HANS and
j e a n e tt e
Building
HELLO!
jeanette
o u r f a m i ly through adoption
see the glow of the Empire State Building or simply
is something
finding the best black and white cookie in the City, we
we are both
made everything an adventure!
enthusiastic about!
and
One of our favorite experiences was getting a Zipcar and traveling out to Long Island on a blistering cold day in February and walking out to the beach
HANS
to see the ocean in our winter parkas. We liked to go to all types of restaurants and we took walks along the East River almost daily. During this time, we both grew as
F UN I N TH E SUN
people, but more importantly grew as a couple.
T H A N K Y O U F O R TA K I N G THE TIME TO READ OUR LETTER AND LEARN A B O U T U S . We hope that these pages offer you a snapshot into our lives as a fun, loving and adventurous couple.
We have endless respect and
We promise to love your child
gratitude for your choice. Hans was a birth father at a young age and understands firsthand the sacrifice you are making. It is important to us that your child knows how they became part of our family and of your selfless gift.
unconditionally and provide a loving and supportive home for them. We will raise your child to respect themselves and others, teach them the lessons we have learned and most importantly, have fun!
FUN AT A WE D D ING
A
We married 5 years ago and moved back home to the Midwest to pursue new careers and be closer to family. Transitioning to the slower pace of life in the Midwest has been a breeze because we still do everything together. We love living in Wisconsin and enjoy each season – even the winter! R EA DY T O ZI PCA R !
mutual friend introduced us while we were attending
children's
LIFE
together
were laughing and being our goofy selves. 10
years later, not much has changed! After graduation, Hans moved to Los Angeles and Jeanette
moved back home to Chicago. We both set out on our own paths, but kept in close contact. A little while later, our paths converged in New York City. We both landed great jobs around the
TH E SN EA KI NG ON AN ET TE 'S RO OF TO P OF JE T NY C APAR TM EN
same time and we knew this was where we were meant to start
odd food
combo
book
Indiana University. Within seconds of meeting, we
OUR
. . . I N T HE COL D T OO!
a few
of our
fav o r i t e
things
JEANET TE
JEANET TE
mac n cheese & hot dogs
HANS
a splash of milk on my ice cream (I eat ice cream every night!)
Harry Potter (I've read them twice)
HANS
Where the Wild Things are
musical JEANET TE
artist
cartoon
character
JEANET TE
The Beatles ( took a class on them in college and got an A!)
Doug
HANS
HANS
Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes (I really identify with that little bugger)
Bob Marley
our adult lives together. Jeanette lived with college friends in an adorable apartment while learning independence and responsibility. She lived above
guilty
was cheap and close to work. Whether it was ordering breakfast sandwich bagels and coffee from a bodega called Tasty’s around the corner from Hans’ apartment, sneaking up to the roof to
HANS
getting into a new series (like House of Cards) and staying up late to watch a bunch of episodes in a row
JEANET TE
reality TV shows on Bravo
a piano bar and fell asleep to Billy Joel songs every night. Hans, as thrifty as ever, found a fifth floor walk up in rotten area that
pleasures
hobby
animals
yoga
penguin
JEANET TE HANS surfing
JEANET TE HANS
my childhood dog
I'm so proud p r o u d to h av e h e r a s
my wife JU ST TA KING A TEST D RIVE!
J
and am eager to see her
eanette is a beautiful woman who is full of joy and spunk. When you meet Jeanette, you remember her. I’m consistently told how lucky I am to have her as my wife – a sentiment I agree with completely!
as a mom!
Jeanette is an incredibly strong person who finds humor in life daily. For example, if you compliment her black hair, she corrects you with “dark brown”,
loves hans
jeanette's
JEANET TE'S SMILE she will laugh at anything!
COOKING she can create tasty meals out of nothing!
if she drops an egg on the floor, she’ll immediately turn to you with a smile and ask if you remember that time when YOU dropped an egg on the floor, her phone doesn’t get low on battery power, it “gets sleepy”, etc. Even the most mundane activity, like a trip to the grocery store, is fun with Jeanette.
the
joys
J EA N ET T E DOI N G PI L AT ES
of
jeanette
Jeanette is empathetic– she has an uncanny ability to relate to people and genuinely cares for them. Her dad died tragically when she was in college and she recently gave up a high-paying corporate
"SCREW IT, LET'S DO IT" AT TITUDE no matter what idea or crazy travel plan I propose, Jeanette will cherish the adventure
career in NYC to go back to school for three years and become a nurse in Milwaukee. S h e d i d t h i s b e c a u s e s h e wa n t e d t o c a r e f o r o t h e r s t h e way t h e I C U n u r s e s c a r e d for her dad.
S T YLE Jeanette always looks good
TIRELESSNESS Jeanette is always up for something!
Jeanette is a doer. When she wants to do something, it gets done. Very little gets in the way of Jeanette and her goals. Jeanette likes speaking Spanish with her grandfather. In college, she spent a
S H E LOVE S S P E ND ING
semester in Spain and majored in Spanish. When she decided to move to NYC, she had a job offer there and was on her way in less than
T I M E WIT H T H E KID S IN H E R LIFE
a month. These examples could go on forever. Whether family or friends, it’s no wonder that people want to be around Jeanette. She lights up every room she enters and leaves a lasting impression with everyone she meets. Her empathy as a nurse is a YAY ! NUR SI NG SC H O O L GR AD AUTI O N
small sliver of what her care and affection will be as a mother.
Hans dreams big and never gives up. If he feels passionate about something, like starting his own company or building a bathroom, he will achieve it.
HANS WORK ING
READING IN PARADIS E
I am proud of the man Hans i s , a n d I c a n ’ t wa i t t o s e e h i m b e c o m e a f at h e r . I have been waiting to see him fulfill this role he is meant to have for years! He is a natural nurturer. When I am feeling sad he cares for me by offering encouragement and a hug. Children flock to him and hang on to his every word because he is full of energy and knowledge. Just ask my nieces!
Here's all
about
P L AY I N G A R O U N D W I T H M Y N I E C E
hans
jeanette
hans is a
g, smart, stron o p t i m i s t i c and is an l o ya l m a n — he
inspiratio t o m a n y,
including
H
ans is the kindest, most patient person I know. He has the heart of a teacher. No matter how busy he is, he will always take the time to help others in need. Any time of day, I can call him with a silly computer question or a personal issue and he will drop what he is doing to help troubleshoot the issue or lend an ear.
loves
han's HAIR he has a great head of hair!
EGGS he makes the best over-easy eggs
WORK ETHIC he can do anything he sets his mind to—like building a bathroom!
n
myself
Hans’ energy and smile is contagious. He is someone people want to be around because he is playful, fun and can find commonality with anyone. People of all ages love talking to him because he is interesting, tells great stories (like the time he sailed across the Atlantic ocean on a sailing team!), and is a human encyclopedia for cars.
READING he reads the newspaper every day
MOVES Jeanette is always up for something!
H ANS R E M O D E LE D O UR B ATH R O O M
HE IS N'T A FR A ID T O G E T HIS HA NDS DIRT Y !
HA NS LO V E S T HE WAT E R
THE
We live just outside the city and are
people
within minutes of museums, events and diverse neighborhoods to discover. During the summertime,
OUR
neck
there are festivals almost every week that celebrate different cultures, music genres, art and neighborhoods.
of the
woods
Our neighborhood is vibrant, u n i q u e a n d k i d - f r i e n d ly. When you picture a tree-lined street with kids riding bikes around on the FAM ILY F U N W I T H H A N S ' S S I D E
sidewalk all of the time, you see our street. It is safe and a great place for a child to explore. We are surrounded by good schools and there is a large park with a pool, basketball courts, tennis courts and two baseball diamonds three blocks from our house. Our neighborhood is old - the trees are tall, the houses
JE ANETTE 'S SID E OF TH E FAMILY
J
H AN S' PAR E N TS
eanette’s mom lives less than an hour away. She and Jeanette see and speak to each other often, and always
keep each other laughing. Jeanette’s sister and brother-inlaw live nearby, which is awesome since we can play with our adorable nieces as much as we want. We love visiting their home, exploring their 11 acres of property and playing
we
love
picturesque and the lots are small. This translates into a
W E L I V E B L O C K S A W AY F R O M O N E O F T H E L A R G E S T F R E S H WAT E R L A K E S I N T H E W O R L D. OU R COM M U NITY IS FILLE D WITH PARKS, BIKE PATH S A ND B EAU TIFUL PLACE S TO DISCOV E R IN A NY SE ASON.
strong sense of community – we find ourselves talking to neighbors almost daily as all of our garages share an
spending
time with the
kids
our life
alleyway. Whether it is extra tomatoes and cucumbers on our back stoop, watching each other’s houses while away or simply gossiping about property taxes, our cohesive interactions lead to strong bonds in our neighborhood.
outdoors with them. H A N S I S T H E I R F A V O R I T E U N C L E A N D T H E Y L O V E P L AY I N G W I T H H I M ,
WELCOME TO OUR HOME!
B U T T H E Y W O U L D R E A L LY L O V E A C O U S I N T O P L AY W I T H . Jeanette’s brother lives a few hours away with his wife. They are smart and funny and can’t wait to meet their future niece or nephew. Jeanette’s family travels often to spend time and laugh together. Hans’ parents live about 20 minutes as do his sister and her family. Each summer, his family has a huge reunion on the lake that is attended by most cousins, aunts and uncles. His Godfather has one adopted and two biological daughters and all are welcome and accepted! Both of our families enjoy doing things when we get together – whether it’s tag, catching frogs or roasting turkeys in the pole barn we all look forward to getting together and just having good time.
GARDENING WIT H OUR NIECES
9 START A FAMILY
9 P AY OFF OUR HOUSE 9 RETIRE YOUNG
9 T RAVEL OFTEN AND EXTENSIVELY 9 C REATE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES FOR OUR FUTURE CHILDREN
AN AW E SOM E TR E E IN B AR B AD OS!
things
we love
our
careers
to do
J
eanette loves practicing yoga and her favorite pose is Warrior II. She also
enjoys taking walks in any type of weather. Jeanette enjoys cooking, and loves experimenting with different spices. She has an entire closet dedicated to her spices! Jeanette majored in Spanish and studied in Spain for a semester during college. She is enthusiastic about the language and the Hispanic culture. Her grandfather is equally enthusiastic, as he lived in Puerto Rico with his family on an army base for several years and attended a Spanish Immersion School. He passed his love for the language when she was young– and they continue
WE LOVE T O DANCE!
to practice together.
TRY IN G SOM E SAL SA W H I L E S H O P P I N G
W E L OV E L IV IN G CL OSE TO A L AK E AN D SAIL IN G!
Hans likes to be on the w at e r – w h e t h e r i t ’ s surfing, sailing, swimming, kiteboarding or even ice s k at i n g , H a n s w i l l j u m p ( o r d i v e ! ) at t h e o p p o r t u n i t y. Jeanette and Hans both love to travel and have taken a trip to the Caribbean every winter for six years in a row. We like to take hikes, swim, surf and eat together and sometimes find ourselves more tired after a vacation than before it.
T' S GO ! C' MO N! LE
we both
f o n d ly
remember
fa m i l y r oa d t r i p s
as kids
and look
f o rwa r d to c o n t i n u i n g this
tradition
as our family grows!
9 W e will provide UN CON DITIO N AL LOVE and SUP P ORT for your child
J E A N E T T E I S A R E G I S T E R E D N U R S E . Since she was young, she wanted to be a nurse and decided to pursue this dream after we got married. It is a wonderful career that allows for a great work-life balance. She loves caring for people, and thinks that nursing has trained her to become a mother! She plans to work part-time so she can spend more time at home with a baby.
9 W e will help realize YOUR C HILD’ S P OTEN TIAL and always encourage them to follow their passions
Hans is the Founder of a technology c o m pa n y. He finds great fulfillment in his career and enjoys building the business and managing his team. Hans plans his vacations around Jeanette’s schedule and we can travel more often as a family because of this.
9 W e will instill FAITH IN GO D and RESP ECT FOR LIFE and love for our neighbors
9 W e will lovingly TEAC H and GUIDE your child to be generous and kind and make positive decisions
our
9 W e will promote a sense of ADVEN TURE and an appreciation for the outdoors
promise
to you
9 We will be P RESEN T FO R YOUR C HILD EVERYDAY – through the ordinary, the wonderful, and the tough days
9 W e will C HERISH and AP P REC IATE your child 9 W e will be O P EN and HO N EST about the way we became a family 9 W e will LISTEN TO YO UR C HILD and make them feel secure and confident
IF YOU WOU L D L IKE TO FIND OU T MORE ABOU T U S OR HAVE ANY QU EST IONS,
P L E A S E C O N TACT OUR CASE W O R K E R AT A D O P T H E L P BY CALLING 1-800-637-7999
TOLL FREE!
we the
thank
you!
W
promise
b e s t pa r e n t s we and to p r o v i d e a
to be
can be,
happy,
love-filled h o m e
wonderful life-giving gift of adoption. Hans
very much want to do the same thing that
blessed a loving couple looking to expand
those parents have done for Hans’ birth child.
e are grateful that you have taken
their family with a child. Although it was hard,
the time to consider us as parents
he took comfort in knowing the child would
We hope that we can support you through
for your child. O u r l i v e s h av e c o m e
be loved, provided for and live in a happy
this process and establish the relationship
f u l l c i r c l e , and it has brought us to this
home. Now we are those hopeful parents and
that is best for you and your child.