To us, being parents means that we have the privilege of shaping who a child will become as an adult and being a major part of the experiences they will have in life. It means having another person in our lives whom we can pour our love into and be another member of our family. It means we have an obligation to provide an environment that is safe, nurturing, loving, and encourages them to grow as a person.

We look forward to sharing all of the things we enjoy in life with our child and getting the chance to observe how they react as they have new experiences. We get excited to think about things like spending holidays and vacations together as a family, going to church, watching movies, listening to music, going on hikes, having dinner together, and just routine daily life. We would find it so fulfilling to see how they develop as an individual with their own personality, interests, desires, and goals in life.

Jon About Katelyn: I think that one of my favorite qualities about Katelyn is that she is genuinely herself in all situations. It's the quality that first drew me to her when we met in PA school. She never puts up a front or pretends to be someone she's not, which can seem like a rare thing nowadays. I also admire how hard working she is. She is always setting goals for herself and pushes herself to achieve those goals. This could mean putting in extra effort at work, exercising more in the gym, or planning family events. My other favorite quality of hers is that family is the most important thing she values in life. She always places her family at the top of her priority list and would do anything for her family members.

Katelyn About Jon: My favorite quality about Jon is his kindness. He is kind to everyone he comes in contact with. He is never impatient, loses his cool, or gets angry. His calmness has helped me be a kinder, better person. He has been the rock of our household when life seems to get crazy or does not go as planned. He is able to remind me what things truly matter and reinforces gratitude for life every day. I also admire Jon's intelligence. He was valedictorian of our PA program and seems to also have the answer when I ask him questions.

Adoption has affected both of us personally. Katelyn has multiple cousins who were adopted. She is particularly close with one of her cousins who was adopted from Russia as a baby. She used to take care of him when he was younger and she has loved him since his parents brought him home. One of Jon's best friends growing up was adopted from foster care. They spent a lot of time together as kids as their mothers were also friends from high school. Jon's friend is now happily married with three kids of his own.

On the other side of adoption, one of Katelyn's aunts became pregnant as a teenager and decided to place her baby for adoption. Her aunt recently reconnected with her biological daughter, and they keep in touch. One of Jon's cousins became pregnant as a teenager and also decided to have her baby adopted by other family members. Her daughter is now married and remains a part of our family.

We both grew up in the suburbs, but we are currently enjoying all of the amenities that life in a big city like Chicago has to offer. We recently moved to a top floor, 3 bedroom 2.5 bathroom condo which has amazing views of the city skyline and lets in plenty of sunlight. The condo is located in a quiet neighborhood that is walking distance from multiple parks, schools, restaurants, and shops. We often see our neighbors walking their dogs in the area and going for runs. The condo is also walking distance from Katelyn's parents and brother, as well as the beautiful historic church we all go to together.

We regularly go for walks around the area to admire the city's views and various architecture, and we usually find different coffee shops to try out. In the summertime we like to ride our bikes along the paved trails by the shores of lake Michigan and to relax at the beaches by the water. There are many street festivals that display new art, music, and cultural events. We also enjoy going to one of the nearby parks where we play basketball and tennis. Chicago is a major city so there are usually many other families and children out and about, and playing at the parks as well.

We currently live walking distance from Katelyn's parents who are retired and her brother, Kevin, who works as a doctor in the ER. We often spend time together several times during the week. We often go to church together on Sunday's and we will usually take turns cooking dinner for each other one night during the week. Jon and Kevin workout together at a nearby gym, and often play golf in the summer.

Katelyn grew up with her parents and brother in a suburb about an hour from Chicago. Her dad is from New York so she spent many summers visiting her aunts, uncles, and cousins there and got to explore New York City. Katelyn is closest to her cousin Jack who was adopted from Russia. She often visits him and his parents out in Denver, Colorado, and they like go to places like the Rocky Mountains when she's out there.

Jon is originally from New Hampshire. He is an only child, but grew up with plenty of cousins and friends around. His parents recently moved to South Carolina to retire, but he still has relatives and friends he likes to visit in New Hampshire, and likes to go snowboarding or hiking when he is there. When visiting his parents, which he tries to do several times during the year, they usually enjoy catching up over dinner at new restaurants, watching movies to relax at night, and getting together with other aunts, uncles, and cousins who live nearby.

Thank you for taking the time to consider us as potential parents for your child. At this point we have not met you yet, and we don't know much about you or where you come from in life. All we can do is imagine how difficult of a decision it is that you have ahead of you. There are likely multiple other adoptive parent profiles you've looked at that are filled with people who would surely make excellent deserving parents for your child. Just know that if you allow us the privilege of becoming parents to your child, they will be loved and cared for above all else.

We would raise them to the best of our abilities with patience, open minds, and open hearts. We would teach them to love themselves, be proud of who they are and where they come from, and to be a good person to everyone around them. We would also provide as much opportunities for them to learn and develop by encouraging them to pursue any activities and hobbies that interest them. Ultimately, we would want for them what all parents want, which is for their child to be happy and healthy, and to find their own version of success in life.

As a couple, we have been together for more than seven years, and we have been married for over three years. We have had to deal with infertility for the past two years which has been one of the most difficult things we've ever gone through. We expect adoption and raising a child will also be very challenging, but we also believe it will be one of the most rewarding experiences we can go through. We have never gone through anything like this before so it will be new for us as it may be for you too.

If you choose us we are more than willing to keep communication open with you, whether that includes text messages, pictures, videos, or letters. What type of communication and how often you want to receive them is likely something that we will all have to figure out together, and we will work with your wants and needs. We have come to realize that open communication is best for you, us, and, most importantly, the child.

We are very excited at the prospect of becoming parents. We envision making many memories by going to sporting events, playing music, watching movies, traveling, visiting family, celebrating holidays together, playing at the park, and so many more. We also look forward to just watching our child grow, reach milestones, and reach their full potential in life. It will be an amazing experience and joy for us to see who they will become and what they will achieve.

Thank you for taking the time to read through our letter, and thank you again for your consideration. We are glad there are people like you in the world. Whichever decisions you choose to make throughout this adoption process, we wish you the best and many years of happiness.

Jon & Katelyn