ParentProfiles.com

Chris & Jennifer are hopeful adoptive parents from Washington waiting to adopt a baby.

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

Dear Expectant Parent Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family. We know these profiles can easily begin to blur together, so thanks for wanting to read about us!

Nothing about this process is simple or predictable, and we all hope that the connection we're looking for will feel clear when it happens. Chris and I trust that the right relationship is out there, waiting for us to help make it welcome. As hard as this can be some days, we know that everything is unfolding as it needs to. While we can not imagine what this experience is like for you, we do recognize that it takes tremendous strength and caring to create a birth plan for your child. Thank you for taking these steps.

We have been married almost 8 years and are excited to bring a child into our home (it's really hard to believe it's been that long - I still instantly grin when Chris calls or when I hear him at the front door). Both of us are deeply grateful for our relationship, and we often acknowledge the love and respect we feel for each other. It is our heartfelt wish to share this love with a child. Our marriage is strong and fun and full of love...we know it will provide a solid foundation for our expanding family.

home, work...& some cooking We live in a great neighborhood. We walk for most of our errands, we're two blocks from one of the best elementary schools in the city, and we're less than a 10 minute walk from two large parks, one with a weekly farmer's market. Our home is warm and cozy, uncluttered but very personal, filled with plants, books, and art we've collected on our travels. We’ve put a lot of love and achy muscles into our yard, and our once bare property is now full of flowers, vegetables, and beautiful trees. We love watching it all change and grow every season.

Both of us are self-employed in creative jobs. We schedule our own work hours, so at least one of us can always be home with our child. Chris is a residential remodel contractor and carpenter. He is a talented designer and craftsman, and he loves creating unique pieces for his clients. He is most definitely an out-of-the-box thinker. AND not only can he fix absolutely anything, but - big bonus - he's a great cook. He's sort of a crazy inventor in the kitchen. He can look in what I see as our empty fridge and miraculously whip up something delicious. I work from home as an architect and sustainability consultant. Lately I've been doing less building design and more work related to sustainability and an emerging field called Biomimicry. I do a lot of public speaking about sustainability issues and green building practices, and I'm active in the local sustainability community. As much as we are grateful to do work we believe in and enjoy, it is definitely not the highest priority for either of us. We work for ourselves so that we can spend our time as we choose - and quality time with each other and our family is our highest priority.

family and fun We are extremely fortunate to have loving, supportive families and a network of good friends in the area. We spend a lot of time with Chris's family, and we take quick trips several times a year to California to see mine. Both sets of parents and siblings are excited at the prospect of the first grandchild! Most of our friends have small children, and a child we bring into our family will be welcomed into a big community of kids. Chris is the favorite of all our friends’ kids…whenever he comes over, they yell, “Chris is here!” They know he’s willing to be silly and energetic and entertain them more than most adults will.

Exploring is a high priority for us both, whether far away or close to home. Every summer we spend time on Puget Sound with friends, sailing, setting crab pots, looking for whales and building bonfires on the beach. Whether it’s exploring tide pools or hiking at Mount Rainier, we spend as much time in nature as we can. We're grateful for our camper van that makes it easy to get into the woods and explore places close to home.

We're travel junkies. Both of us have lived and traveled in many parts of the world. Before we met, I had lived in Italy and Mexico and traveled throughout Europe and Asia. Chris had traveled in Australia, Europe and South Africa and lived in Belize working on an archaeological dig. As a couple, we've continued to travel extensively, including long trips to New Zealand and Europe. These experiences have broadened - and deepened - our perspectives, and we look forward to creating similar opportunities for a child.

When we’re at home, we love simply being together. We laugh a lot (Chris has a dry, quick sense of humor...I laugh at dumb puns and sometimes laugh at Chris so hard I cry). I play piano, go to the gym, and love good books, and Chris is a skilled woodworker and an avid soccer fan, having played most of his life.

our heartfelt wish We are very grateful for the lives that we have, and we are both ready to expand the love that we feel for each other to include a child. We will love the child that comes into our family unconditionally. We will listen and learn from this little person, and it will be our highest goal to support the strengths and personality of whoever this child truly is.

It has not been possible for us to have biological children. Infertility and a certainty that we want to expand our family have led us to adoption. We have several friends who have adopted children, and learning about their experiences has steered us onto the path of open, independent adoption. We look forward to talking with you so that we can get to know more about each other and, if the situation is right, come to an understanding that works well for everyone.

We can’t know how you feel, reading this letter. We imagine this experience is complicated and emotional. We feel compassion for you and respect for the difficulty of the decisions you are making.

If you are interested in learning more about us, we would love to talk and answer any questions you might have. We welcome your call or email. If you are more comfortable contacting our attorney, feel free to call the offices of Albert Lirhus at 206-728-5858, ask for Joan, and reference file #9843. Otherwise, please use this link to see our phone number and Send us a message. Thanks!

With love and best wishes,
Jennifer & Chris