Seminar and Letter Updates

We enjoyed the "infant care" seminar Thursday night. Most of it was common sense, but one thing that the doctor suggested was that we "interview" several pediatricians before we make our selection. He gave us several questions to ask, some I never would have ever thought of.

1. What are the after hours procedures for their practice?
2. Do you have a pediatric nurse practitioner that works for you?
3. Do you return the phone calls or will the nurse or nurse practitioner relay your message?
4. If you share a practice, will I always see you?
5. What are your views on vaccinations, co-sleeping, circumcision, etc...?
6. What is your usual recommendation for how long to let a baby cry when they are put to bed?
7. What is your philosophy about antibiotics or other medication for children who have colds or other ailments?
8. Do you have a "sick baby" waiting area?
9. How soon after the baby is born will the pediatrician come to see it at the hospital?
10. How does the pediatrician feel about mothers calling in after hours over "little things"? (Basically, are they going to get annoyed and disregard the questions?)
11. Does the doctor answer any general questions by email?


And now for the letter...

Jon and Janna

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter! Knowing that love is at the heart of adoption, we realize that your decision to allow another to raise your child takes great courage and trust. The letter that follows will give you a peek into our life. We hope you will feel that we are the right family to raise and love your child and want you to have a lifetime of comfort and peace with your decision.

About Us…

Married 5½ years, our relationship is built on love, respect and trust. We feel completely safe communicating our fears and feelings because we know that we would never do each other harm. Hard times in life have become opportunities to lean on each other for support, encouragement and comfort.

We share many common interests, which helps us build fond memories together. We love to travel, sing, play sports, go to sporting events, do puzzles, volunteer on mission trips, and spend time with friends and family.

We’ve always wanted a family and believe that raising a child is one of life’s greatest blessings. When we found out that we couldn’t have a biological child, we knew that we wanted to adopt. We can’t wait to become parents and share our love with a child.

About Jon (by Janna)…

What I love most about Jon is his giving spirit. He’s often the one doing the behind the scenes work and would rather not be publicly recognized for his help. He’s always thinking of others whether he’s giving money to someone in need, spending a weekend gutting a house in New Orleans, or taking vacation days to go on a mission trip. Jon’s heart is so full of love for others, even if he’s never met them.

Jon is intelligent (he graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA), he's a self-taught guitarist (I love to hear him playing in the other room when he gets home from work) and a very talented athlete (he played football, baseball and basketball in high school). Despite his many accomplishments, Jon continues to push himself to learn more and practice harder, always striving to grow in every area he can.

Although he can be shy and takes some time to get to know new people, everyone who knows Jon adores him because of his genuine spirit. No matter what the situation he remains honest and trustworthy. Whether on the job, on the softball field or basketball court, or helping others in need, Jon is a very dedicated worker and gives 100% of himself.

It’s common for Jon to be the human jungle gym when we are with family and friends. The kids immediately flock to him, and in those moments I know that he is going to make an amazing father.

About Janna (by Jon)…

I still remember the first time I met Janna. I noticed her gorgeous naturally curly hair and beaming smile first. But it was her fun-loving spirit and witty personality that lit up the room even though she was a newcomer among strangers. I soon learned that she is a talented athlete (she played on a state championship softball team) and singer (she was #1 in the state in high school). Cute, fun, energetic, talented in sports and music (two of my favorite hobbies)—I was hooked!

Of course, Janna is much more than a cute, talented person. She is an amazing elementary school teacher. She can cut up with her class and have them giggling one minute, yet have them quiet and attentive the next. She skillfully balances the fun and structure that kids need to develop and thrive. She’s a natural with children if I’ve ever seen one, and I can’t wait to see her as a mommy.

But Janna’s giving heart is what I love most, and it shines through in many ways. She leads a volunteer reading program at a local school and babysits for friends. She makes cute gift baskets for new mothers in our church and gives thoughtful gifts to friends and family on Christmas and birthdays (not to mention any other time she finds something they would like). She’s been on several mission trips and volunteered full time in a shelter for mothers with infants after Hurricane Katrina. Janna has a lot of love and compassion to give…another reason she will be a great mother.

Janna has always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and I completely support her. I can’t imagine a more important (or challenging) job than raising a child. Of course, Saturdays will be “Daddy Time” so Mom can get a break and Dad can get some quality bonding time with the children, too.

Our Values…

We were both raised in Christian homes and attend church regularly. We believe that attending church as a family strengthens us as individuals AND as a family. Our faith is important to us, and we want our child to find comfort in their faith as well. Our child will get to see godly lives through watching us interact with one other and the people we meet. We are far from perfect, but we hope to show our child that mistakes can be important learning experiences as much as successes.

Both of us have earned college degrees—Jon in chemical engineering and Janna in elementary education. Our children will be encouraged to pursue higher education goals as well. They will also be encouraged to participate in sports and artistic outlets like music so they can develop physically, creatively, and socially as well as intellectually.

We want to raise our children to be open-minded and non-judgmental, loving and respectful toward themselves and others, to value friendships and family, and to get involved in making the world a better place.

Where we live…

We live in a roomy four bedroom home in a culturally diverse neighborhood. In fact, the house was purchased with kids in mind because there is a large, fenced-in back yard that is perfect for outdoor fun and games. Our home is filled with plenty of toys and countless books to entertain a child’s imagination.

Our Family…

JANNA’S FAMILY: I have one older brother and a large, close-knit extended family who gathers every holiday to celebrate. It’s not uncommon for there to be 25-30 people gathered in one of my family member’s homes during the holidays. Though we’re scattered throughout Texas and Louisiana now, we still find time to get together at least once a year (though it’s typically more often than that.) We have one niece who we absolutely love and adore, and we can’t wait for her to have a cousin to play with!

JON’S FAMILY: I have a younger brother and adopted sister who live in Mississippi. Every year, we look forward to spending New Year’s Eve with my brother and sister-in-law. We play board games and video games, watch college bowl games, and enjoy the New Year’s parades. My sister was born in South Korea, but she is as “Southern belle” as they come. She is living proof that you don’t have to be blood (or even look the same) to be a family.

With our families living in other states, we have been blessed to find a large circle of close friends that we consider our “chosen” family here in Baton Rouge. We get together often for dinner, games or just to hang out.

And we couldn’t talk about family without mentioning our dog, Maddie. She is a 6-year-old miniature dachshund who absolutely rules our home. If you’ve got a lap she’s going to find it. And she’ll even sneak in a kiss or two as well. Taking her on walks in the evening is something that we enjoy doing as a family, and we can’t wait to bring a little one along on our family walks through the neighborhood.

We have shared our plans to adopt with all of our friends and family, and they are so excited for us. Between our niece, our cousins’ children, and our friends’ children, our baby will have lots of playmates!

In Closing…

The most important thing we want you to know is that we have a strong relationship based on love, respect and commitment. We are surrounded by wonderful family and friends who support us completely in our adoption journey. We are emotionally, spiritually, and financially stable, and we can’t wait to share all of this and more with a child.

We are interested in having contact with you before and after your baby is born through visits, letters, and phone calls, if you wish. We want to do whatever makes you feel most at peace with your decision.

We realize that you have a difficult decision and respect the time that you are taking to make it. Your child will always know the depth of your love as well as the care you took in finding the very best home to grow up in. We know that we can provide that type of home, and we hope you feel the same.

Thank you for reading our letter. Even though we haven’t met, you are already in our prayers. We wish you the very best!

May God bless you in your decision,