John and I have always had the love and support from our entire families.  We have both had loving and supportive parents, siblings, and large extended families that have helped nurture and guide us throughout our lives. I have one younger brother and John has two older brothers.  John’s middle brother has 5 children who are all very anxious to have a new cousin to play with.  We also have a large extended family living close by who are very excited about our adoption plan and welcoming a new addition to the family.  Our whole family has warmly welcomed Christopher into their lives and hearts and I know that they will do so again.  Before our son was born, while we waited for our child to come into our lives, our nieces, nephews and godchildren filled a void in our hearts. 

Our family and friends are very supportive of our decision to adopt again and see it as a wonderful way for us to grow our family.  They all feel that we have been chosen to build our family through adoption and know that we believe very strongly that family is something to treasure.

We both have a strong sense of family and tradition and we have already begun to pass those values on to our child.  Each year as children John and I always had our pictures taken with the Easter bunny and with Santa and really enjoyed taking Christopher this past year and having his first photos taken.  We hope that you will give us this precious gift and the chance to share these traditions with your child.

Our Friends
In addition to our families, John and I have both been blessed with a wonderful group of friends.  John grew up in a small town in a suburb of New York and has a large group of friends from both school and sports.  Today, like me, he maintains close relationships with many of the friends he made in elementary school.  Many of them live locally and we spend a lot of time with them and their children, especially in the summer.  The area we live in provides so many opportunities for fun, whether it’s going to the beach together or a friend’s pool, having a barbeque or going to a block party.  Our friends have similar values and it has been as helpful to us as new parents to learn from them and their experiences.

John has always loved sports, and one of the ways he stays in shape while keeping in touch with his childhood friends is the local softball league he still plays in.  In fact, most Friday nights that is where you will find our family (dog included) – down at the field watching daddy’s game.  Most of the guys bring their families so there are plenty of kids to play with as well as a beautiful playground.  It doesn’t hurt either that the field is steps away from the beach.  I know that John is really hoping that when our kids are old enough they will share their father’s love of sports and I know he longs to teach them.

I also remain close with my two childhood best friends, both coincidentally named Stefanie. I met the first Stefanie in preschool and we have remained constant friends ever since.  Growing up we were inseparable.  I know that what she values most in our friendship is that she can tell me anything and I’ll always listen and never judge.  I feel the same way, and she and her family are an extension of mine.  She served as my matron of honor and I was hers, she is Christopher’s godmother and I am her eldest son’s.  She is truly the sister I’ve never had.  My other friend, Stephanie, and I met on the first day of 9th grade and have been friends since.  She loves to tell the story of how on the first day of school I was the only one to talk to her and include her with my friends. We became fast friends and have spent the last 20 years being there for each other through break-ups, pregnancies, marriages and life’s other curveballs.  They have both been there for me throughout the pain of our infertility struggle, the joy of the adoption of our son and are so happy that they will be aunties to our new baby soon.