Choose A Family : Parent Profile

Dear Birthmother

Hello! We are Russell and Stephenie. As we introduce ourselves we want to let you know that we believe you are a strong, selfless and amazing person for considering adoption. You are giving the gift of family, which may be the most important act of love one person can provide. We hope to be able to raise a child with the same strength of character with which you are bringing your child into this world. Whether you choose us or not, we know you are a loving and caring person and we are moved by your generosity.

How We Met
I n June of 1999, while on separate vacations, we both ended up in the same tiny town of Pine, Arizona, in the same tiny antique store, on the same day. After striking up a conversation, we agreed to meet for dinner the next night, and then the next. After a while it became obvious that we were having too much fun together, so we decided to join our trips and spent the rest of the summer traveling together. We’ve been traveling together ever since. A year after meeting, Russ took another trip from Illinois to California to start a life with Stephenie.

What We Do For Work
Stephenie is a high school English teacher and Russell works as a graphic designer. Both our jobs allow us to be creative and challenge us to keep improving. We are fortunate to have employers that are very supportive of family values. After bringing our adopted child home we will have the opportunity to modify our working lives so that we can spend more time with our child.

…And For Fun
We love to get outside and spend as much time as possible exploring the world. We regularly hike and ride our bikes, which is easy to do in Southern California. On weekends we often take Zoey, our beagle, on a hike or ride to our favorite coffee shop for breakfast. As an English teacher, Stephenie reads books like crazy, especially those her students recommend. Russ is a lover of the outdoors, so he will garden or go on long rides with a friend. But he is also a life-long Denver Bronco’s fan, so we try to see them play the Chargers when they are in town.

Steph Dishes on Russ
Russ is the perfect guy. He is smart, kind, funny, generous, and most importantly, incredibly patient with people. When we first met, Russ competed in Tae Kwon Do tournaments, but has since run two marathons, and often rides his bike to work. As much as I love his athletic pursuits, I love how incredibly sweet he can be even more. For my birthday this year, he bought me the Harry Potter series with a note saying “May you find the magic in these tales as you read them in joy with our future child.” I know he will be an amazing father because I’ve seen him with our friends’ children being goofy, supportive, and truly listening as they talk. In the twelve years we’ve been together, Russ has been my love, my rock, my advocate and I know he will be all of these to our child.

Russ dishes on Steph
Stephenie never stops impressing me. I have no reservations about saying that she will be a fantastic mother! Her enthusiasm rubs off on me and everyone she comes in contact with. Her students adore her and many, even some who graduated more than a decade ago, still come back to visit regularly. In the classroom she is in many ways a mother to them. She teaches her students about literature and writing but also gets to know them as people. I’ve heard hundreds of stories about students who came to ask for help on an assignment, but also to have someone they trust listen to them and help work through a problem often unrelated to the classroom. I know from personal experience that she is strong willed; if someone needs help she is going to give it and then she’s going to follow up to see how it all turned out. I love my wife. Even before we were married I knew Stephenie to be a very special person who will be a remarkable mother.

Steph’s Family
I have a small, but close knit family. My grandmother, mother, brother, sister and her husband all live within two hours of us and we try to get together for family brunch as often as we can. My mother has dinner at our house every other week so we can catch up and watch a movie together. My whole family is thrilled to welcome a child, but my mother and sister are especially eager to shop for baby clothes. My father is currently living in Singapore, so we use the computer to video chat at least once a month and he flies back here as often as possible. When we are all together you can bet there will be a competitive but friendly game of Uno and lots of cooking.

Everyone in our families is excited to welcome the FIRST grandchild. They can’t wait to hear the pitter-patter of little feet, celebrate birthdays, enjoy visits from Santa, and cheer him or her on in life!

Russ’ Family
I credit my family for giving me a solid foundation. We are quite a large group and we like to have fun. Recently, we celebrated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary together. There are no other adopted children in my family and this experience has provided an opportunity for everyone to get excited in a way that has not been experienced before. It’s quite wonderful to see how open, accepting and encouraging they all have been. There is a lot of enthusiasm in the family for a new addition. Stephenie and I are so glad for the support we’ve been given. We can’t wait to introduce our child to them.

Extended Family
Neither one of us grew up in California, so our local friends have become like family to us here. Stephenie is incredibly close with her fellow teachers; they often plan girls’ night out, spa days, play dates for the kids, and hikes together. But we also get together with all the spouses and have dinners, birthday picnics, and movie nights. One of our favorite things to do is invite friends over to roast marshmallows and make s’mores in the backyard. Our local friends have generously invited us for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners when we couldn’t be with our own families and they are eager to host a family of three.

Our Home
We live in a southern California town with a ski resort thirty minutes away and beaches within an hours drive. There is also a bike path a block from our house that we often take to get breakfast on weekend mornings. The path is full of families riding together which is something we can’t wait to do with our child.

We love the look and feel of old neighborhoods, so our house is within walking distance of our community’s historic downtown area which hosts a farmer’s market each weekend by the old train station. Our backyard is a nice quiet spot with a great big Elm tree and plenty of room for playing. We have terrific neighbors and many parks where the local children play.

Zoey
Our lives wouldn’t be complete without Zoey, our beagle. We are completely in love with her and can’t imagine our home without her. She goes with us nearly everywhere.

When we load up the car to go out she’s first in line to get in. Whether it’s a simple walk around the block, a stroll on the beach, a cruise in the car, a hike in the hills, or a cross country adventure, she’s constantly by our side. She’s very cute, cuddly, funny, and knows it! She is always on our annual Christmas card with a photo of her being silly, sweet or adorable. Zoey is super gentle, even around children, and will be a welcoming companion to the child we are lucky to have join our family.

It’s a Big World: Our Adventures
If there is one thing for you to know about us, it is that we love to travel. We were both raised on a summer staple of road trips and camping and still enjoy getting out and seeing the country. But we also want to see other places and experience other cultures. We have been incredibly fortunate to visit Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Every year we work around Stephenie’s teaching schedule to take a ski vacation as well as a trip each summer to a new place. As parents, we plan to encourage an open and adventurous spirit in our child and encourage an awareness of common values shared between cultures.

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