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Dear Birthmother:

We are Don, Kathy, Olivia and Ally (the dog), and we are thrilled you are taking the time to learn about us! We can only try to imagine what you are thinking and feeling at this point. We do, however, believe your decision to consider adoption is incredibly courageous and selfless. And we hope you will read on and decide to contact us so you can get to know us further.

Who Are We?

Well, if we were asked to define ourselves as a family, the adjectives we would use are: warm, loving, affectionate, laid-back and fun-loving. So, if you can imagine that description as the outline of a painting, I will begin to fill it in with the details of our lives.

Don was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. He is the second of four children. Don, his brother, Michael, and his sisters, Kara and Julie, lived in the same home in a northern suburb of Chicago until they moved out on their own. Don has fond memories of Christmases and many cross-country family vacations (you know, the road trips where dad says, "Don't make me have to pull this car over!" Don's parents worked hard to create a supportive and loving family life for their children. He still remembers (with great pride) that his parents attended all of his sporting events. Don was very good at baseball and especially basketball. In his senior year of high school, Don made the County All-Star Basketball team. After high school, he went to a university in Florida. Four years later, he graduated with a B.S. in finance. He was recruited in his senior year to work for a major defense contractor in Orlando, Florida, and one year later he was transferred to Washington D.C. After a year in D.C. trying to work and simultaneously obtain his master's degree, he decided to move back to his parents' home and attend a university in downtown Chicago to pursue his MBA. Upon completion of his MBA, Don accepted a finance position with a major health insurance company. That was the beginning of his career in healthcare. Two months later, we met.

Although I (Kathy) was born in San Diego, California, we moved to a northern Chicago suburb when I was an infant. After a couple years in a small apartment, my parents bought a house. My little brother (Jim) came along when I was six. I remember being so excited to become a big sister. Also, I vividly remember my great aunt (who was staying with us at the time) telling me that if my mom had a girl she would give me a penny and if it was a boy she would give me a dollar. That was because my dad really wanted a son. Kind of funny what a kid remembers! My mom was always hosting birthdays and holidays at our house, so we always seemed to have family around. At the age of twelve, my parents divorced. Naturally, that was a very sad time for me. However, my mom remarried when I was fourteen and my mom and stepdad (whom I just call "dad") are still happily married to this day. So what was a difficult and traumatic experience ended up working out in the end. I was able to watch a real relationship that included love and teamwork. So now, as an adult, I do feel blessed to have been able to see both sides. It made me realize that I needed to first be able to take care of myself and that I ultimately wanted someone who possessed all the important qualities necessary (at least to me) to sustain a marriage.

During high school, I participated in choir and various school clubs. I also worked periodically to support my teenage obsession with clothes. After graduation from high school I attended an Illinois University. I graduated four years later with a degree in clothing and textiles. Having no clue about the world, I decided that being a fashion buyer would be exciting. A year after graduating, while I was managing the dress department in a large department store, I had the good fortune to become friends with my buyer. She told me that the glamour of travel wears off quickly and her job leaves her no time for a social life. She told me that if I wanted to get married and have a family, I needed to find another career. Her advice changed my life! Shortly after that, I moved to Dallas to live with my childhood best friend, Carla. I stumbled upon the mortgage industry and began work at one of the major Wall Street brokerage houses. A couple years later, I moved back to Chicago and took a position in the mortgage industry with a major bank. That position was the catalyst for my career in mortgage banking. Five months later Don and I met.

Our History as a Couple and a Family

So here we are at Don's "two months later" and Kathy's "five months later" in our respective "life stories." It was a Friday evening in downtown Chicago. Don went out with his friends, and I with my girlfriend Ellie, to the same place. Don's roommate, Steve, began talking with me and Ellie when Don decided to join us. That was the beginning of our life together. Our connection was instant and our courtship was wonderful. We were the epitome of "when you meet that special someone you will know it"...and we did. A year and a half later, we married with all our hopes and dreams for a lifetime together; which of course included children. We thought two, maybe three, would be good—an expectation we happily anticipated. So, naturally, we were thrilled when we found out we were pregnant. We were elated when our little girl, Olivia, was born! Due to the ease of conception and pregnancy, we never expected our inability to have any more children. However, we have learned that life doesn't always proceed as planned. Two years after Olivia's birth we began pursing medical help in achieving another pregnancy. We endured seven agonizing years of medical assistance. We suffered two miscarriages and countless emotional roller coaster rides. So, after our last miscarriage, we decided to explore adoption. We have so much love to give and thoroughly enjoy being parents!

Our original plan was for me to continue working until baby number two was born. Halfway through Olivia's kindergarten year, Don and I decided our lives had become too hectic and my staying home would allow us to reduce the craziness and enjoy more family time. That was truly the best decision! We are fortunate that Don's success in his career allows us that lifestyle. I love being the mom who fixes Olivia's hair everyday, cooks her breakfasts and makes her lunches. I also volunteer at the school and in her classroom. I have been a room parent since her first grade. I especially enjoy our "after school" time. That's when I get to hear all about her day. Words cannot describe what it feels like to see the excitement on your child's face when she comes home and tells you about the "awesome" science experiment they did in class today.

Family, immediate and extended, is very important to us. And we are fortunate to have most of our family here in the Chicago area, with a couple exceptions. Both sets of our parents are now retired and living in Florida. Naturally, we take every opportunity possible to visit them during the cold Midwestern months. We also get to see them when they all come up for long visits during the summer months. Don's brother, Michael, lives in California. He is an unmarried artist. We all enjoy hearing about his successes with his art. And the kids love to receive gifts from Uncle Mike because they are always so interesting. My brother, Jim, is also single, working, and living in downtown Chicago. Olivia hopes he finds "Miss Right" and marries soon so she can be in the wedding. She is such a girly girl! Both of Don's sisters and their families live close by. They each have three kids so Olivia (now 10) has six cousins here in the area. They are Jessica (15), Jack (12), Justin (11), Kasey (8), Jane (6) and Kyle (3). We get together often to celebrate holidays and birthdays.

Our Home and Our Community

When we found out we were pregnant, we decided to sell our house in the city and move north. Since we both grew up in the suburbs, we felt it was the best place to raise a family. Ironically, we live only eight miles from Don's childhood home and one mile from mine. Our community is wonderful. Our neighborhood is close knit and the children significantly outnumber the adults. Our home is a beautiful two-story colonial with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and a decorated basement that serves as a playroom full of toys and lots of space to do handstands and cartwheels. We also enjoy a huge backyard, complete with the Rainbow playset. Our village school serves kindergarten through eighth grade and is located one mile from our front door. Our high school ranks amongst the top schools in the state.

A Few Words from Olivia

Hi, my name is Olivia and I am 11 and in the fifth grade. I love to tumble, cheer, play piano and sing. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a big sister. I love caring for and playing with little kids. I am a good mother's helper and excited to become a big sister.

Our Dog, Ally

We are a dog loving family. We love to watch the dog shows on Animal Planet. I had my own dog, Christy, when Don and I met. He affectionately called Christy and I a "package deal!" Christy was small (15 lbs.) and sweet as could be. She passed away when Olivia was six. It was sad for all of us, but it was her time. We knew we wanted another dog, but took a little break and looked at different breeds and shelters, etc. One day, just before Easter 2003, I went to Petfinder.com and found Ally's litter at a foster home in Indiana. I corresponded back and forth and we decided to drive there "just to see" the puppies after mass on Easter Sunday. Ally and her siblings were adorable. Their mother was a standard poodle and their dad was a giant schnauzer. We knew both breeds were smart and didn't shed (that was what I wanted), so after a few minutes with the puppies we picked our little Ally. Then, she was just six weeks and seven pounds. She's not so little anymore, but still only a medium size dog. We worked very hard with her that first year to train her and teach her manners. She's a great dog. A vigilant watch dog, which is nice when Don has to travel out of town. And she is all about play. In her mind, everyone who comes to visit is there to play with her. We enjoy watching her jump and dive for her favorite toy, the Frisbee.

More...

There is so much more to tell you, but I hope by now you have a bit of picture, and you might be a little tired of reading. So, if you like what you have heard so far, please give us a call at 1.888.222.0403 so we can talk live. We look forward to hearing from you.

Our Dream and Wish for You

It is our dream to become the parents of another baby girl. All babies are precious, but we feel that in light of the age difference that will exist between the children, a girl would be best. We believe the sisterhood connection can be made regardless of age difference; however, that is not always the case between genders. We also hope you will want your baby girl to become a part of our family. We have so much love and time to share. We can also assure you that she will have an awesome big sister! Olivia is an extremely sweet, gentle and compassionate soul. You can trust that your baby girl will never lack for loving attention. We would love to hear from you so we could have the opportunity to get to know you, and vice versa. Feel free to call us at your convenience at 1.888.222.0403     You may also send us an email:  info@centerforfamily.com

We also wish you the peace of mind necessary to make the decision that is best for you and your baby...whatever that might be. And regardless of whether we have the opportunity to speak personally, may God bless you and keep you healthy and safe.

Appreciatively,
Don, Kathy, Olivia and Ally

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