Jillian and Melia's Profile

s u h c rea

I'm Melia!

I'm Jillian!

INDEPENDENT ADOPTION CENTER K I HE ARTADOPTION.ORG/ IM-PREGNANT K 1.800.877.OPEN (6736)

ONLINE

K W W W.BIGBOOTS.CO (OUR BLOG) K JILLIANANDMELIA@GMAIL.COM K I HE ARTADOPTION.ORG/USERS/ JILLIANANDMELIA

CALL

K 1.800.817.4735

TEX T

K 224.444.0929

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU!

hi! we're

W

e appreciate you taking the time to view our letter. We want you to know how much we respect you and your courageous decision to consider an adoption plan. We are so excited to grow our family with the addition of a child, as well as a new relationship with you.

Along with our family and friends, we look forward to welcoming you into our lives, and we are open to whatever level of contact feels comfortable to you. WE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNIT Y TO GET TO KNOW YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THIS JOURNE Y TOGETHER!

Iillian z Melia from

Fort Worth, Texas

e

y r o t s our

DURING OUR FALL ENGAGEMENT PHOTO SESSION

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WE MET IN A BRIEF ENCOUNTER EIGHT YEARS AGO ON A PATIO IN DALLAS. We continued to think about each other, and almost two years later we met up at a small coffee shop in Denton and immediately clicked. Over the course of 2009, our foundation of friendship evolved into so much more. It turned into a committed, loving and honest relationship.

e

a l wa y weknew we s

wanted to

grow our

In November 2013, we got engaged at the same coffee shop where we shared our first cup of coffee. And in June 2014, we were married in a beautiful backyard surrounded by many close friends and family in Jillian’s hometown of Syracuse, New York. From early on in our relationship, we knew we wanted to grow our family, and we are so thrilled to have that opportunity through open adoption!

family

A DO

through

PTION

ABOUT ]

HALEAKALĀ IN MAUI.

Iillian

u [

Melia

BE KIND AND

UMAN N G TH E H S U P P O R TI PA IG N AT A AM R IG H TS C N D R A IS ER LO C A L FU

DAN CE PAR TY WIT H THE KID S AT OUR WED DIN G

K Compassion

GENEROUS WITH YOUR LOVE JILLIAN HAS NEVER MET A STRANGER. She instantly makes people feel at ease with her caring demeanor, boundless curiosity and listening ear. Jillian is also a joy to be around because of her childlike wonder. She sees the world with new eyes and her awe is absolutely contagious. I look forward to watching her explore the world with our child.

MELIA IS SMART, CREATIVE AND CONSTANTLY MAKES ME LAUGH. She is also a natural caregiver. I never have to worry because I know she will help me plan and coordinate the important things. Melia was born to be a mother, and I can't wait to watch her with our child. She makes the best grilled cheese, chili and soups, and she knows exactly what to do when you're sick. I cherish every day with her and can't wait to be a parent with her.

K Consideration

THINK ABOUT OTHERS' FEELINGS AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR UNIQUE SITUATIONS

K Honesty

FIND A WAY TO TELL THE TRUTH AND SEEK IT EVERY CHANCE YOU GET

i Ji l l

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n & Me

hobbies Q

a 's li

HATTIE THE RESCUE DOG, OUR FURRY FAMILY MEMBER

W

e both love a good adventure! We enjoy hiking, kayaking, cycling and stand up paddle boarding — basically anything outdoors. And any time we can, we take our dog Hattie along for the ride! We can’t wait to share our love of nature with our child.

Interests

TRAVELING IS ANOTHER PASSION OF OURS. Since we met, we’ve traveled to Prague, Mexico, Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts, Georgia, Colorado and North Carolina, and we have many more destinations on our list.

We look forward to traveling with our child — exploring different cultures and taking in the sights. More than anything, we just love spending quality time together.

RIVERBOAT CRUISE IN PRAGUE

g in th

s we wil l

r u o h c tea or

n r so hte g u da

K Justice

TREAT PEOPLE

JILLIAN IS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING AT A LOCAL UNIVERSIT Y. She enjoys expressing her creativity through advertising, and she looks forward to encouraging our child’s unique creativity. On weekends, Jillian volunteers at the Botanical Research Institute, showing children how to care for plants and teaching them how energy is created through sun and wind. Jillian can’t wait to teach our child about the importance of caring for nature and the world around us.

our

careers

MELIA IS A MARKETING MANAGER FOR A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY. She enjoys marketing because she can use her love of writing to craft compelling stories for a variety of audiences.

She is excited to create stories for and with our child. Melia’s schedule is flexible, and she looks forward to spending quality time with our child — reading books, working on puzzles, going on adventures and cooking with ingredients from our raised-bed garden.

FAIRLY AND FIGHT TO

PA INT ING AN D PL AN TIN G OU R FIR ST RA ISE D-B ED VE GE TA BL E GA RD EN

EMPOWER OTHERS K Determination

TAKE ON

CHALLENGES AND

GROW WITH EVERY OPPORTUNITY

STORYTIME WITH OUR FRIEND'S SON, AVERY

O

ur home is in a quiet and family-oriented neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas, where kids are safe to ride their bikes and play outside. There are excellent schools, great parks and beautiful hiking paths in the area.

BELOW K SPENDING TIME WITH OUR FRIEND'S SON, AVERY

OUR

home LEFT K MELIA TEACHING HER CO-WORKER'S GRANDDAUGHTER, ASONI, HOW TO COUNT

We’re close to both downtown Fort Worth and downtown Dallas, so our weekends are often spent at art festivals, farmers markets, music and foodie events, and museums. We can’t wait to experience these places with our child, picking out vegetables for the week at the local farmers market or going to special museum exhibits! our awesome puppy, Hattie!

MELIA'S FAMILY AT OUR WEDDING CELEBRATION IN DENTON, TEXAS

FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT OUR WEDDING CELEBRATION

family friends

JILLIAN AND COUSIN LILY ABOUT TO GO SLEDDING

RIGHT K HANGING OUT WITH JACK AND ERIN, OUR FRIEND'S TWINS

W

e are so thankful to have the unconditional love and support of our family and close friends. They are so excited about us adopting, and they have offered constant encouragement along the way. Melia’s brother and sister-in-law openly adopted our niece, Marci, five years ago, so we have seen firsthand what an incredible experience adoption can be for everyone involved.

BOTH OF US HAVE FAMILY NE ARBY, AND WE SEE THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE — OFTEN PILING IN THE CAR WITH HAT TIE FOR WEEKEND VISITS. Each summer, Melia’s family gets together at a lake house where we swim, cook and spend quality time together. And most summers, Jillian’s family rents a beach house where we fly kites, go on walks and relax. Wherever we are, there’s always laughter and love.

We can’t wait to add to our family — creating new traditions and making memories.

O UR

promise

s u h c rea

WE CAN HARDLY WAIT TO LOVE, SUPPORT AND CARE FOR OUR CHILD SO THAT HE OR SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW INTO A HAPPY, CONFIDENT AND COMPASSIONATE PERSON. We are learners who highly value education, and we are dedicated to serving people, caring for animals and preserving the world around us. We hope to instill these qualities in our child as well.

INDEPENDENT ADOPTION CENTER IHE ARTADOPTION.ORG/IM-PREGNANT

We believe our home is an environment where a child can thrive and feel empowered to become exactly who he or she is meant to be. We also hope to have a strong relationship with you, in whatever way you feel most comfortable. You will always be a part of our family, and we look forward to having you in our lives. We can’t wait to hear from you!

VISITING BUCKROE BEACH IN HAMPTON, VIRGINIA

1.800.877.OPEN (6736)

ONLINE W W W.BIGBOOTS.CO (OUR BLOG)

JILLIANANDMELIA@GMAIL.COM IHE ARTADOPTION.ORG/ USERS/JILLIANANDMELIA

CALL 1.800.817.4735

WITH OUR LOVE AND WARMEST REGARDS,

TEX T 224.444.0929