Introducing
JOHN KARYN A N D
HELLO THERE! WE ARE
KARYN AND JOHN
W
e want to THANK YOU so much for giving us the opportunity to introduce ourselves and tell you about us. We are grateful for the love that you are showing by considering an adoption plan for your child (the difficulty of this decision is not lost on us). We know that you want the very best for your child and we will devote our lives to nurture, care and love your child. Please know that what is most cherished to you will be what is most precious to us. Having a family has not come easy, and it has taught us that family isn’t always created through blood lines. This experience has strengthened our bonds as partners and made us more clear on what is important to us in our lives. WHY ADOPTION? We discovered that conception is not a reality for us. It was a difficult realization and it took a while for our hearts to heal, but we are refreshed with new hope because we know that adoption is the right choice for us. We want to experience the joy, the highs the lows and everything in between that comes with raising children. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY TO START OUR FAMILY!
A BIT ABOUT US
W
e believe our family’s multi-ethnic and multi-racial background will enrich our child’s life. John was born in Spain, but was raised in the US since he was months old and is a US citizen fluent in Spanish. His father is Cuban and his mother was also born in Spain. Karyn was born in the United States, but her
FUN FACTS AND FAVORITES WE LOVE AQUARIUMS! We visit them every chance we get and always learn something new in the process. WE LOVE WATCHING FOOTBALL! We have unique and distinct knowledge about the game, Karyn is more factual and I am more technical and interested in strategy.
DATE NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL DAY
WE LOVE MOVIE NIGHT! Whether it’s going out to a dinner and a movie or staying in to watch a good TV series. ROAD TRIPS ARE OUR FAVORITE! We love exploring new places. Whether it’s a beach or a park, we are always game for an adventure. Most of the time, the fun is in the traveling! WE ENJOY FAMILY GATHERINGS! Between Karyn’s ability to cook well and my ability to be a kid, each family gathering is nothing but a good old time.
SOAKING UP SOME SUN BY THE WATER family’s background stems from the West Indies. Both her parents were born in Trinidad and a lot of her extended family still resides there. Both of us have very similar backgrounds in terms of culture and upbringing. Both of us have two other siblings. John is the oldest with a younger brother and sister. Karyn is the youngest with two older brothers. Both of us were raised Catholics and went to Catholic school, but we consider ourselves very spiritual.
OUR STORY
W J
OHN’S WORK I own and operate a Technology Consulting Company with my good friend Paul. We have been in business for over 5 years and service a large number of clients on a very personal level. The things I like most about work are the day-to-day technical challenges that allow us to create solutions for our clients. I enjoy what I do, however family always comes first for me!
K
ARYN’S WORK I own and operate a personal chef business. I prepare healthy meals for busy clients that have families but do not have the time to prepare meals for themselves. This includes seniors who physically cannot prepare meals as well as new parents. It is the most gratifying work I’ve ever done. I look forward to going to work each day and feel like I’ve answered a calling. My hours are very flexible which will come in handy for parenting!
KARYN EXPLORING THE CITY
e met each other in 1990 when we were both confused students trying to make sense of our first engineering class. There began a wonderful friendship, dating, falling in love and then marriage in 2002. We were instantly close because of our similar backgrounds growing up in urban America, not to mention our academic pursuits were the same considering we both have Aerospace Engineering degrees. Since we’re best buds, we like to do everything together (that includes a lot of laughing). We travel, play games, watch movies and listen to music together. We love taking random drives as well as nature walks. We talk about everything and sometimes nothing at all and still manage to have fun doing it.
“WE ARE BOTH READY FOR OUR NEXT ADVENTURE TOGETHER, PARENTHOOD. WE CANNOT WAIT TO EXPAND OUR FAMILY THROUGH THE MIRACLE OF ADOPTION!”
THOUGHTS ABOUT
A
s parents, creating a strong family unit will be our top priority. To us, family is about whom you love and care for, how you make them feel and how they make you feel. Family are the people who love you during the good, the bad and the parts in between, no matter what. We cannot wait to begin growing our family!
PARENTING
Education is very important to us. Our parents taught us the value of education and we plan to do so with our child. Education helped us develop our interests and abilities. Education allowed us to enjoy many years building our skill sets in corporate America. It also gave us the courage to start our own businesses.
BIKING IN HALEAKALA - WE LOVE TO TRAVEL!
WE’RE BEST FRIENDS!
WE WILL TEACH
OUR CHILD... THAT THEY CAN LOOK TO US FOR GUIDANCE we will always have an open line of communication with our child. TO BE WELL-ROUNDED by being active in their lives and establishing routines and safe boundaries That our home will always be a place filled with LAUGHTER, CARING, WARMTH and NURTURING. TO BE SECURE AND CONFIDENT in themselves and truly know that they can do and be anything they want TO KNOW THAT WE LOVE THEM and will be there for them always TO HAVE GOOD MANNERS, charity and show kindness to others TO ESTABLISH TRUST AND RESPECT with people
ON VACATION IN HAWAII
10 THINGS I LOVE
ABOUT JOHN WRITTEN BY KARYN
1.
He is a great communicator and problem solver. He can be impartial and see everyone’s side clearly.
2.
He’s an excellent teacher. He has an ability to understand other people and how they’re wired.
3.
He’s a kid at heart and loves to game. John is everyone’s favorite uncle and the life of a party when it comes to board or group games.
4. 5.
He has a really wicked sense of humor.
He is game for any adventure (treasure hunts, solving riddles, puzzles or just jumping in the car and taking a road trip)
6.
He is a serious techno and audiophile. He’s into technology that makes life easy. The remote IS his friend.
7. 8.
He’s an avid tinkerer. He can build and improve on an idea.
He never has a mean or harsh word for anyone or anything. He is extremely diplomatic and never lets his temper control his actions.
9.
He is a huge advocate for self improvement. He’s keen on exercising, eating well and being healthy.
10
. He’s a nature buff and an amateur photographer. He finds the beauty where you’d think there is none.
BEING ACTIVE IS IMPORTANT TO JOHN
PHOTO OP!
A FEW OF JOHN’S FAVORITE’S • Model building • Gaming (electronic, video & board games) • Observing Nature and Nature Walks • Movies & well-written TV shows
• Listening to music (of all types!) • Physical fitness and mental wellness • Space and the beauty of our universe
JOHN IS A KID AT HEART
10 THINGS I LOVE
ABOUT KARYN WRITTEN BY JOHN
1.
She is sweet and loving. She pays attention to the small things.
2.
She is all about the details. For example, we have themed dinners and I’m always surprised at the level of detail, even down to the napkin holders.
KARYN IS GOING TO BE A GREAT MOTHER!
3.
She is selfless and will tend to put her needs last and the needs of others first.
4
She is warm and caring with children, people are naturally drawn to her.
5.
She is driven. When she sets a goal in her head, nothing will come in her way to stop her from achieving that goal.
A FEW OF KARYN’S FAVORITE’S • Reading (mystery, fantasy, self-help and human interest) • Flea markets and Antiquing • Travelling (trying to visit all 50 states and at least 1 country on each continent)
KARYN & OUR NEW BABY NEPHEW
• Do-it-yourself home improvement projects • Model building • Cooking and Food shopping (exploring new cultures through food)
6.
She cooks from the heart. You can feel the love in the food that she makes. Trust me!
7.
She is passionate in everything she does. She often pushes me past my boundaries.
8.
She is witty and very funny. You need to be prepared to laugh once in the room with her
9.
She loves Jeopardy! She will answer most of the questions correctly before the contestants do.
10.
She is free spirited and loves to explore. She would love to travel the world and experience something new daily as a family.
MEET OUR
LOVED ONES
WITH FRIENDS AT A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
JOHN’S FAMILY IN SEGOVIA
JOHN WITH HIS BROTHER AND DAD
JOHN’S FAMILY • The first word that comes to mind when thinking of my family is unity. I find a part of me in each of them. There is a closeness which has been imbedded in us since very young, even now as they live in Spain. Despite being family, we are truly friends. My Dad is the pillar of our family and where we draw our strength from. He always strives to do “the right thing” no matter how impossible that may be. My Mom is a loving and caring soul, which is where we draw our tenderness from. She has the ability to see past the obvious and delve deeper to the unseen. She is also the logical one and where we get our calculative skills from.
KARYN & JOHN’S SISTER
ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL DAY
My brother is my best friend. He and I were inseparable when we were young, my partner in crime. We did everything together and although I was 3 years older than him that never became apparent until our college years when life gave us different paths. From him, we draw the silliness and fun. My sister is the mother of the bunch. She is the one that thinks with her heart. She listens to our problems and is an amazing friend to talk to.
WITH JOHN’S RELATIVES
FAMILY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US ALL OF OUR FRIENDS & FAMILY
SUPPORT OUR DECISION TO
PURSUE ADOPTION KARYN’S FAMILY • I am the youngest of three children. I have two older brothers and we were typical siblings growing up.
OUT FOR A HIKE
WITH FAMILY
My oldest brother is in law enforcement. He will be the “do the right thing” uncle. We are very close, he even walked me down the aisle on my wedding day! My second oldest brother is a formal educator and loves academia. He will be “fun uncle”. He is also a world traveler, knows a little of everything and has a really interesting perspective on life. My mother is the epitome of love and care. She is a retired Registered Nurse. Her main focus was providing for us and making sure that we had all that was needed. I admire my mother because she was a single-parent for a good part of my childhood. She loves to travel and I was her travelling partner. We travelled to several states, Europe and the Caribbean. This opened my eyes to the world and different cultures and customs. I can’t wait to travel with our child!
TRAVELING THROUGH THE CITY
AT HER OLDER BROTHER’S WEDDING
WITH HER BROTHER
Growing up, my grandparents lived with us. A large part of who I am had to do with having them at home. My grandmother and I had a close bond and I learned so much about giving and sharing without expecting anything in return. Their marriage was a lesson in communication, understanding and devotion. I miss them every day. KARYN WISHING HER MOTHER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
THE PLACE WE CALL HOME
WE LOVE TO ENTERTAIN
OUR CURRENT
CONNECTION TO CHILDREN
O
ur nephew is 6 years old this year and is really such a joy to our lives. He’s somewhat “everyone’s child” because he’s the first grandchild for my mom and we’ve all had a hand in watching him grow and raising him. He is very special to us as he was born during a difficult time in our efforts to have children. We were so grateful for him as he allowed us to cope with the pain of our heartache. He is very close to his “Uncle John” and Aunt KayKay.
ALL SMILES WITH OUR NEPHEW! WITH OUR NEPHEW
SAY CHEESE!
KARYN AND OUR NEIGHBOR’S CHILD
HOME LIFE
& NEIGHBORHOOD
W
e live in a very modest four bedroom home. It has a large backyard and a large family room. The spacious backyard and large family room are just a couple of the reasons why we fell in love with our house when we first looked at it. Over the years, we’ve decorated it and made the house our home. We’ve used warm tones of browns, taupes, red and some deep blues. The room we have carved out as the nursery is in a neutral yellow and light green. We plan on placing a “tree of life” decal on the wall. We are surrounded by amazing neighbors. Our neighbors are the kindest, most selfless people one can encounter. Our
OUR HOME IS FULL OF LAUGHTER AND LOVE neighborhood is filled with kids of varying ages. We all gather together during the year for awesome barbecues and back yard parties. We have an incredible support system within our community. As we help with their kids, we know they will be there for ours. They are all excited about our next step and cannot wait to meet our new addition. There are many schools, churches, parks and shopping centers just a short drive away. There are after school activity centers within a 5 mile radius of our home (martial arts, dancing, sports, even an ice skating ring). We look forward to spending many happy years in our home.
ALL DRESSED UP!
OUR THOUGHTS ON ADOPTION
W
e want the level of openness to be in proportion to the actions and comfort level we have with the birthparents. We want to keep the birthparents comfortable in knowing the child’s well-being is our top priority. As a bi-racial couple we are open to a child that is similar to our culture that is a mix either/or Spanish or African American. We are fine with either gender and we are not opposed to twins or triplets.
If you would like to speak with us about adopting your child or have any questions for us, please contact us through our adoption agency, A Loving Choice, at 800-816-6311 or email at info@alovingchoice.org.
OUR FINAL
THOUGHTS
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR LEARNING ABOUT US
W
hen we were young, our homes were filled with love, laughter, warmth and happiness and we want to recreate that environment for our kids. We are so excited at the prospect of a new child in our life and we look forward to reexperiencing our wonderful childhoods through our child’s eyes. We look forward to milestones, first steps, first words and every other step in their growth. We are forever grateful that you are considering us to follow this journey with you and your child. Here is to writing a new chapter in all of our lives.
John & Karyn