ParentProfiles.com

Michael & Karen are hopeful adoptive parents from Virginia waiting to adopt a baby.

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

Welcome! Although we haven't met, you may be one of the most important people in our lives. We appreciate you taking the time to consider us as parents to your child.

The basics about us: We are happily married, with a four-year old, Isaac, who we adopted in 2006. We have an open adoption with Isaac's birth mom whom we love and respect and see twice a year. We live outside of Washington DC, have many adopted friends, and we would love to talk with you in person (1-800-373-0514).

About us: We met and fell in love in college, and have been together ever since. Michael loves that Karen is spontaneous, affectionate, and open. Karen admires that Michael is thoughtful, kind, and solid. We are best friends ~ we laugh a lot and talk about everything. Friends say we complement each other ~ Karen is creative and Michael is practical, with a goofy side. Michael is an electrical engineer at a national laboratory. Karen worked in international development (like the Peace Corps) but now enjoys being a stay-at-home mom, and also volunteers with several groups, including one that helps adoptive families, and one that works with the poor overseas.

We love different cultures, love to travel, love life and all that it offers. Our son Isaac is Latino; his birth parents are Salvadoran-American. We have lived and traveled overseas, and have friends and relatives who are Latino, Serbian, Filipino, Chinese, Arab, ... the list goes on!

An adoring big brother and a vast extended family We adopted our son Isaac in November 2006 when he was one month old. Everyone who knows him agrees -- his laugh is infectious! Isaac talks these days about "his" baby coming, and has been praying for baby's birthmom. He will be a helpful and adoring big brother to your child, and will understand what it's like to be adopted, and they will be able to share life together.

Yard work may be calling, but we love to play! Michael loves baseball games, air shows and taking Isaac on train rides. Karen likes museums, flower gardens, and cooking, and especially enjoys showing kids how to lick cookie dough off the spoon. We enjoy family trips to the beach, camping, fishing, flying kites, swimming and snorkeling. We love to bike and have a bike carrier for two kids. :)

Our house has lots of room to play, including a deck, a play room, and a backyard. Our neighborhood is close to the city but still small enough to know your neighbors. We are within walking distance to great schools and two parks, and there are lots of kids of all ages nearby.

You should meet our families (and maybe you will) ~ you will love them! Michael's family is large, and very close - 17 aunts & uncles, 24 cousins, and 19 "nieces" & "nephews" so there's always a lot of activity going on! Karen's family is smaller, but just as fun - my sister Katie and hubby Vance just had Baby Violet this year, and brother John is a personal trainer opening his own gym. Both of our moms live nearby. Our families will welcome your child completely. Our families are loving and warm, with a great sense of humor.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are big events in our families. Both our moms and lots of aunts love to cook, so there is always a turkey and sometimes a lamb, as well as stuffed grape leaves, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, homemade cookies, and baklava - the perfect mix of culture and food!

Finally: Our faith and philosophy of life is simple. We know that life is hard, but we believe that God knows, and loves, and works things out in the end. We attend a Christian church and will raise our children to love people and to know that God loves them.

We love being parents, and look forward to providing your child with love, a welcoming home, and a warm and loving extended family. We are sensitive to the special concerns that adopted children have and will instill a strong sense of belonging. Because Isaac is adopted too, your child won't feel "different" in our family.

As adoptive parents, we will always love your child. As the baby's birth parents, we know that you will too. Throughout their life, this child will know that they are doubly loved, by parents who gave them life, and by parents who gave them a home. We look forward to receiving a child into our home as a treasured gift, and to give them an appreciation for both where they have come from and where they is going.

Please be in touch. Even if you're not sure if we're the family for your child, we love to talk about adoption, and we can help.

Karen & Michael
1-800-373-0514