Choose A Family : Parent Profile
Beth
Dear Birth Mother,
It is with great admiration and respect that I write this letter to you. I can only imagine how difficult this decision must be, and I truly admire your courage for making such an important decision. I am honored that you are considering me to raise your child.
I have always seen myself becoming a mother. For the longest time, I held out hope that Mr. Right would come along and we’d be together forever with our children. Well, I’ve realized that I don’t need Mr. Right in order to be an incredible mom. I’m financially stable and have a wonderful support system to assist when I need it. I have a great life, but the one thing that’s been missing is a child. While I had been dreaming of becoming a mom for years, it hit me very suddenly that I could do this on my own and that the best way to do it was to adopt.
My Life
I know that if given the opportunity to raise a child I will be able to handle all the things that life throws at me. I’m grounded, realistic, patient and loving. While I’m very easy-going and go with the flow, I’m also highly organized and efficient. These traits serve me well in my job as a certified project manager and Director of Information Services. I oversee a team of 7 people who keep the office technology running and who work with our non-profit clients to meet their technology needs. It is a small family-friendly company of about 80 people.
I share my home with my adorable and loving 12-year-old cat Jackson. He is my constant companion, except that he doesn’t like to sit with me while I watch sports. I get excited, and he runs away!
I’m an avid knitter. I learned to knit in college and have made countless blankets, sweaters and hats, as well as several chemo caps for a good friend of mine. I find knitting soothing and relaxing. I love to combine my two favorite hobbies…knitting and watching college football. For me, the most exciting day of the year is the first University of Michigan football game in the fall. I watch all the Michigan games with my dad at his house; except for the ones we attend in-person. For my dad and me, cheering on our alma mater both frustrates and excites us. Either way, it’s great having that time together.
I’m passionate about the University of Michigan and all that it offers to students and the worldwide community. I was fortunate enough to attend and graduate from such a prestigious university, and feel very strongly about giving back. I’ve worked for over a dozen years on various committees and boards for the Alumni Association. Some of my accomplishments include serving as the 2nd woman president of the local chapter; initiating a silent auction fundraiser in conjunction with a 300-attendee annual event, raising tens of thousands of dollars for local student scholarships; securing high-profile speakers for events; and co-founding a committee which planned the first-ever National Michigan Alumni Community Service Day – an annual event where Michigan alums nationwide volunteer in their communities on the same day.
My Family
I’ve got lots of family and friends who can’t wait to welcome a new member to our family. My dad has always been a big part of my life. He and my stepmom Penny live just a few miles from me and we spend every Sunday night together for Family Night. When the weather is nice, we take advantage of all the things that Chicago has to offer; festivals, architecture tours, concerts, parks and of course, the beach, which is just steps from their home. As a child my dad was always there for me despite the fact that he and my mother divorced when I was 11 and my sister and I lived with our mom. He encouraged me, listened to me, taught me and loved me unconditionally my whole life.
My sister Sharon is my best friend. We didn’t always get along, especially during our teen years, but these days, we talk to each other about everything. She lives in San Francisco now, but we talk all the time and we get together several times a year in person.
I’m very close with my stepbrother Bill, his wife Linda and their three kids; Tommy (16); Sara (15) and Ryan (9). The kids mean the world to me, and I spend as much time with them as I can.
Traditions
Cookie decorating – for the past several years, I’ve hosted a cookie decorating party for my family and friends, along with their kids, of course. I bake sugar and gingerbread cookies in advance, then everyone comes over on December 23 to decorate them. We decorate hundreds of cookies in all kinds of crazy designs and colors. Everyone goes home with a giant selection of their favorites.
Michigan football – I go with my family to Ann Arbor for at least one game a year. Depending on schedules, we’ll also try to go to an away game at Northwestern or Notre Dame…they’re both very close to us and convenient. I’ve taken my niece and nephew to a few Michigan games…both in Ann Arbor, and at Northwestern.
Grandma’s birthday – we try to go visit my grandmother in San Francisco every year on her birthday. This year, she turned 98. We like to visit her, take her out for lunch one day, dinner the next, and go with her on whatever errands she wants to run. Last year, she wanted to go to Sephora where we spent an hour looking at the various moisturizing products they have. By the time we leave town, she’s exhausted!
Sleepovers – I often have my niece and nephews over to my place for sleepovers. While they’re with me we’ll do different things. We’ve spent a lot of time doing scrapbooking, we’ve cooked dinners for the family, gone ice skating, gone to movies, gone out for dinner and lots of other fun things.
Fourth of July – Tommy and Sara’s birthdays are in July, so we celebrate on July 4 with cake, presents and fireworks.
Walk-a-thon – every June, the entire extended family plus a bunch of friends all attend a walk-a-thon to raise money for a non-profit group. The event was started by my aunt and uncle and has served as a family reunion for the past 10 years or so.
Vacations
Every few years, the whole family will take a vacation together. We’ve been all over the world…England, France, Spain, Russia and some great trips in the U.S. We rented an RV and drove from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon and other national parks in Utah, Arizona and Nevada. We’ve been to Hawaii, Mackinac Island, Palm Springs New York City, San Francisco and so much more. I also went to Australia with my longtime friend, Jan, where I had the time of my life. I got to experience my first ever scuba dive… in the Great Barrier Reef! I couldn’t bring myself to get out of the water. It was the most incredible thing I’d ever seen. We hiked to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, which was also an amazing experience to be climbing a bridge that’s so high and is carrying traffic whizzing by. Wow.
My Home
I live in the city of Chicago in a 5-story condo building. It’s an urban area about a mile from Wrigley Field. I bought this condo when I moved back to Chicago from Washington, DC in 2006. It’s a great space, with 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and lots of natural light. The neighborhood is part of a national historic district. There are a lot of trees, and the streets are wide, but appear even wider, since no building can be built within 12 feet or so of the sidewalk. Many of the buildings are from the early 1900s and have architectural significance. My building is new (2004), but the builder had to meet the restrictions of the historic district, so it fits in well with the neighborhood. There are several parks and playgrounds within a few blocks, and many children in the building. There are restaurants, coffee houses and lots of shopping all within walking distance.
My Friends
My close friends, both male and female are thrilled about me becoming a mom and they’re looking forward to helping me out. Those with children have seen me interact with their kids and know what a great mom I’ll be. I’m sure they’ll be there to provide parenting advice whenever I need it (and sometimes when I don’t!).
My Promise
I recognize that raising a child is one of the hardest jobs anyone can take on. I am prepared for the challenge, even as a single mom because of the love and support I have around me.
I promise to teach your child to value themselves, family & friends, lifelong learning and community. Your child will be my number one priority and they will know that they are loved unconditionally. I will encourage individuality, curiosity, passion and compassion as well as laughter and the love of anything they choose to explore. Their imagination and dreams will build through play, reading, listening, formal education and life experiences. Your child’s life will be filled with love and every opportunity available to us. I promise to be the foundation for your child to be self-confident, proud and happy. Above all, I vow to keep your child safe.
Any decision you make regarding your future involvement in your child’s life I will fully support. I am willing to be flexible and accept whatever makes you most comfortable, even if that changes over time. Your child will always know where they came from and how your decision was an inspiring act of love on their behalf.
I hope you find peace and comfort in knowing what a gift you’re giving to an adoptive parent and most especially to your child.
Beth
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