Dear Birth Mom,
We are Dan and Diana. We are grateful for this opportunity to tell you about our desire to bring a baby into our home and our lives. We admire your love and strength in looking for a secure and loving family to adopt your child.
We live in a small town outside a major metropolitan area in the Midwest. Dan is a caterer, with his own business—and a lot of flexibility to be at home with a child. Diana is a manager for an international company, where she has worked for many years. Her seniority allows her to work from home whenever needed, and to adapt her work schedule to the needs of our family.
We both grew up in loving and supportive families with siblings. We dreamed of filling our four-bedroom house with children. After the loss of an infant and another difficult pregnancy, we were blessed with the birth of our son, Danny, who is now 6 years old and happily attending Kindergarten. We long for another child to love, encourage and nurture through life’s joys and trials. Both of us are very close with our siblings, and can’t imagine growing up without the joy of having a brother or sister. We want to give Danny, and our new child, that gift: the joy of shared memories, lifelong friendship, and love.
 Danny is eager to become a big brother |
Dan: I grew up as the oldest in a family with three children. I have both a brother, Dave, and a sister, Dawn. Growing up I was involved in sports and also took an interest in the TV/Radio program at school. Our parents encouraged us to try new things and they supported our choices. They went to all of our games, plays, and other school activities. We ate dinner together every night—and if I came home late from a school event, there was always a plate of food waiting for me.
My dad worked for General Motors for 30 years, and took an early retirement. Early —and short. He found another job almost immediately after retirement. He loves people and his new job as an airlines customer service agent is a perfect fit. (It has the added benefit of discounted travel, so my dad has seen the world.) My mom was a stay at home mom. She was extremely creative and a fantastic cook. It’s not hard to guess where I got my culinary interest. Sadly, my mother died when I was 8 years old. It was tough time for our family. My dad was our rock and a great single parent. He spent a lot of time with my sister, brother, and me. He taught all of us the meaning of family. He encouraged us, taught us the value of hard work, and the importance of being kind to others. We always knew we could count on him — and each other. I want to give that kind of support and stability to my children. I know from my own childhood how comforting it is to have siblings alongside you as you venture into the world, providing a sounding board for ideas and dreams.
My father remarried when I was eleven,and our family nearly doubled when they had two more children, Nick and Patrice. All of us live within an hour of each other, and get together regularly. My parents bought a lake house about three years ago, and at least once a summer we all get together there for a weekend of swimming, water skiing, and playing in the sand. The evenings always end with a bon fire and s’mores. My whole family is eager to add another child to their lives.
 With members of our extended family at the Grand Canyon. We love spending time together. |
I love Christmas. It’s a magical season, filled with surprises that bring wonder and excitement to children. I remember one year on our way to church on Christmas Eve, my brother, sister, and I saw a pickup truck drive by, with Santa at the wheel. All during the service, we were wondering whether that meant Santa made an early stop at our house. And sure enough, when we got home, our presents were waiting for us under our tree. I try to create moments of excitement and mystery like that for Danny. It’s so gratifying to see his enthusiasm with the world around him. We want to create loving memories and traditions for our children as my parents created for us.
Diana and I met at Disney World. She was on vacation with a friend, and I was there on business. We talked on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel and discovered that we lived close to each other. Before we went to our separate hotels, we exchanged contact information, and I called her the very next day. We met for ice cream and talked for hours. As soon as we both returned to the Midwest, we began to date.
Diana is my rock. She inspires and supports me and was my biggest champion when I started my own business. She’s dedicated to her family, and we adore her. I love to watch her with Danny. She is a natural caregiver who has a hug, a smile, and the right words for all the people in her world. She has so much love to give. I know that a new baby in our family will be doted on and will blossom in the warmth of her attention and affection.
We love to spend time with each other. We don’t have gender-set roles in our house. In fact, we do many of our chores together. We are both in the kitchen, we both shovel the snow and cut the grass. We love to be outside, playing with Danny, walking through the neighborhood, or going to the nearby park to play. But we also love to sit in front of a fire and watch a football game on a chilly Sunday afternoon. We get together with our family at least once a week, for family celebrations, holidays, or just to share a meal. Diana’s sister lives just two blocks away. Danny loves to ride in his wagon to visit Aunt Lisa. We often get together with friends and their kids, but we also try to have some time to ourselves, going to a movie or just out to dinner.
 We’re big sports fans – spring training in Arizona |
Diana: My parents have been married 42 years. They met in Germany when my dad was in the service. I was
born in Germany, and once my dad was released from the Army, my mom moved to the United States along with me and my dad. It was always such a treat when we were kids to travel back to Germany to visit our grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. We didn’t speak German and they didn’t speak English, but somehow we could always communicate through music, dance, and play. It was great to grow up with a multi-cultural family and traditions.
My dad was a pipefitter, and my mom stayed at home while my sister, Lisa, and I were growing up. My mom and dad were always close with me and my sister. We were a small but very close family – always there for each other. When we graduated from high school, my mom took a job in data collection, and she continues to work. My dad has retired and spends as much time as he can with Danny. My parents have very flexible schedules so they do a lot of traveling with us. They can’t wait for another grandchild and are so supportive of our desire to adopt.
My sister, Lisa, and I work for the same company, so we see each other all the time. Throughout my life, Lisa has been one of my closest friends. We’d go shopping together on weekends and spend our evenings talking. It was so much fun indulging ourselves, talking, and just being together. Family is a big part of our lives. We’re so lucky to have so many members of our family living nearby.
When we were young, we ate dinner every night from 5:00-6:00 p.m. It was our family time, and our friends knew not to call us. It was our time to catch up with each other, talking about our day. My dad made big breakfasts on the weekends, and my mom always made a big Sunday dinner. I have continued the Sunday dinner tradition in our house. It’s probably my favorite day of the week, because we always spend it as a family. I treasure those times, watching Danny play in the sprinkler, listening to him laugh, watching him snuggling with Dan on the couch. Having another child will add to our joy. I long for another baby to read to, sing to, tickle, and hug.
 Our home is located in a wonderful neighborhood with lots of children and with wonderful schools nearby. |
I’ve been fortunate to work for a wonderful company that values family. Through the many years I’ve worked there, I have moved from one position to another, always learning new skills. Many of the people at work are dear friends. It’s wonderful to be excited about going to work and to enjoy the people you spend so much time with. When we adopt a baby, I will take time off to be at home with him or her. I look forward to the time together. Danny is in school part time during the day but is lucky to have his doting grandparents with him when mom or dad need to work.
Dan is genuine, considerate, and respectful. His success in business is due to his open, engaging personality, making everyone feel comfortable and well-taken care of. (Well, maybe some of his success is attributable to his chocolate-covered waffles, too.) Dan is also a wonderful uncle - involved with school fundraisers not only for our son but also our nieces and nephews. He’s a fantastic dad, attentive to Danny’s interests and needs, playful, and loving. I love to come home and have Danny show me something new he’s learned with Daddy. Danny is a such a great husband - so caring and attentive. His love is huge, and he’s eager to share it with another child.
Dan and Diana: We live in a relatively new subdivision in a small town. There are children in almost every house on the block. We have great schools, which are important to us. We want our children to have the best education possible. We love to walk through the neighborhood, greeting our neighbors and playing with the other kids. Every summer, our community hosts a Fourth of July fest in a beautiful park. There’s a huge parade and lots of food booths. Dan has a food booth at the festival, and friends and family always stop by to visit. We set up a big table so everyone can eat, drink and socialize throughout the day. The weekend ends with a big fireworks show.
We enjoy working on household projects, making our house into our home. Our favorite room is our family room, which opens onto the kitchen. We have a big, comfy couch where we snuggle and read or watch movies. Diana loves to take pictures, and she has photographs of our family all over the house. She continues a tradition begun by her mom, putting a new picture in a frame while leaving the older picture behind it. When we change the latest picture, we take the time to look through the old pictures. It’s always a treat to see how much Danny grows from photo to photo, year to year.
 Danny with our child-friendly poodle, Belle. |
We have always loved to travel even before Danny was born. We think it’s so important for children to see new places and people. It’s exciting to share vacation memories with Danny, and we look forward to the same with your child. We have all the resources of a big city nearby, and we take advantage of them. Every year we book a hotel room in the city and spend a couple of days enjoying the Christmas store windows, the lights, and the music. We visit Santa and then eat at our same, favorite restaurant for dinner. Afterwards, we return to the hotel and drink hot chocolate in front of the Christmas tree in the lobby.
Three years ago we started another family tradition. We organize a holiday party for a foster care facility in our town. Dan’s a pro at this, and each year the number of our family and friends who participate grows. It is so gratifying to see the excitement on the faces of the children. We want our children to learn the importance of volunteering in the community.
If you choose us as adoptive parents of your child, we want you to know that we are committed to give your child a loving, secure, and stable home. It is a home filled with laughter, passion, and love. We will encourage your child to pursue his or her dreams, knowing that we will always be there for support and counsel. We would be happy to send you letters and photographs, letting you know how your child is getting along, if you wish.
You can learn more about us by calling our attorneys, Steve and Joel Kirsh, at 1-800-333-5736. If you call them after regular business hours, an answering service will page them and they will call you back. Calling for more information about us will not obligate you to proceed with an adoption.
We are grateful for your consideration.
