John and Colleen - Law Firm Kirsh & Kirsh, P.C. Attorneys Indianapolis, Indiana

Dear Birth Mother,

Our names are Colleen and John. We truly admire your courage and unselfishness in considering your baby for adoption. After years of trying to give birth to a baby, we have been told that it is very unlikely that we will ever conceive a child. This unfortunate discovery has only strengthened our desire to have a family. Every time we see an infant, or children playing together in our neighborhood, our hearts are filled with hope that some day we will be parents. We love children! We would be extremely blessed if we could adopt a baby. If that baby happens to be yours, we promise that he or she will be the center of our lives and will always know of your love and courage.

We have been married for over eight and a half years. John is a management consultant, and Colleen is a marketing professional for a pharmaceutical company, who is more than ready to be a stay-at-home mom. Between us, we have 34 nieces and nephews. While each one is very special to us, we cannot wait to love, cherish, nurture, and educate our child.

John is the oldest of nine children, having five brothers and three sisters. Colleen has four sisters and one brother. From our pictures, you can see that we are a little older than some of the other adoptive couples you may be considering. However, we feel that our maturity makes us wiser, more patient, more financially stable and more determined to be the best parents we can possibly be. We are at a point in our lives where we can dedicate ourselves to our child rather than just our careers. Colleen looks forward to being a stay-at-home mom when our baby arrives. John is settled in his career. He can take time off during the day to attend parent-teacher conferences, go on school field trips, or simply meet up for a picnic at the park.

John: I grew up in Mississippi. My father owned a service station, and my mom worked as a bookkeeper at the high school my brothers, sisters and I attended. I am still close to my parents. Although they are 77 and 81, they are still healthy, very active and love to travel. Growing up, we lived with my grandmother, who was adopted in 1903, at the age of two by a wonderful couple who were also unable to have children on their own. We grew up in the home that my great-grandparents owned where my grandmother and mother both grew up; a home that is now over 124 years old. My parents worked hard to support all of us. They always made the time to give us both attention and love. They made me feel valued and important. They established clear and reasonable rules. They had high expectations of me, and they demonstrated the value of hard work. I want to do the same for our child.

We lived within walking distance of many aunts, uncles, and cousins. We spent a lot of time together, seeing them at church, going to school together, and celebrating family birthdays and holidays together. I particularly admired my aunts. They were the nicest people you could ever meet. They taught me about generosity, sincerity, genuine interest and caring for others. I was so lucky to grow up with such a loving extended family.

Colleen with two of our nieces (Keely and Colleen).
She makes each one of them feel special.

My father passed along a lesson to each of us that he learned early in his life. As a young boy, he was hired by one of his uncles to sweep the floors and empty the trash at his uncle’s business. He was promised 50 cents a week for his work. At the end of his first week, his uncle paid him 25 cents. When my father asked where the rest of his money was, his uncle told him that he was paying him half in cash and putting the other half in a savings account for him. My dad frequently mentions that experience as a valuable lesson about the merits of saving money for the important things in life. While we were not raised with a lot of the extras that wealth could buy, we certainly had what we needed and were encouraged to pursue our dreams. I worked my way through college, and nine months after getting my undergraduate degree, I went back to school to get a master’s degree.

When I first met Colleen, I was immediately struck by how personable she was. She is engaging, warm, attentive, and genuinely concerned about all the people in her life. She has a special relationship with each of her nieces and nephews. From the time they were infants, Colleen would invite them for sleepovers, making each one feel singled out for her attention and affection. Even now, being older, they still look forward to spending time at our home.

Colleen has a gift of remembering the details about people’s lives. She remembers the names, ages, and interests of her friends’ and acquaintances’ children. She also can initiate a meaningful conversation with an old classmate or casual friend, endearing herself to him or her by the sincerity of her interest. I know that this will be a skill that Colleen will pass on to our child. I believe that our child’s friends will always feel safe and comfortable in our home because of Colleen’s warmth, sincerity and attention.

John at a family gathering with our nephew, Matt.

Colleen has a unique talent for decorating. She likes to celebrate each holiday (and season) throughout the year. Colleen often recalls cherished memories of previous holidays and her childhood. I can tell by the way she reminisces, how important it is to her and how happy it makes her feel. I can’t wait until we create our own holiday traditions with our child. I imagine him or her telling stories to our grandchildren about Colleen and the memories she has created with our families and friends in our home.

Colleen makes me laugh. She has a quick wit, especially when she’s around her sisters. She is sweet and thoughtful. She puts notes in my lunch or in my business papers, just to brighten my day. She will be a wonderful mother: caring, sensitive, and encouraging.

Colleen with our nephew, Mike, on a skiing trip.

Colleen: I grew up in the Midwest, in a family that was very close and remains so to this day. My father is an orthopedic surgeon, and my mom was a schoolteacher. My dad was on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week. That meant my mom had all of the day-to-day responsibility for my five siblings and me. We reserved family dinners, Sunday morning church and breakfast, as time spent with the whole family. My mom and dad relished that time. It proved to be an opportunity to catch up on our family happenings, without being distracted by the telephone.

My parents raised us to work hard, earn our own spending money, and take advantage of every social and educational opportunity. In addition to telling us what they expected of us, they led by example. It was clear that family was the center of their lives; I feel the same way. I hope to lead by example and inspire our child, as my parents have inspired me.

Our nieces and nephews are crazy about John.
He'll make a wonderful dad!

My mom had endless energy. She never stopped from early morning until early evening. She created a loving and secure home for all of us, including her eighteen grandchildren. Each Christmas, my mom would pick out a gift for every grandchild, an outfit selected with care and understanding of what would look best. She always seemed to know what look and color suited each one. She was great at it! During the summer, my parents’ home continues to be filled with children’s voices, chattering, and laughter. Throughout the summer, we make frequent visits to my parents’ home, to go swimming and/or to grill out. It’s a memory that I’ll always cherish!

I grew up in a neighborhood filled with children. Some of my fondest childhood memories include summer nights playing with the kids in the neighborhood, and family trips, which included visiting our grandparents in New Jersey and Colorado. It was a relaxed and playful childhood. I definitely want that for our child.

Our home is in a wonderful community,
with great schools and gorgeous parks.

When I met John, I was drawn to his gentle nature, ambition and humble upbringing. Like my dad, John put himself through college. While his parents encouraged him to pursue his dream, they made it known that they could not afford to support it. John and I value education.We are both devoted to ensure that our child can pursue their dreams and maximize every educational opportunity possible.

John and I met on a blind date, after having talked on the telephone several times, before we got together. Conversation was easy for us. We have a lot in common and enjoy being together. My mom, who passed away two and a half years ago, was an avid Notre Dame fan. Even though John wasn’t Irish, his affiliation to Notre Dame won her heart; his love and compassion won mine!

John is very romantic. He surprises me with sentimental thoughts or gifts when I least expect it. We enjoy spending time together, playing tennis, taking walks, or going on vacations. He says he’s happiest when I’m happy. I can tell he means it. Our love is deep and respectful.

John and Colleen: We live in a wonderful community with outstanding schools and resources. Our home is seven years old, very spacious and located near two wonderful parks. Our neighborhood includes a golf course, a recreation center, soccer fields, tennis courts, and a large lake. Also, within walking distance is a fabulous hands-on children’s museum.

We can't wait to share our love with a child...

The neighborhood children know that we love having them around. Our backyard, which has a big climbing tree, is a magnet for several children in the neighborhood. We often look out the kitchen window and see kids of all ages, climbing our crabapple tree and playing games. We’re happy that the neighborhood children feel comfortable in our yard. We look forward to the day when we see our child climbing that tree and playing with the other children.

We cannot wait to bring a child into our home and lives. We cannot wait to read to him or her, encouraging a love of reading books and encouraging him or her to develop their natural talents. Colleen has a great imagination. She would make up bedtime stories with her nieces and nephews when they would sleep-over. With most of her stories, each niece or nephew would be the primary character in the story and would always end up being the hero. We imagine story time with our child, creating a story that can grow throughout his or her childhood, as we continue together to add to its magic.

As you read our letter, you may be thinking, “How can I be sure that Colleen and John will be the best parents for my baby?” As you can see, we came from wonderful parents and have learned so much from them. We promise you that whatever life brings, your child will ALWAYS be our priority. We will tell him or her of the difficult decision you made, your generosity, and your love. We will keep you informed, as your child grows up, through letters and photos, if you wish. We promise to be the best parents possible.

If you have any questions about us, please feel free to call our attorneys, Steve and Joel Kirsh, at 1-800-333-5736. If they are not immediately available, they will be paged and will return your call promptly.

We encourage you to strongly consider us as adoptive parents for your baby. Our arms are wide open and our hearts are ready. We trust that whatever decision you make, will be in the best interest of the baby.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,