JODY
and
EMILY
B i r t h m o t h e r DEAR
H
ELLO! We are JODY and EMILY from Maine! We appreciate you
taking the time to learn about who we are. We feel SO LUCKY that you have chosen to look at our profile!
building a family without success, we are excited to be at this point and are hoping to grow our family through the gift of adoption. We look forward to
about us
giving him or her the SUPPORT and ENCOURAGEMENT to be the best person they can be. We have no idea what your journey has been like up to this point
After many years of working towards
F U N FACTS
LOVING and CARING for a child and
but we would be excited to share the journey with you! We can’t wait to meet you! Warmly yours,
EMILY & JODY
EMILY makes up
JODY LOVES
EMILY can
nicknames for everyone,
rainbow sprinkles
sing along
some of them stick too.
and recently
with almost
The grandkids now call
bought 6 pounds
any song after
her mom “Taytay”
of them.
hearing it once.
OUR LIFE
WE ARE SO EXCITED to start our FAMILY THROUGH ADOPTION
to g e t h e r
Jody remembers when her cousin joined the family through adoption and how special that was for everybody. Jody’s aunt is excited that we are taking the same path she has taken.
W
e have been together for 8 years and were married 3 years ago.
We first met when we were both living in Seattle, WA. We met on the dance floor at a nightclub and Jody fell for Emily’s curly hair and smile. Emily loved Jody’s infectious energy and “anything is possible” attitude. Our relationship went through early testing because Jody was planning a move back to Boston, MA exactly one month after we met. Jody moved back to Seattle after only 4 months. This really helped us be totally honest with each other and communicate clearly about expectations. This OPEN and HONEST COMMUNICATION is what continues to make our RELATIONSHIP SO STRONG. Before moving to Maine we lived in Philadelphia so Emily could complete nurse practitioner school. We have now settled in Maine to be near family and good friends. We spend our time hosting dinners at our house, gardening and going for hikes in the woods with our dog. We are so excited to start our family through adoption!
JODY volunteers
EMILY lived in
JODY has run 3
EMILY was captain of
JODY loves to
at a local farm
Africa for 2 years
marathons and 2
the ice hockey team
sketch and draw.
one day a week
volunteering
half marathons,
in college and still has
Her favorites are
during the
with the Peace
that’s 105 miles
some serious skating
labels and logos.
summer.
Corps.
of running!
skills.
JODY IN OUR GARDEN
THE PLACE THAT WE CALL HOME
h o m e OUR
W
e love our house and are so happy that we
&
moved to Maine! After years of living in
different cities we decided to buy last year in a friendly little town near where Emily grew up. Our house is on a dead end street and all our neighbors like to help each other out by plowing when it snows or swapping cookies and baked goods. We can often be found chatting in each other’s yards.
A FAMILY HIKE!
community
We spend time doing house projects and working in the gardens. We have planted blueberries, raspberries, black berries and a variety of flowers. We have put in vegetable gardens and planted a pear tree. We enjoy having our friends’ kids, nieces and nephews over to play on the giant swing set. We can’t wait to have a child who can use it all the time.
MEET O UR pets W
KIDS LOVE OU
Biggie, Rio + Little
e share our home with our four year old dog Rio a lab mix and our two calico cats Biggie and Little. Biggie is a calm 16 year old, who loves to sit on people’s laps. Little is eight years old and loves to snuggle up next to Biggie. They all get along and sometimes like to chase each other. Their favorite pastime is sitting in front of the fire during cold and snowy Maine days. All of our pets came to us through rescue programs. We always knew we wanted to raise BIGGIE & LITTLE LOUNGING children and have a family, so we made sure our pets were exposed to kids and are comfortable with them.
VE OUR SWING SET
JODY PADDLE BOARDING
WE LOVE TO TRAVEL We have traveled to HAWAII, SEATTLE, LAS VEGAS, and NASHVILLE. We love visiting cities, walking around and seeing what they have to offer. We take a yearly family vacation with Emily’s family to Baxter State park in Northern Maine for camping. We also plan a yearly trip to somewhere new and exciting. NEXT YEAR WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO TRAVELING TO NEW ORLEANS.
CROSS COUNTRY SKIING IN OUR BACKYARD
THINGS THAT WE LOVE
to do TOGETHER
» There is a huge field behind our house. In the winter we head out our back door for CROSS COUNTRY SKIING, SNOWSHOEING, SLEDDING and SNOWBALL FIGHTS. In the spring we go tromping through the mud and puddles and in summer and fall we watch the corn grow tall. » In the summer we get together with friends and KAYAK, SWIM and PADDLE BOARD. » WE LOVE TO COOK and that often includes
MAKING DINNER TOGETHER
following new recipes and dancing around the kitchen to music as the food simmers. » There is a STATE PARK a few miles away from our house with HIKING TRAILS along the river. We head there on Saturday mornings to enjoy the woods and fresh air with Rio our dog. Afterwards we either head home to make a big breakfast or go to our local farm/ cafe for their homemade cinnamon rolls. » WE LOVE HAVING FRIENDS OVER. We are about 20 minutes from Emily’s parents and good friends she has known since the second grade. We feel lucky to have such great friends close by. We have a great time hanging out with them and their children.
MEET jody! G ROW ING up J
ody grew up a short train ride from Boston. She has two sisters
and a brother. She is the third child. When Jody was growing up her family spent vacations camping and taking road trips. She is very close to her sisters and spends time with them whenever possible. She was active in sports in high school and found her love for running at age 13. She was a hard worker and started working around that same time. After she graduated from college she and her younger sister moved to Seattle. It was in Seattle that Jody began her teaching career and soon after met Emily. ROCK CLIMBING AT BAXTER STATE PARK
JODY’S c a r e e r WRITTEN BY EMILY
J
CUDDLING WITH OUR NEPHEW
ody has been a special education teacher for 10 years working in a variety of schools from inner city Philadelphia to a small town school in Maine. Her classroom is known as a safe space where kids can go to chat, work through problems, or just get a snack. Jody loves watching kids find their special talents. Jody encourages all her students to believe in themselves and do the best work they can. Jody is lucky to have summer and all the holidays off and can’t wait to spend that time with a child.
WHAT EMILY LOVES
about JODY
» JODY IS MAGICAL WITH CHILDREN. Through her work as a special education teacher she can get any child to open up and get excited about reading or writing. » SHE IS THE MOST WILLING AND EXCITED PERSON I HAVE EVER MET. Her answer to almost any question is yes. » JODY LOVES HER DAILY RUN. She has completed 3 marathons and 2 1/2 marathons and logs about 20 miles every week. » SHE LOVES ANIMALS and can’t stand to see any animal treated unkindly. If it were up to her we would have many more animals. JODY GOOFING AROUND
» SHE HAS WANTED TO BE A MOM SINCE THE FIRST DAY WE MET. When I met Jody she would wander off to the baby aisle when we were food shopping. » JODY IS WILLING TO LEARN ANYTHING! Over the last few years she has become an expert in beekeeping, cookie baking, pottery, photography and soap making. She is constantly trying something new. Always commenting that her hobbies are fun but she can’t wait to use her time to raise our child.
JODY AFTER THE MAINE HALF MARATHON MAKING SOAP TOGETHER
» JODY IS THE FUNNIEST AUNTIE I KNOW, her nephews follow her around like puppies when they visit or we go to their house. She is always inventing some new way to have tons of fun.
SNOW SHOEING ON THE TRAILS
WHAT JODY LOVES
about EMILY
» EMILY IS KIND and hardly ever judgmental of
anyone. » PEOPLE TRUST EMILY. » EMILY IS A FANTASTIC COOK , she likes to
have cooking adventures from Indian food to blueberry pancakes. » EMILY HAS A WAY OF MAKING EVERYTHING OK all the time, no matter what the situation. » EMILY IS TOUGH-- she doesn’t complain
when she is sick or hurt ever. » Emily is STRONG and ATHLETIC. AFTER A DIP AT SOUTHBRANCH FALLS
» PROBLEM SOLVING is one of Emily’s
strengths. She is always able to come up with an alternative solution. » EMILY IS NOT AFRAID OF A WHOLE LOT. » EMILY IS GREAT WITH ANIMALS AND PEOPLE. » EMILY IS NOT SQUEAMISH. She can handle
anything a kid can dish out. » EMILY LOVES GETTING HER HANDS DIRTY EMILY AND OUR NIECE AT THE BEACH SHOWING OFF OUR COLORS AFTER COLOR ME RAD!
and is always weeding or working in the garden. » EMILY IS REALLY SMART! She
knows all the names of plants, insects and animals. » EMILY WILL LAUGH AT ANY JOKE ,
even the strangest “knock knock” joke from our three year old niece.
E M ILY’ S c a r e e r
READING A BOOK TO OUR NIECES
WRITTEN BY JODY
E
mily has been a nurse practitioner for almost 3 years and works with all ages. She loves watching the kids grow and change. Her elderly patients are inspiring with their energy for life and stories of the past. Emily feels honored that people trust her with their worries and health concerns and share important life events and information that her patients don’t share with anyone else. Emily finds helping people extremely rewarding. She has a flexible schedule and works 4 days a week.
M E ET emily!
G R O W IN G up E
mily grew up on an apple orchard in Maine with her younger sister and
parents. Going to a small public school allowed her to participate in many teams and clubs. She loved trying everything from directing plays to being on the state champ softball team. After college she lived in Boston for a few years before joining the Peace Corps. As an environmental volunteer she worked with local people on gardening and growing rice. She moved to Seattle after returning to the United States where she met Jody and worked in research before starting
ENJOYING THE SCULPTURE GARDEN IN SEATTLE
her career in nursing.
the
t h at w e PEOPLE
EMILY TALKS ABOUT HER FAMILY • My parents live 20 minutes away in a neighboring town. They built their dream house on a lake. Their house is a gathering place for family and friends alike. My sister lives in a college town about one hour away with her two daughters who are 3 and 1 year old. We often get together and hang out. Every birthday is a big celebration where everyone gathers at my parents house for food and fun. I am lucky enough to still have 3 grandparents. Two who visit from Florida and my other grandmother lives just 45 minutes away. I love spending time with her and have lunch dates with her whenever I can.
LOVE
gathered at my grandmother’s house around a giant table telling stories and sharing jokes. I was very close with my grandmother and try to live up to her values and caring spirit.
My family gets together often for holidays and family events. We have 5 nieces and nephews in my immediate family. At family gatherings we enjoy catching up on life’s events and eating good food together. My family is committed to staying in touch and spending time together. A favorite is meeting up at my parents cabin on a lake in southern Maine for swimming and cookouts.
My family has strong traditions. My great grandparents came to the US from Eastern Europe and my family has preserved many traditional foods and celebrations. I can’t wait to pass these traditions on. JODY TALKS ABOUT HER FAMILY • I come from a big extended family that live mostly in and around Boston MA. My grandfather came from India and instilled strong family traditions and values. I was raised Jewish and many holidays were spent
EMILY’S PARENTS
TOURING THE FARM WHERE JODY VOLUNTEERS
VISITING JODY’S PARENTS
ENJOYING THE SCULP
OUR FRIENDS
W
are like FAMILY to us
e love our friends and they are excited for us to start a family of our own. We love our friends because we have trust built over years of friendship and they are always willing to support us, offer advice or a helping hand. Pizza night happens once a week and it is our favorite night! We meet up with our
CULPTURE PARK
closest friends, two couples and their kids. We play games, eat delicious homemade pizza fresh from the oven and veggies right from the garden. Lately we have gotten in to some pretty fierce backyard games that usually result in laughing till our sides hurt.
our TRADIT IONS » THANKSGIVING is our biggest and favorite holiday. We alternate years between our families. » CHRISTMAS is a low key and relaxed holiday focused on the children.
WITH FRIENDS AT BAXTER STATE PARK
GOOFING AROUND WITH OUR NEPHEWS
» FOR NEW YEARS EVE we get together with Emily’s family and close friends to make homemade pasta and gather around a bonfire to ring in the New Year.
SKIING WITH JODY’S SISTER’S FAMILY
OUR PROMISES TO YOUR CHILD
we promise to..
» Build confidence to take risks and try new things. » Speak to them always with love and respect. » Encourage a love of learning and discovery » Teach respect for animals and nature. » Build a strong sense of family and community. » Provide an outstanding education and focus on healthy living. » Share laughter and truly listen to them every day. » Be there for them when they need us. » Encourage creative problem solving. » Accept your child for who he or she is and embrace their uniqueness. » Teach them to be proud of who they are and where they came from.
THANK YOU FOR LEARNING ABOUT US
W
e would feel truly honored to be selected by you and to be trusted with your child. Our commitment to you is to be open and honest with your child about where they came from and their story. We will provide your child with a secure and loving home from which they can explore life and take risks. We can’t wait to share our love of life with a child and experience their wonder as we enjoy the world together. We look forward to developing a relationship and sharing
» Give your child unique and memorable experiences filled with love.
this experience with an openness that we all feel comfortable with. Should you choose us as adoptive parents for your child, you would be giving us life’s greatest gift and we will be forever grateful to you. If you have any questions for us or would like to speak with us about adopting your child, please contact your case worker at AdoptHelp by calling 1-800-637-7999, toll-free.