Dear Expectant Mother,
My name is Margie and I appreciate you taking the time to get to know me. I look forward to getting to know you as well. I imagine these recent months have been full of emotion for you and I truly hope that you find a sense of inner peace as you go forward.
Being a mom is something that I always knew that I wanted to be in life. If I am fortunate enough to become a mother, my top priority will be to provide a child with a loving and nurturing home. I can think of no challenge that I would welcome more joyfully.
My story – in brief:
I grew up in Southern California. I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters. As the oldest of 7 kids, I got to practice mothering from a very young age. Our home was always filled with kids from the neighborhood. My Dad used to make it a point to be home from work by 4pm to play with all of us. We would spend hours playing sports with my dad and the neighborhood kids in our backyard.
Like my Mom, I was fortunate to go to Stanford University. After college, I really wanted to go to Washington, D.C. and work in government. I simply loved politics and really wanted to be a part of it. I got to work in Congress for 8 years and after that, I worked in the White House. It was really an exciting time in my life. A little over 8 years ago, I moved back to California and found a job where I could use my understanding of the government in a business setting. I work right downtown in San Francisco’s financial district and get to visit Washington, D.C. on occasion to stay on top of all that is going on in the federal government.
I love the outdoors and often go for walks, do yoga, play tennis, swim, bike and hike. I really believe in working out to stay healthy. I have fun both playing and watching sports. My parents live at the beach so when we gather, we always wind up playing nerf football, or baseball with a plastic bat and ball in the sand. The last three years, I have been lucky enough to go to spring training in Arizona in March and watch the Giants and Dodgers prepare for the upcoming baseball season.
I am a fan of movies and music and enjoy going to shows. Reading is also a favorite pastime of mine. I always have a book in my purse or under the car seat or on my night stand. I go through phases of really wanting to read certain types of books – sometimes, true stories, sometimes historic fiction, sometimes biographies.
My sense of adventure has taken me to surf camp in Costa Rica and tennis camp in the Swiss Alps. I am a big fan of travel and would love to take a child with me. I think a child who experiences different world cultures has its eyes opened in exciting ways that make for a rich and interesting life.
I laugh easily and believe that finding joy in the sometimes-mundane realities of day-to-day life is an essential ingredient in life. I derive satisfaction and a real sense of purpose from nurturing and motivating others. In terms of relationships, I have come close to getting married a couple of times but have just not yet met the right person. As badly as I want to be a mother, I did not want to marry the wrong person in the process. I feel overjoyed to start become a parent through adoption.
I was raised Catholic. I expect that I would similarly raise my child to be Catholic as well. However, I would be more open than my own parents were in describing the strengths and weaknesses of the Catholic Church to my child. I would emphasize the values of social justice and the teachings of loving others as oneself rather than the more rigid rules governing the practice of the faith.
My family and friends:
My family and friends have anchored my life, and the closeness and depth of those relationships has been a major source of strength, love and happiness in my life. I feel blessed to have come from a large, loving family where children were the central focus of the household. I also have 4 nieces and a nephew – all under the age of 5 years old. I love spending time with my nieces and nephew and we have regular slumber parties and tea parties. My Mom and Dad live nearby and spend a lot of time each week playing with and taking care of their grandchildren. My two of my brothers live down the street and they plan to play an active and important role in the life of a child.
I had wonderful role models in both my Mom and Dad and very much want to shower a child with the love they shared with me. My Mom is a remarkable role model in raising kids and is extraordinarily gifted at nurturing and instinctively helps others realize their own self worth. She not only raised 7 kids of her own but also started a home for unemployed pregnant women. The name of the home is Casa Teresa and it has assisted over 2,000 women since its inception 25 years ago. She was honored for being “Mother of the Year” in her community. My Dad was also very nurturing and he would always have time to listen to our stories about school and spend time helping us with homework. His sense of humor and gift for story telling permeated the household.
I have been blessed with a broad group of friends throughout my life.
The closeness of some of these relationships has really been one of my greatest rewards. My friends are extremely supportive of my decision to adopt a child and are ready and excited to lend a hand.
My home:
I live in historic charming neighborhood in San Francisco, California. I own a large condominium that has two bedrooms and has beautiful views of the city. I plan to eventually move to a single-family home to have more space to raise a child. Fortunately, the schools are particularly strong in my neighborhood. There are also lots of parks and organized recreational activities in close proximity to my home.
Children come first:
I truly believe that any parent’s sacred responsibility is first and foremost to care for the safety and well being of their child. I take that responsibility very seriously and will provide unconditional love to a child, protect and nurture him or her, and approach parenting as a lifelong commitment. I am fortunate enough to be financially stable and able to provide a very comfortable life.
I have a large and loving family who spend lots of time together with multiple generations enjoying each other’s company. For me, adopting a child is a commitment to being the best mom I can be. I know that my family will love and embrace a child as well.
I am excited to guide a child and help him or her realize their fullest potential by providing love, support and a good education. I think it is very valuable to cultivate curiosity in children. For me, education was the key to the many opportunities that I feel fortunate to have experienced. I want to pass those opportunities on to a child by starting early – by reading to him or her from the earliest age, picking out a wonderful preschool, and investing in education every step of the way.
Thank you for considering me as an adoptive mother. I have learned a lot about open adoption over the years and I want you to know that I welcome you being a part of your child’s life. I am interested to learn your views and feelings as to what type of contact that may feel comfortable for you as well.
Please feel free to call my friendly adoption attorney, Susan Romer, at 1.800.U.ADOPT.US (1.800.823.6488) or email her at adamsromer@aol.com.
Sincerely,
Margie
