a dozen nieces and nephews can tell you first hand that we’re crazy about kids and we love our family.

ABOUT KELLY

I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis and am the youngest of six children. When I tell people I have four older sisters and one older brother the response is always the same, “your poor brother…” But actually, I think we all were very lucky to have each other and have stayed close through the years. One sister and my brother live on the West coast; another sister is in Springfield, Illinois and my two other sisters are still in the area. Nieces and nephews are both in-town and out-of-town, but even my niece from L.A. comes for extended visits at least twice a year.

I grew up loving animals (wasn’t really the Barbie doll-type). One of my earliest and fondest memories was playing cowboys with my sister when a truck and horse trailer pulled into our driveway. On board was the sweetest little Palomino pony you ever saw. She was a surprise for my family and it was one of the best days of my life. My mom grew up on a farm in northern Missouri so she masterminded the whole operation, I’m sure. We also had a dog and a couple of cats at any given time.

My father worked as an engineer in local TV and I grew up in a very average, middle-class setting. We had a fishing boat and camper and that suited us just fine for many family vacations. My parents were sensible with their money and going out to dinner or having designer jeans was the exception, not the rule. We would go to a few Cardinal games and the outdoor theatre – but mostly we made our own fun. Mom and dad’s smart choices meant we could go to college. I appreciate their values and wisdom.

I graduated from the University of Missouri and have worked as a writer/producer for many years; most recently at a local TV station. It’s been fun and challenging - until recently, when lay-offs hit. That was a blessing, though. Mike and I were planning for me to quit… it just happened a little sooner than expected. Now I’m free-lancing and working a day or so per week. That leaves most of my week with Matthew and the new baby when he or she arrives.

I enjoy horseback riding, gardening, cooking, travel, biking, decorating our home and spending time with family and close friends. Life is good, but adding to our family would be a dream come true.


MIKE’S THOUGHTS ON KELLY

I definitely married up! Kelly is an incredible person. She is intelligent, kind, generous, beautiful, and very dedicated to our family. It is my great privilege to be her husband, and I thank God every day that He brought us together. Kelly comes from a close-knit family, and we both feel that family comes first. We often comment on how we lived parallel lives growing up.

Kelly is a wonderful, dedicated mother. She puts tremendous energy into ensuring Matthew and I have everything we need. That includes great home cooking and plenty of quality time as a family. I have no doubt she was meant to be a mom.

ABOUT MIKE

I grew up in a Southern Illinois suburb of St. Louis and am the oldest of three children. My sister and I were each adopted and my brother was a surprise. We always did things as a family. Some of the fondest memories of my childhood include backyard barbecues, family vacations, Fourth of July fireworks, and camping at Carlyle Lake. I was the one who got to help dad hitch up the trailer, and I was the family navigator on our vacations.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and work as an IT manager for a large insurance company, where I’ve worked for over 20 years. I love spending time with Kelly and Matthew and our families. In my spare time I enjoy woodworking, doing home improvement projects, fixing stuff and gardening. I’m a total geek when it comes to science, tools, and baseball. In fact, I enjoy all sports. I played competitive volleyball, soccer, softball, and was a hurdler in high school. I love to be outdoors and really enjoy going on bike rides with Kelly and Matthew.

My mom and brother live in the area so we get together often. Mom lives near some train tracks, so Matthew calls her “grandma choo choo”. She’s an accomplished quilter and I wouldn’t be surprised is she’s working on a new baby quilt, just in case. She’s also a big baseball fan – in fact, her cousin played for the Cards and is in the Hall of Fame. My brother is a high school teacher and he and his wife have two children. Matthew loves playing with them when we get together. My sister is out East and she also has two children. We get to see her family at least once a year. Actually, last summer my entire family enjoyed a week-long vacation together on the beach.


Mom and dad always encouraged me to pursue many interests, and I have always loved to learn new things. They taught me that life isn’t always fair, but it is good. They told me I was adopted long before I ever knew what it meant. They made me feel that I was special because of it. I am eternally grateful to them and to my birth parents. Because of their selfless generosity I have a wonderful life. I look forward to the opportunity of making our adopted child feel as special as I have felt.


KELLY’S THOUGHTS ON MIKE

Mike is a good man and I feel very lucky to have found him. After recently being laid off from my job, he has shown me nothing but support and encouragement. Mike is smart, patient, thoughtful, handsome, goofy and fun. He’s always ready for a new adventure.

I think he values family as much - if not more than anyone I’ve ever known. He is very committed to those he loves and has great fun with kids. At times, he and Matthew seem inseparable. Mike is a very involved, loving father and he is the love of my life.


ABOUT MATTHEW

Matthew is sweet, generous with giving out kisses and loves animals, other children, books and anything on wheels. He knows every piece of heavy equipment he sees. We read to him for at least a half hour every night – and if it were up to him, it would be more than that. His favorite toys are cars, trucks, trains, planes and building blocks and he loves to help daddy with projects around the house. A few times now he has asked where his brother or sister is - and we look forward to the day Matthew will have a sibling (or two). All three of us are ready and eager to welcome another baby home.

HOME, FAMILY AND FAITH We live in Columbia, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis. It has a small town feel but is just twenty minutes from the Gateway Arch with great schools, good restaurants and nice people. We moved here, in part, because of the highly-ranked school district. It’s the best of both worlds; we’re right across the river from St. Louis to easily take in a Cardinals game, the zoo or a show… while having a comfortable home with lots of room to play indoors and out. We have a couple of acres on which to play and our latest project was building a playground for Matthew and his future sibling. We spend a lot of time at home and often remark that it’s our favorite place to be. We agree that simple pleasures are what life is all about.

We’re very close to our extended families and each of us was blessed with two loving parents and siblings. They are a tremendous support system. Sadly, both of Matthew’s grandpas have passed away, but two very doting grandmas shower him with love and are anxious for another grandbaby. We have a lot of family in the area and see them for birthdays, holidays, and many impromptu get-togethers. We’ve also joined them for vacations from Florida and Hilton Head to regular weekends at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Our animals are part of the family, too. We have quite a collection including an indoor cat, two outdoor cats, two dogs and a horse (the outdoor cats heard of our reputation and adopted us). Our indoor cat, Miss Mya, is Matthew’s best friend. He carries her around the house like a rag doll. Our horse, Cassie, stays at a friend’s barn 10 minutes away and we often visit and bring her treats. She is so gentle that our friend uses her for children’s riding lessons. We also have a golden retriever mix named Sparky and a Brittany spaniel named Holly. Each one has their own special place in our family.

We were both fortunate enough to go to college and understand the value of education. When it is time for our children to go, we will support them in every single way to further their studies and pursue their dreams.

Growing up, we both developed a strong faith. Matthew is starting to know God, too. We have truly been blessed in countless ways and we give God thanks each day.

IN CLOSING We’ll handle the topic of adoption with our adopted child(ren) openly and honestly, the way Mike’s parents did with him. We’ll strive for our child to feel the same sense of pride that Mike feels in being adopted. And we will constantly share with our child how much he or she is loved by their birthparent(s)… that the selfless decision of adoption was made from much thought, care and love.

We are comfortable with many levels of openness. If you think we may be the right family for your baby, we hope to hear your thoughts and wishes on the subject. We’d like to know more about you too, including your hopes and dreams for your child.

Please contact us anytime at 1-888-233-9717. We would love to talk to you. Send us a message

Love,
Kelly, Mike & Matthew