Our adoption story started before we even knew it. As children, we both admired families who adopted and were curious about the process. We are very close with our families and so there was no question that we wanted a family of our own. After trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant, we learned that it would take a specialized IVF procedure to have a chance of conceiving. As we learned about this procedure, we decided that if we had to go through extreme and unnatural methods to conceive, that it wasn't meant to be the plan for us.

As we talked about adoption, we realized that it was the path we were meant to follow all along. The door to biological children closed permanently, and we opened the door to the beautiful process of adoption. We were happy about our decision, and it felt right. Through working at a school, Molly understands what it is like to care about a child unconditionally. We know that you can love a child the same regardless of whether he/she is your biological child or not. Rick has always felt the same way about our nephews and nieces. Hopefully, we are close to fulfilling our dream to build a family. We look forward to the joys and blessings of being parents and helping our child understand their special adoption story.

The word "variety" best describes our leisure time. We like to make the most of our family time and enjoy learning new hobbies. We are both fans of the great outdoors and appreciate anything nature-oriented such as fishing, hiking, gardening, and kayaking. We both grew up playing sports, and especially like playing football, basketball, golf, and tennis. Our favorite sports to watch on TV are professional football, the Kentucky Derby, and the Olympics. Playing online fantasy football gives us another way to stay connected with family, friends, and co-workers.

When we first started dating, we both discovered our common love of games of all types. We have game nights with family and friends and also like Wii video games, arcade games, and outdoor lawn games. Molly's favorite games are puzzle games and Rick's favorites are ping pong and pool. Our preferred community activities are bowling, mini golf, and going to shows. Molly's favorite individual hobbies are reading, diamond art, and home decorating, especially themed baskets. Rick's favorite individual hobbies are cooking, taking online science classes, and home improvement tasks. We are overjoyed at being able to share our hobbies with a child, but are more excited to see what interests he/she has so that we can explore those options too!

We have many exciting family traditions and are always looking to establish new ones. Summer is a very busy time for us. We celebrate our summer wedding anniversary with a vacation week, and every year we try a new activity or visit a different place. Every summer, Rick's family takes their annual camping trip to an island in Canada. We have a wonderful time boating, kayaking, fishing, and swimming. Molly's family gets together many times during the summer to golf, fish, and go to the beach and the zoo. Our favorite fall tradition is going to a large corn maize and activity center. We don't leave until we collect all the corn maize puzzle pieces!

Holidays are full of family traditions. Some favorite Christmas traditions with our families are going to church, making gingerbread houses, watching Christmas movies, and driving to see light displays. Every spring break for Easter, Molly's sister, niece, and nephew come to our house for a week of fun. We paint pottery, go to the movies, play laser tag, and have Easter egg hunts. We even have traditions with our dog Buster. He loves welcoming trick-or-treaters, going to see Santa Claus at the pet store, and having ice cream for his birthday.

We love our beautiful home and spectacular neighborhood! We are blessed to have a spacious four-bedroom home, and a flat and open yard with plenty of room to play games and build playhouses. Our house has a large deck which is great for eating and lounging in the nice weather with family and friends. We love landscaping and decorating the inside and outside of our home for holidays.

We live in a medium-sized suburban neighborhood. The neighbors are quiet and friendly and there are many children of different ages who play together. The neighborhood has flat sidewalks, which are great for walking and bike riding. The schools, library, and police station are just a few miles away. There are many parks, lakes, trails, and historical sites nearby. Our community has kid-friendly activities, such as bowing lanes, arcade/laser tag zones, pools, and playgrounds. Children also have the opportunity to join community sports teams and scouts. We live within a couple hours of Philadelphia, New York City, and Baltimore so can take advantage of all the activities and culture of major cities. There are so many options for families where we live!

Family is at the center of our life! We are both very close with our families and are in constant contact with them. Rick's parents and sister live about 15 minutes away and we enjoy seeing them frequently. We attend dinners, birthday parties, and holiday gatherings with his extended family who also live close by. Rick's family loves to get together at the family farm for fishing and picnics in the summer and sledding in the winter. We spend time with his teen nephews playing sports, going to the movies, and having them for sleepovers.

Molly's parents, brother, and sister live a couple of hours away but keep in contact daily and make it a priority to schedule time together. Molly's family loves being active and having fun. Her parents have a lot of energy and join in the excitement with the four grandkids, who range in age from 2-12 years old. The children are the main focus during family events, which include a range of activities from riding scooters and playing with remote control cars to going to museums and amusement parks.

Molly is also the godmother to her brother's three-year-old son. Both of our families are very supportive of our adoption plan and are extremely excited to welcome a new baby to the family!

We want to thank you for taking the time to read and consider our profile! Our hearts are filled with joy over our separate life journeys coming together at this moment in time as you read this letter. We know your path to considering adoption for your child has likely been a challenging one, filled with many different thoughts and feelings. Please know the admiration we have for your love and strength as you go through this process. We hope this letter helps you learn more about who we are and what your child's life with us would be like.

HOW WE GOT HERE….When one door closes, another door opens.
The main theme of our childhoods was loving family and friends. We both grew up spending quality time with our families, whether it was catching tadpoles at the community park, getting library books for summer reading, or bike trips.

When we first met, we were both established in our lives and careers, which gave our relationship a strong foundation. We dated for five years before getting married in 2013, which helped us have time to truly become best friends before becoming a married couple. Having a family was always our dream, but then we learned that we would not be able to conceive without fertility treatments. We decided that adoption was much more meaningful so as one door closed, a beautiful door opened in its place.

WHERE WE ARE NOW…The best things in life are worth the wait.,
Molly currently works as an elementary school guidance counselor and loves helping kids and their families be successful academically and emotionally. She is very organized and structured but also loves to laugh and show her silly side. Molly is very intuitive, caring, creative, and is not afraid to be her true self. These are just some of the amazing qualities that would make her a great mother.

Rick has worked 18 years for the same company, which has been voted one of the best employers in the area. He is very satisfied with his new position as a material handler and values being part of a company that makes an important product for families and businesses across the country. Rick is very easygoing, calm, and friendly. He is the kind of person that you feel comfortable being around, and children (and animals too) really connect with him. He is very generous to others, has a good sense of humor, and is protective. It is easy to picture Rick as a great father.

We spend a lot of time together and with our families but also take time to pursue our own individual hobbies. It is meaningful for us to have a variety of interests, such as nature and the outdoors, arts and crafts, sports, and home improvement projects. Our favorite vacation destinations have been to Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. The only missing piece to our life is to have a child to love.

WHERE WE ARE GOING….When it's all about the journey, the destination will find you.
Your child will be the center of our world, and our life will be full of love, play, and humor. Your child will be surrounded by caring family and friends and will have cousins to play with. He/she will have fun-filled holidays and summer vacations. We would make education a priority and would like to be a parent volunteer at the school. We would ensure that he/she is brought up in a Christian faith community. We look forward to supporting and guiding your child every step of the way in becoming a successful, happy, and well-rounded adult.

If you are open to it, we would love to hear your hopes and dreams for your child. We look forward to sharing pictures and letters with you. Your child will be proud of their adoption story and the life you have chosen for him/her. You will always have a special place in our family.

From Our Hearts To Yours,

Rick & Molly