Introduction
Dear Expectant Parent(s),
Hello! We are John and Kelli-Ann. First, we want to thank you for taking the time to look at our profile and learning about us as prospective adoptive parents!
When we met, we were both working at the same high school. After a few months of hanging out as friends, we went on our first date to play pool and go stargazing to see the meteor shower. We began spending more and more time together, and after a change in jobs, we began traveling to each other’s homes on weekends to spend time together. Whether it was trivia night, a Beyonce concert, or a Gabriel Iglesias (“Fluffy”) comedy show, we knew that we had something good going on and that a future together was on the horizon.
In March 2014, we decided to move in together. While learning how to live together and driving each other crazy sometimes, it was clear that our love for each other was growing, and we decided to add Charlie, our now 7-year-old Cavichon, to our family.
On Christmas Day 2016, with both of our families present, we got engaged, then married in August 2018. As we enjoyed, all that married life brings, we decided to grow our family again with our now two-year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Lily.
We love our fur babies, but our hearts long for children. Although we have spent a great deal of time with nieces, nephews, and John’s surrogate “stepson,” Nate, we knew we wanted to raise a family. We are unable to have biological children, and we are so hopeful to grow our family through adoption.
About Kelli-Ann
Family. That is the single most important word to me. My family always encouraged me to do better and was a shoulder to lean on when I struggled.
It was because of my mother I decided to become a teacher. She helped me see that a good education didn’t necessarily mean going to college. Being educated was about being able to think for yourself and always wanting to learn and grow as a person.
When I dropped out of college, I was so afraid to tell her. But when I did, she was beyond understanding and assured me that she loved me no matter what. She understood I wasn’t ready and gave me the space and support to figure things out for myself. I eventually did go back and got my Master’s degree in education.
In my spare time, I enjoy learning new crafts. A former coworker taught me how to knit. My sister, Terri, made a pair of gold earrings for me. In turn, I went to the craft center at my college to learn how to make jewelry. One day I decided I wanted to learn how to make soap; I ended up making soaps as wedding favors when John and I got married. I’ve even sold a few! But none of this would have been possible if I didn’t have the support of my family and they hadn’t provided that safe space to have the courage to explore and try new things.
To want to learn and persevere through challenges. These are some of the values I hope to share with a child. My family has always been a very strong support system for me, and as a mom, I hope to provide the same love and support to a child to help them succeed in life in whatever endeavors they choose.
About John
A story about me and my new business venture has recently been published, and it opens with one definitive quote: “I should not be where I am today.” That is certainly true in my case.
Coming from a poor working family, along with many of the problems associated with that kind of upbringing, I have accomplished a lot in my life thus far, including being a first-generation college graduate, a current doctoral student, an education administrator, and an entrepreneur.
None of these accomplishments compare to marrying my wife and wanting to raise a family. I have always known that I wanted to give my children a foundation that I did not have. I have had the privilege of helping to raise my “stepson” Nate (not my biological child, but someone who I have helped to raise since he was a newborn). Because of this, I now know that the definition of “family” does not apply only to biological relatives.
Kelli and I are both committed to raising a child and providing a strong foundation by pouring all our love into a little one. As a dad, I look forward to teaching a child the lessons never taught to me so that growing up doesn’t have to be as difficult for a child as it was for me. I look forward to spending quality time with a child, whether reading with them at night or going to a ball game. Lastly, I look forward to providing a child with all the parental support I lacked.
I will enjoy every minute I spend at a parent-teacher conference, a recital, or a karate belt ceremony to celebrate the child’s successes with them.
Our Home
We purchased our home in 2016. Since buying it, we’ve been working to modernize it. We completely fenced in our backyard so Charlie, Lily, and, one day, children will have a place to play safely. We have a large spare bedroom on the second floor that will become a child’s bedroom one day. Although our home already has some character to it, our home, as does our family, has room to grow as well. Aside from a place to eat, sleep, and play, we have tried to make our home a safe and calm place to be.
Our neighborhood is very quiet. Most houses are owned by nice, pleasant couples with pets and/or children. Our neighbors are respectful of each others’ privacy and quiet space as well. Our home in Massachusetts is a very nice place to live, as is our neighborhood. We will also use our network of friends and colleagues to provide a child with opportunities outside our neighborhood, whether it be play dates or more structured activities like drama or sports.
As educators, we understand the importance of providing children with a structured, safe, and stimulating environment. As adoptive parents, our promise to our little ones is that we will provide them with that and more. We will always work hard to serve as positive role models for a child and teach them the lessons they need to become productive and responsible adults. We will keep our home a safe haven for a child as we continue to grow our family.
Our Family
Although we did not come from similar walks of life, we both know how valuable family is. Life can get busy for us, but we do everything we can to make sure we keep in touch with our families.
Kelli enjoys having a “girl’s day” out with her mother and sister. We also enjoy visiting.
John’s family on the west coast. We regularly go out and enjoy a meal with John’s father or Kelli’s brother and wife.
We make a point to visit with our parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews for celebrations of birthdays, holidays, and special occasions, or just make a phone or video call to say hello and see how they’re doing. We make an effort to put our family first, regardless of whether they live near or far. If we are blessed with a child, we will do everything in our power to ensure that our little one learns the importance of family.
We have spoken with both of our families about our intentions to adopt a child, and they fully support us. They have expressed their happiness in our choice to grow our family. Our parents are excited about the possibility of having another grandchild to spend time with. Our nieces and nephews are excited about having another cousin to spend time with and play with. Our siblings cannot wait for another niece or nephew to spend time with and teach. And we cannot wait to introduce a new child to our extended family and enjoy family life with this child.
Hobbies, Interests, and Traditions
While we have our own interests and hobbies, Kelli enjoys making soaps and different types of crafts, and John likes going to Karate and tries to work out regularly. We love going to the movies, concerts, and comedy shows together with our friends and family. We also enjoy some seasonal traditions and activities, and we hope to share all of them with a child someday.
Spring: Each year, we celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Day, usually with a dinner or cookout.
Summer: We enjoy going to local carnivals, and our family takes turns hosting a 4th of July cookout. We occasionally go to the drive-in to watch a double feature and enjoy the warm weather. We like to take a trip to Maine yearly, either to the beach or to a small town, to go shopping. We also like to go berry and apple picking at the local farms. As educators, summer is the time we have the most open schedules, so we tend to do the most during this time.
Fall: We enjoy decorating our house for the fall. Thanksgiving is a big holiday, and our families take turns hosting. We enjoy being able to get together and spend time with our families.
Winter: Winter is another big decorating season; it’s so much fun being able to decorate the Christmas tree together. We also enjoy driving around town and looking at all the beautiful Christmas decorations and lights. We also enjoy going to different holiday celebrations like “Bright Nights” at Forest Park in Springfield.
Conclusion star_border
Thank you for taking the time to look through our book, and thank you for your bravery in bringing this wonderful baby into the world. We also thank you for considering entrusting your little one to us as adoptive parents. We consider raising a child a privilege, and we hope to realize our dream of becoming parents and live that privilege each day.
If we are the right fit for you, we promise to give your baby everything that we are and have. We promise to provide them with a better life than we had and fill it with all the love, wisdom, and acceptance our extended family and we can give. As educators, we promise to give them access to an excellent education. We hope that someday we will be able to meet and that we will stay in contact throughout the child’s life. We will always ensure your child knows that they are greatly loved by their entire family and know of the mountains their mother has moved to ensure they have a safe and loving life.
We thoughtfully wrote our book to show you what our lives are like and what we have to offer a child. We hope that we are lucky enough to have the privilege of raising a child with all the love and affection they deserve. We thank you so much for reading our book, getting to know us, and considering us as adoptive parents.
Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to look through our book, and thank you for your bravery in bringing this wonderful baby into the world. We also thank you for considering entrusting your little one to us as adoptive parents. We consider raising a child a privilege, and we hope to realize our dream of becoming parents and live that privilege each day.
If we are the right fit for you, we promise to give your baby everything that we are and have. We promise to provide them with a better life than we had and fill it with all the love, wisdom, and acceptance our extended family and we can give. As educators, we promise to give them access to an excellent education. We hope that someday we will be able to meet and that we will stay in contact throughout the child’s life. We will always ensure your child knows that they are greatly loved by their entire family and know of the mountains their mother has moved to ensure they have a safe and loving life.
We thoughtfully wrote our book to show you what our lives are like and what we have to offer a child. We hope that we are lucky enough to have the privilege of raising a child with all the love and affection they deserve. We thank you so much for reading our book, getting to know us, and considering us as adoptive parents.
Wishing You Love,