K R I S TO P H E R AND MARCI
H E L LO ! W E A R E
MARCI AND
KRISTOPHER W E H AVE GR EAT RES P ECT FOR YOUR DECISI ON TO CONSID E R A N A D OPTI ON P L A N. We are very excited that we may be able to realize our dream of completing our family, and this may be possible because of a courageous person like you. DURING THE SUM MER O F 2011, W E A DO P TE D O UR SO N, CA LVI N. For the past three years, we have had amazing experiences watching him develop his unique and
wonderful personality. We now wish to complete our family with another adoption. We can’t wait to be parents again and know that Calvin will be the best big brother! We have much to give, and we already provide an atmosphere of love, laughter, activity, support, discovery, and good times. In our home, a child always feels loved and is showered with affection. We would be encouraging and supportive of a child’s chosen life path.
We value education and would provide the support to make that possible in the child’s area of interest. We are open, nonjudgmental people and would pass on these qualities to a child. Other qualities we find important, and that we would teach a child, are a sense of responsibility, that hard work pays off, and that a considerate and compassionate outlook on life will get you places.
W E WO U L D E X P O S E T H E N E W M E M B E R O F O U R FA M I LY TO A L L S O R T S O F T H I N G S , I N C LU D I N G N AT U R E , C U LT U R E , S C I E N C E , S P O R T S , A R T, A N D M U S I C . SNUGGLES WITH CALVIN
WE GOT MARRIED TWICE!
ABOUT US WE COULD NEVER HAVE
LEARNED T0 LOVE THE EARTH SO WELL, IF WE HAD
NO CHILDREN IN IT. - GEOR GE E L I OT
Marci grew up in Texas, and Kristopher grew up in northern California. We met when Marci was in graduate school and Kristopher was a scientific research associate in Flagstaff, Arizona. We have been together ever since, for the past eleven years. Kristopher proposed to Marci on a kayak on the equator in the middle the Pacific Ocean, in the Galapagos Islands! We had not yet made plans on where to get married, so we decided to get married the next day on the boat. It was the first time that the boat’s young captain had married anyone! FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, WE HAVE LIVED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. We love the area for its natural beauty, culture, and incredible diversity of things to do. Within an hour of our home, we have a great variety of beaches, several mountain ranges (some with skiing, lakes, and designated wilderness), the Mojave Desert, major museums and zoos, and, of course, Disneyland!
OUR WONDERFUL WEDDING DAY
SMART
D E PEN DA B L E
LOYAL
HUMBLE
MOTHER
Marci is honest, loyal, dependable, smart, and humble. She loves to laugh, is very empathetic, and is the best I could ever hope for as the mother of my children. Marci and Calvin love to go to the park, read books, sing, dance, paint, and create with Play-Doh. Marci is Calvin’s rock. I have heard many times from all kinds of people, adults and children, that, “Marci has a calming effect on me.” If a child skins their knee, she is the one you want there to provide comfort. Children adore Marci. I look forward to watching Marci’s relationship with a new child develop, and she will be a fantastic mother of siblings. WIT H MAR CI AS T H E M OM , O U R FAMI LY CO ULD N ’T DO ANY BE T T E R .
CALVIN HAS A GREAT VIEW
TRYING NOT TO DISTURB THE WILDLIFE
MEET
MARCI W R I T T E N BY KRISTOPHER LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE
SWIM THE SEA
DRINK THE
WILD AIR.
I C A N ’ T WA I T TO B E CO M E A FAT H E R AG A I N , B U T I A M J U S T A S E XC I T E D TO S E E M Y WO N D E R F U L W I F E B E CO M E A M OT H E R AG A I N .
- RALPH WALDO EMERSON
STRIKE A POSE!
I T W I L L B E S O F U N TO WATC H A N E W, U N I Q U E AND SPECIAL BOND FORM B E T W E E N K R I S TO P H E R A N D A N E W C H I L D. READING TOGETHER
CHILDREN ARE NOT A DISTRACTION FROM MORE IMPORTANT WORK.
THEY ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT WORK. - C.S. LEWIS
HE’S A LOVING AND PLAYFUL FATHER
Passionate, good sense of humor, intelligent, caring, and loyal are the adjectives that best describe Kristopher. Kristopher is so smart and loves to share his knowledge with children. TH EY A RE DRAWN TO HI M BECAUSE O F H I S PASSI O N ABO UT ANI MAL S A N D NATURE, ALTHO UGH I ’M S U RE HI S HUMO R AND SI LLI NESS H ELP TO O ! He has been a great father to our son. They love to build Legos, wrestle, explore and play in the backyard, watch sports, and go places together. They are best buddies! I am so excited to see Kristopher as a dad again. He will be such an awesome dad to siblings!
LOYAL
IN T ELL IGENT
PASSIONATE
LOYAL CARING FUN N Y
MEET KRISTOPHER W R I TTE N BY M A R C I ... AND LOVES TAKING WILDLIFE PICS
HE ALWAYS HAS IS CAMERA!
HANGING OUT WITH A FEW FRIENDS
KRISTOPHER LOVES HIS MOM
OUR HOME & COMMUNITY
WE L IVE IN A GRE AT NEI GHB OR HOOD S U R R O U N DE D BY WON D ER F UL PEOP L E . When we moved into our house 6 years ago, we were pleasantly surprised as to what a close-knit community we had just joined. Having lived in many different neighborhoods
in various cities, we both know how rare such an especially friendly and safe neighborhood can be. The schools are among the best in the country, and we look forward to being involved in making them even better. We enjoy having a home with lots of animals and plants. We have two dogs, a tortoise,
fish, and the occasional temporary residence of a lizard or frog. On a nice day in southern California, which is most of the time, we enjoy spending time outside, barbequing and being surrounded by kids running around, playing, full of energy.
LIFE IS BETTER
WITH A DOG.
LOUNGING PUPS
PUPPY LOVE
A BOY AND HIS DOG
KISSING AT THE EQUATOR
WE LOVE TO EXPLORE. We take walks and hikes to see wildflowers, go bird-watching, observe geology, and search for animals. We enjoy camping and spending time in our parks exploring, observing wildlife, and seeing and learning new things. We have fond childhood memories of traveling to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, the beaches of California and the Gulf of Mexico, Big Bend National Park, and to ski in various mountains of the American West. We love to travel. We strive to see the world, including how people around it live their lives. We feel that this adds to perspective on life, who we are, how fortunate we are, and what our role should be in the world. These are adventures and learning experiences that we very much want to share as a family. We have two dogs that we enjoy playing with and taking to the beach to run around. For us, there is only one kind of good dog, and that is a gentle dog that loves children. Our dogs are sweethearts that happily put up with whatever kids can dish out; they are perfectly content just to be a part of the family.
W H AT W E
MEETING A NEW FRIEND
LOV E TO D O T H E R E I S S O M U C H TO S E E I N T H E WO R L D, E V E N R I G H T HERE IN CALIFORNIA, AND WE WO U L D LOV E TO CO M P L E T E O U R FA M I LY A N D S H A R E S U C H NEW EXPERIENCES WITH OUR CHILDREN.
HIKING IN SOUTH AMERICA
THE
PEOPLE
W E LOV E MARCI LOVES HER SISTERS
CAMPING WITH FAMILY
W E A R E B OT H F O R T U N AT E I N H AV I N G S U P P O R T I V E , LOV I N G , A N D F U N FA M I L I E S .
CALVIN FELL ASLEEP ON HIS COUSIN
SILLY CALVIN AND GRANDMA
CUDDLES FROM GRANDMA
B OT H OF OU R FAMILIE S AR E VE RY EXCI TED AB OUT OUR DECISION TO AD O PT ANOTH ER CHILD. Marci has a large family with three older sisters and enjoys being a part of her nine nieces’ and nephews’ lives for the past 25 years. Kristopher’s family lives in northern California. He has one
younger sister who has 3 children. He and his mother are very close, and we love it when she comes for visits. In the words of Calvin, it’s, “Big Fun!” when we all get together. He loves his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins (3 – 27 years old).
WHEE! FUN WITH FAMILY
KIDS AT THE RAINFOREST CAFE AT DISNEY
FAMILY. LIKE BRANCHES ON A TREE, WE ALL GROW IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS,
O U R WO R K
YET OUR ROOTS REMAIN AS ONE.
W E A R E B OT H P R O F E S S O R S O F B I O LO GY.
the summer, Kristopher is free from teaching and
Marci teaches part time at two community
has the freedom to enjoy family trips and activities.
colleges. This gives her a lot of flexibility with
Sometimes his work brings him into beautiful
her teaching schedule, which is a great help in
natural areas, and he has talked about how much
raising children. Kristopher works at a university in
fun it would be to have his own children join him on
southern California, where he teaches classes and
these trips. Education is important to us, and we
runs a research lab. Although this keeps him busy,
realize that education can come in many forms. We
he is fortunate to have a flexible schedule. During
love to learn and to share our knowledge.
IN C LO S I N G
I F YO U H AV E A N Y Q U E S T I O N S A B O U T U S O R WO U L D L I K E
We appreciate that you took the time to learn about us. We have a deep respect for you and the difficult decision you are facing. S I N C ER E LY, M A R C I A N D K R I STO P H E R
TO S P E A K TO U S , P L E A S E CO N TAC T YO U R C A S E WO R K E R AT A D O P T H E L P BY C A L L I N G 1 . 8 0 0. 6 37.7 9 9 9 TO L L F R E E .