American Adoptions -- America's Adoption Agency

Melissa with Her Goddaughter, Sayde

Melissa's positive attitude and her ability to deal with stressful situations without even showing a hint of frustration makes her extraordinarily unique. She has a charming sense of humor that comes through subtly, and her enthusiasm for children is certainly endearing. A kid at heart with an adult's sense of responsibility, Melissa has a rare ability to both relate to children (her cousin's kids, most notably) and be a role model for them.

There's Nothing Better Than a Good Book on a Peaceful Afternoon

Marcus has a creative drive that only seems to grow as he ages. A consummate writer who contributes music, film, and book reviews to an online pop culture magazine, he recently finished his first full length novel, a murder mystery. He has a love for the written word and an enthusiasm for all creative outlets.

Collectively, we bring a degree of lightheartedness and humor to our friends' and families' lives. We pride ourselves on making the best of even the most complicated situations, and we maintain positive and upbeat attitudes during any situation we find ourselves in.

Being parents means not only the everyday duties such as changing diapers and visiting doctors but also raising a child to be a morally sound person and an example of goodness in a world that is often not so great. We are approaching parenthood with a mixture of excitement and realism. We know that we will like the obvious aspects of parenthood -- baseball games, family vacations, baby pictures at the mall -- but we are also aware of the challenges that parents face. We both remember the growing pains involved with childhood and adolescence, and we realize that being parents gives us the opportunity to help another human being through life's rough patches and be a guide and a friend throughout the child's life -- which is perhaps what we most look forward to in parenthood.

A Beautiful San Diego Sunset

In the winter of 2010, we had the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of San Diego, and we look forward to going back there with children one day. Not only do we enjoy escaping the harsh Midwest winter for warm sunshine and cool ocean breezes, but San Diego is a city that boasts many child-friendly venues, including the San Diego Zoo and Sea World. San Diego is a city we immediately fell in love with, as it reminded us of the best parts of home (friendly people and great food!) while also offering some amenities that the Midwest lacks (wonderful weather year-round, mostly!). We also stayed at a very family-oriented resort, and we can't wait until we can go back there with children, visit and feed our old friends Daffy and Daisy (two ducks who waded in the pond outside our room), and reconnect with Melissa's pals, the baby Koalas, at the zoo!