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 Call us: 888-367-6604 LynetteAndSteve@earthlink.net.
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Dear Birthmother: Thank you for taking time to read a bit about our family. We know you'll be making some big decisions very soon. We hope these pictures and this letter give you a sense of who we are. We are a fun, affectionate and easy-going family, and we honestly enjoy being together. There is laughter and music in our house every day. We met twelve years ago while working at a social service agency. After four years together, we married in 1999, with the intention of starting a family right away. After struggling with infertility for some time, our desire to start a family was as strong as ever. We began the adoption process, and met Frankie's birthmother in August of 2005. Frankie was born that December and filled our hearts with the deepest joy. (He seems to like us, too!) We love being a family more than anything, and we can't wait to share our lives with another child. The Work We Do Lynette enrolled at the University of Illinois as an art student. She enjoyed drawing, painting and photography, but decided she didn't want to make a living as an artist. Through her psychology classes, Lynette began to explore the ways in which each person is unique, and she became fascinated. She finished her bachelor's degree and later earned her master's degree in Clinical Psychology. Now, Lynette has her own psychotherapy practice. In addition, Lynette teaches psychology at a local art college, which is something of a surprise, since she used to be afraid of public speaking! But Lynette loves teaching; she comes home all charged up by the insightful things her students say in class. Steve earned his bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from Northwestern University. He was headed to graduate school, but couldn't walk away from his desire to be a musician. His band recently released their third CD, and they perform regularly around the Midwest. Steve also sings jingles and does voice-overs for commercials. Outside of music, he does freelance work as a writer and proofreader. We both love our work. We also love the flexibility of our schedules—we set our own hours. One or both of us is home with Frankie every day, and the same will be true when a new baby comes home. Lynette on Steve The thing I love most about Steve is how loving and gentle he is. He works hard to understand people, and he's always there for his family and friends. Whether someone is in crisis or just wants to talk, Steve always puts his relationships first. He is also one of the funniest people I know. He makes me laugh so hard my stomach hurts. Watching Steve be a father has made me love him even more. He is loving, fun and patient with Frankie. Steve's body has become Frankie's jungle gym. They are always having dance parties or playing "wrestle mania," a burst of tickling and rolling around. Steve can also be quiet and affectionate. He loves to read with Frankie or soothe him in the middle of the night. And he never shies away from dirty diapers (thank goodness!). With everyone in our lives, Steve is open, honest and good spirited. He is my best friend, and I feel lucky every day that we found each other. Steve on Lynette When I first heard Lynette's voice, I jumped out of my chair to see who she was. To me, she sounded strong, warm and safe. And I was right—she is the most accepting, non-judgmental person I know. She is also very focused. Whether doing our taxes, fixing a computer glitch or solving a Rubik's Cube, she faces things head on. She has a very even demeanor, and never over-reacts to problems. But she is positively exuberant around Frankie. There are times when I know she is exhausted, but when Frankie walks in the room, her face lights up and she bursts to life. She is honestly excited to be with him, and she engages him completely. She involves him in her household tasks, and talks to him constantly during playtime. At the end of a day spent with his mom, I'll always notice growth in Frankie; he'll be saying new words or doing things he couldn't do the day before. I trust Lynette completely, and her energy as a mother inspires me to be a better dad. Our Life Together We love being together. Most of our free time is spent with friends and family—cooking, listening to music, playing games and laughing with the kids. One good song on the stereo can turn an afternoon of house cleaning into Frankie's Dance Party. We try to make time for our own exercise because we want to be active with our kids as they grow. Steve rarely misses his weekly basketball game, and Lynette loves to run and do yoga. And wouldn't you know, Frankie likes yoga, too. Lynette also shares her artistic side with Frankie. She has taken drawing and ceramics classes, and more recently, she's become quite a good photographer. Frankie, in turn, loves to draw (or dree-draw, as he calls it) and has recently taken an interest in Lynette's camera. (Here's hoping the camera survives this interest.) We love traveling; before Frankie's birth, we visited London, Paris, San Francisco and Montreal (we really love it there). As our children grow, we will continue to explore new places with them. Steve may be the family musician, but Frankie is clearly the conductor. This past Christmas, he handed out instruments to everyone present and shouted, "Play!" After Frankie goes to bed, we'll sometimes read to each other so that we can share a book. Or. we'll rent a movie or just stay up late and talk. Our Families Each of us grew up in a loving home, and our childhoods were active and fun. Steve is very close to his brother, who lives with his wife in Colorado. Steve's parents and grandparents live in northern Michigan; we visit them regularly, and enjoy water skiing, cross-country skiing and beautiful walks in the woods with Steve's ninety-five-year-old Grandpa leading the way! Lynette's family is huge; she has seven siblings with thirteen nieces and nephews. Frankie loves having so many cousins. The kids range in age from one to twenty, with new ones on the way! Most of them live in a nearby suburb, where the family often gathers for barbeques, swimming and tennis. When the sun goes down, the kids drag an uncle or two out for a game of flashlight tag. (The uncles only pretend not to like it.) The family also owns a house on a lake in Wisconsin. Each summer, we spend a couple of weeks swimming, canoeing, biking and goofing around outdoors. Our families are as excited as we are to meet their newest member. For Steve's parents, Frankie was their first grandchild, and now they want more, more, more! One of the reasons they bought their home was the little playhouse in the backyard. Steve's mom is planning on adding a deck to the house so the kids can play, have snacks, and dry off after they've been in the lake. And Steve's dad recently admitted to a closet full of toys, which they started buying the second we got married. In the case of Lynette's family, the arrival of a new baby is always greeted with joy. Kids are the heart of the family, and all of the nieces and nephews get so excited when a new baby comes home. The younger ones literally line up to get their turn holding the baby, and the older ones start jockeying for babysitting time. Every time we see the kids these days, they ask us, "When are you adopting my new cousin?" Our Home and Community We live in a large, three-bedroom home in a quiet, residential neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest side. Nearby are three beautiful parks where Frankie enjoys the slides, swings and jungle gyms. Before we know it, our kids will be out on the tennis courts, soccer fields, and baseball and basketball courts. Lynette's sister and her two teenage daughters live only a few blocks away. Many of our friends, including our dearest friends, live right in the neighborhood. Some days, we bump into them at the park. Other days, they'll bring the kids over for an impromptu cookout. We appreciate this close sense of community every day. Our Promise As you consider what's best for you and your baby, please know this: to you, we can promise a relationship based on respect; to your baby, we can promise a loving, nurturing, active and happy home. We will feel lucky if you choose to get to know us better. You can call us at 1-888-367-6604 or email us at lynetteandsteve@earthlink.net. If you prefer, you can contact our adoption counselor, Maggie Benz, at 1.800.869.1005. Sincerely,
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