Waiting Families
Elaine & Richard
Hello!
Thank you for taking the time to learn about us. Making this decision for your baby takes an incredible amount of courage, and your decision will result in bringing a great deal of joy to a couple like us. We hope that after reading more about our life together and our desire to have a family, you will feel confident that we can create a loving family with your child. We are so excited about having the chance to raise a son or daughter with unconditional love and ensure that he or she will have every opportunity to be happy and healthy.
Even before we experienced difficulty with conception, we had discussed the option of adopting. Many people in our lives have adopted children or were adopted themselves. We adore our niece who was adopted by Elaine's sister and brother-in-law. Three of our closest friends were also adopted as infants. We've seen firsthand how adoptive parents can provide a safe and nurturing home for a child.
Our life together began twelve years ago in Portland, Oregon. Elaine grew up in the Northwest. Richard moved there from Virginia once he finished college. A chance meeting led to a deep and lasting friendship. It took a few years, but our friendship eventually blossomed into love and, after spending several years together as a couple, we got married in 2006.
We now live in a historic neighborhood of tree-lined streets, parks, a library, good schools, and many families with children. We share our home with our three cats and our dog, Dewey. We enjoy walking Dewey through the neighborhood, sitting on the glider on our front porch and talking with friends and neighbors, and watching the neighbors' kids learn to talk, walk, and ride bikes.
When the weather is warm, you can often find us hiking or camping in Shenandoah National Park. Weekend get-togethers and cookouts keep us connected with friends and family. We have fun going to plays, movies, dance performances, and concerts. We both also enjoy collecting music of all kinds. Elaine collects 45s; Richard, the technology geek, prefers to download his music. We are looking forward to sharing these interests with our child as well as encouraging them to explore their own talents and interests.
Both of us believe education is very important. Elaine earned her Master's and Richard his Ph.D. Education has given us many valuable opportunities, and we will ensure our child has the best possible education as well. Our educations helped us find fulfilling careers. Elaine works for a foundation that awards funding to community organizations that provide education, health care, housing, cultural arts, and other services. Richard works in the field of education where he uses technology to help adults learn to read, speak English, and prepare to pass the GED.
We believe it is important to do what you can to make a positive difference in the world. Because of this belief we regularly spend time volunteering. We feel extremely fortunate and are committed to giving back to our community. We look forward to sharing this commitment with our child.
Our families are very important to us. Elaine's parents are still living in the house where she grew up in the Northwest. Her four older siblings also live on the West Coast. While they are far away in miles we stay close with regular emails, phone calls, and visits at least twice each year. Richard's parents, older brother, and niece and nephew live in our town. They are very excited about having a new child in the family and are looking forward to having a new member of the family.
Thank you again for taking the time to read our story. We are so excited to be parents and are grateful that you have taken time to find out more about us. We wish you peace and comfort as you make this decision, and hope for the best for you and your baby.
Elaine & Richard