Daryl and Kristen's Adoption Journey: 2009

Dear Birth Mother,

Thank you for considering adoption and also for considering us as parents for your baby. Although we can not put ourselves in your shoes, we are certain that this is an emotional time for you. We understand that choosing a family for your baby is a difficult and very important process. We will do our best to answer all your questions and put to rest any fears you may have.

From the time we were young, we looked forward to the day we would be parents. Having experienced infertility issues has been stressful and frustrating for us. However, adoption was something we had planned for even before dealing with infertility, so we are confident that this choice is meant for us. God led us to adoption and we look forward to welcoming your new baby into our home and family.

We are a warm and fun-loving couple in our very early 30’s. We met through a mutual family friend who knew we would make a great couple. Our first date was for ice cream and an outdoor viewing of the movie Shrek. We barely watched any of the movie, but instead sat talking and laughing. We knew from our first time meeting that this would be special. Our families knew it too. Kristen’s mom told her “this is the one you are going to marry!” after meeting Daryl for the first time. We were together for five years before we married. We have a wonderful marriage that is built on respect, unconditional love and kindness. We are financially stable and have planned ahead so that Kristen can be at home when we have a child of our own. We also have 2 playful dogs, Max and Ruby, that love children and are a great addition to our family.

Education and hard work are important to both of us. We each have earned college degrees. We are thankful that we have careers that are both stable and offer flexibility. Kristen works as a physical therapist with special needs children and Daryl works in the medical field, designing and testing laboratory analyzers. He also enjoys volunteering his time as a firefighter/medic for the local fire company. Our jobs do not place demands on us at home, so when we are home, we are free to enjoy quality family time. We spend our time going for walks with our dogs, taking bike rides, gardening, grilling with friends or relaxing inside with a movie and popcorn. We also enjoy spending time at our small cabin which Daryl and his father built by hand. It is a peaceful getaway for us and we look forward to the day when we can watch our children enjoy playing in their tree houses, swimming in the pond and having sʼmores around the campfire. We own our own home in a friendly and safe neighborhood with sidewalks and streetlights. We often see families taking walks together, kids riding their bicycles and playing in their front yards. We both grew up playing outside with neighborhood friends and look forward to this type of childhood for our children as well.

Here is a picture of Daryl, Kristen and Max on the day Daryl proposed. Daryl made the day very special!

We are blessed with wonderful family and friends. Kristen is from a big family: she has 9 siblings and 21 nieces and nephews! Daryl has a smaller family with a sister and 4 nieces and nephews. The majority of our family and friends are local and we often gather for birthday and holiday celebrations. We have many family traditions and look forward to sharing those with your child, such as making holiday cookies, reliving funny stories together and watching “Itʼs a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve. We also have wonderful friends, many of them have young children of their own or are planning on having children soon. We know that our child will have many playmates. Our family and friends are very much looking forward to the day when we have a child. They fully support and are excited about our decision to adopt. Your child will be welcomed and loved by all of them. Two of Kristen’s sisters have adopted and our family has embraced them as their own.

Here is a picture of some of our family gathering on Christmas day. The day starts with exchanging gifts, homemade pizza from Christmas Eve for breakfast and then a constant stream of family coming throughout the day. We have a big dinner and finish the day off with lots of dessert and laughter.

We love spending time around children, whether it’s babysitting, helping in the church nursery or playing with our nieces and nephews. We feel like having a child is what is missing from our lives. Your child will be loved, respected, encouraged and cared for by two people who want nothing more than to be good parents. He or she will be raised in a Christian church and home where God will be part of everyday life. We look forward to whatever God has in store for our family, and hope that we will be given the opportunity to adopt more children in the future. We know that raising children is challenging, rewarding and a wonderful lifelong experience. We look forward to all of what parenthood may bring.

We thank you for considering us as parents for your precious baby. You are a brave and strong woman for making such a selfless and honorable decision. You will always remain an important part of our hearts. Please feel free to contact us through our email, happytoadopt@gmail.com, so that we may help in any way we can.

Warmest Regards,

Daryl and Kristen