Adoptio n another is word for loved f
Patricia w STEPHEN
H E L L O Allow us to introduce ourselves: we are Patricia & Stephen. We’re a happily married couple in our early 30s who, with hearts wide open, are hopeful to expand our family through adoption. We can only imagine the emotion and energy it takes for you to make this decision, in considering giving your baby the gift of life and viewing adoption as a possibility. It takes an incredible amount of courage and love to want what’s best for your child; thank you for your bravery and compassion. We believe that it is an honour and privilege to become adoptive parents. We will do everything we can to do right by your child and accept our responsibilities to you and your child with respect and enthusiasm We tried our absolute best for this profile to tell our story, to capture our personalities, and to help you get to know us. We hope you can see the love that fills up our hearts, and how much of this unconditional love we hope to one day share. Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about us and considering us as you make this difficult decision.
n it! ring o a t u He p edding: Our w mber 2010 Septe
Every Family has a Story. Welcome to Ours‌ Our story began nearly 14 years ago in our first year at the University of Guelph. We lived in the same dorm and would bump into each other in the hall. We bonded over long study sessions at the library, motivating each other to study longer. We’ve been inseparable ever since!
Never too old to dress up & be silly!
Best Frie
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As a couple we feel that we complement each other well despite having different personalities, though we share common values, interests and goals. Our relationship is built on a strong foundation of love, trust, communication, and laughter. Besides being deeply in love with each other, we are also best friends that enjoy talking about almost anything and sharing life together. We love, respect and cherish each other and believe this strength is what will ultimately make us great parents and wonderful friends with you and your family.
Our Faith
We are both Roman Catholic and attend church regularly. We will raise your child in this faith. That being said, we also understand the importance of not pushing our beliefs on a child, but rather continue to lead by example as your child grows.
The mountains in Poland. We can’t wait to show your child how beautiful the world is!
We w catchere so ex hump a rare g cited to back l whaleimpse of a !
We love to travel off ADVENTURES the beaten p at h a n d have travelled to some great places. We’ve been to Austria for our honeymoon, visited Patricia’s relatives in Poland, summer road trips through the Maritimes and whale watching in Quebec, just to name a few. New experiences don’t phase us. We love the challenge of trying new things and discovering new places for the first time! We are not extravagant people, but no matter what we do or where we go, we cherish the time we spend together and we always have a ton of fun making new memories along the way!
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We are both fortunate to have stable careers with generous Our Work parental leave. Steve works in a Municipal government office as an economic development officer. Patricia is a biologist and has worked at the same lab for almost 10 years. We have life insurance as well as full medical and dental benefits for each other and our dependents. We are wise with our finances and live within our means and because of this we are mortgage free. Family is our top priority and we plan to take advantage of a more flexible work arrangement (such as reduced hours) in order to accommodate the needs of our family. We would both take the first three months off work in order to welcome your child into our lives and allow everyone to adjust. Our plan is to ensure that one of us will be home for at least another year after that. Between the two of us, we also have ample vacation and personal time available through work. Taking time off work, even with short notice, will not be an issue. If your child needs a different schedule, we will always do what is right for your child.
We can’t wait to show your child the f un of t rave lling e spe cially to Disneyland.
We can just picture your child’s eyes grow big with excitement when they meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse for the first time?
My Wife, Patricia
by Stephen
I knew from the moment I met Patricia that she was the one for me. I love that her spirit never falters and is always so full of life. There’s never a dull moment with Patricia in my life. My Grandpa even nicknamed her “Spark-Plug” when he first met her. She’s truly a kid at heart! in ly s ou n d g so nt’s arms in p e e l S his Au
one of her creative designs
Patricia is one of the most creative people I know with an unbelievably vivid imagination. She’s rarely seen without a crochet hook and a ball of yarn nearby, working on a new hat, or toys and booties for a friend’s baby. She’s also a HUGE "Do it yourself-er" and is always finding some sort of new project to work on: from designing and remodelling our home room by room, to gardening, to refinishing old furniture. When it’s cold she loves to snuggle under a blanket on the couch with her latest crochet project. She’s looking forward to sharing these moments with a kitchen helper and a snuggle bug to cuddle with. in laughter tons of the bed? s y a lw a there is ping on e. And jum our hom e! Of cours
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I have no doubt in my mind that Patricia will be an amazing mom. She will be the kind of mother that will nurture your child’s passions and interests, whether its soccer, horseback riding, science camp, music or dance lessons and it wouldn’t surprise me to find Patricia climbing a tree at the park with your child one day, finger-painting or teaching him or her how to swing on the monkey bars - she loves to let a child’s imagination run wild! Patricia’ endless love and caring for all those around her is how I know that your child will forever have a nurturing and supportive place to call home.
Some people don’t believe in superheroes, but they have never met my husband.
S
Not only is Steve a sweet, loving husband with a heart of gold, he’s also my best friend. His warm smile, approachability, confidence and incredible sense of humour first drew me into him and stole my heart. Almost 14 years later and Steve still continues to show me how much he loves, respects, and appreciates me. He always makes me feel so safe and takes such good care of me and the people he loves.
STEPHEN By Patricia Steve is a true car enthusiast who loves reading up on the latest motor trends, watching the latest YouTube video from his favourite car vlogger and going to Auto Shows in Toronto or Montreal. He loves to build his “dream car” online just for fun and researching all the modifications he would do to the car if he ever got his dream car (an Audi R8). He can’t wait to take a child (boy or girl) to an auto show, wash cars on sunny days, teaching your child to drive or enjoy the open road.
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FUN FACT: Steve can actually identify a car from it’s engine noise or the headlights! no m a tt you aer how stro re, wh en young or toug h r niece you ahands you pu Tiara, t it o and pl n dress ay u p!
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Did I mention he LOVES cars?
I always suspected Steve would be a great dad. He’s already such a CARING, LOVING & FUN Uncle. The way Steve interacts with kids is truly amazing – he’s so gentle and patient. You should see the games he comes up with. Like playing supe rhe roe s an d u sin g e ar mu ff s with “superpowers” to protect them from villains. As a father, I picture Steve building tracks for cars, teaching a child how to play soccer or answering any question that pops into your child’s beautiful mind; including the infamous “Why?” I know Steve will never be the type to shy away from getting involved with the day to day tasks with a child. He will jump into fatherhood from day one: changing diapers, bedtime routines, feedings, and getting up in the middle of the night. I see his eyes light up at the mention of kids and I know, from the bottom of my heart, that he will be such an amazing, selfless, devoted and loving father to your child.
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Finding everyday op rtunit to make lepo arning Fuiens!
Parenting is a lifelong commitment, and we feel passionate about providing a warm, supportive, fun-filled environment for a child to feel safe, secure and loved. We will teach your child to always try their best and treat others with kindness and respect. We will instill in them the importance of family: both biological AND adoptive. Ultimately, we hope to raise your child to be a confident, independent person who loves them self and those around them. Children learn from observation and discovery, so we will always strive to set a positive example and encourage good behaviour through praise and encouragement. We believe that consistent routines and steady guidance help children feel secure and flourish. We want the lessons we teach a child to help mold and shape them in a way that gives them the skills to solve problems and strive to make the right choices in difficult situations. We don’t believe in physical discipline of any kind. Most importantly, we believe that parenting is about love, patience, forgiveness and understanding. It means showing gratitude for each other, acknowledging positive decisions and attitudes instead of always focusing on correcting the negative. Because there is so much more to parenting than rules! As your child grows, he or she will be encouraged to pursue their own interests and reach for their dreams, whatever they may be. As parents, our goal will be to help your child recognize their gifts and give them the opportunity to try as much as possible, supporting their efforts as they go 100%. There will be no forcing of career paths and no denying of interests. All forms of education, both formal and informal (travel, planting a garden, learning to bake), will be promoted and encouraged. Most importantly, when things don’t go quite right, we will always be there with our unconditional love and support to help get things right again. Family time is extremely important to us and we believe it is important to give kids time to just be kids and let their imagination run free! We cherish the simple pleasures of family life - eating dinner together EVERY NIGHT, riding our bikes, jumping in a pile of leaves, running through the sprinkler, banging on pots pans and stomping in puddles. There’s so much we want to share and experience with your child.
When your family tree becomes an orchard
Growing our family has been a dream of ours from the very beginning. Finding out we couldn’t have kids on our own was hard news to deal with, but our experience with infertility has taught us that even though life doesn’t always go as you planned, it’s the unexpected journey that makes us grow and can lead to amazing things. It has not only opened our eyes to the beauty of adoption but has taught us the true meaning of perseverance, commitment to each other and unconditional love…
…an unconditional love we hope to share with a child!
Do you want to be a part of our lives through phone calls and visits? Would you like to know the little things of daily life through letters, emails and photos? Or do you need space with the option to know us and contact us when the time is right for you? We will be here to support you anyway we can at the level you are most comfortable with. We hope to build a lasting relationship with you, so your child will know where they came from and where they are going with all the confidence and love in the world. We will always be honest with your child about their adoption from day one and we will create a safe and comfortable environment to enable your child to openly speak and ask questions about his or her adoption by: Keeping a life book for your child that will include mementos, information and pictures of you and your family as well as our own. It will explain in basic words their adoption story. We hope that you will write letters or send photos to share. Talking about how much love and gratefulness we have for you. Your child will know that your decision was made out of profound love for him or her. That in our eyes, you are a Superhero to us. y ar e w th e o n k d wi l l want e c hi l d u o r y u w o Y l l kno i ly. hey wi T . d a t fam e e t r g a wan and em life h t e v i to g
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CHASE DREAMS Biking along the Ottawa river parkway
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As much as we love travelling and seeking out new adventures, we also cherish our cozy home life; cooking meals together as we talk about our day, gardening or curling up on the couch to watch our favourite show. We believe it’s important for families to eat meals and spend quality time together EVERYDAY! We look for ward to helping a child with homework, family game nights, baking cookies together, reading bedtime stories and tucking them in, snug as a bug, into their bed. We like to stay active and love being out in the fresh air. During the summer we’re always hiking or biking through the trails in our neighbourhood, kayaking or hosting BBQ’s with our family and friends in the backyard. We also love spending weekends at Patricia’s family cottage (more on that later). In the winter we still love to be outside: going for walks, xcountry skiing on the trails, skating on the Rideau Canal or tobogganing with our friends and their kids. We both love to cook together - and eat! Our favourite weekend afternoons are spent in the kitchen trying a new muffin recipe or baking granola bars so we always have something homemade snacks for the week and Patricia is always coming up with new muffin and scone flavours. Chocolate orange scones or gingerbread muffins - YUM! During the summer, we try to make our meals using the vegetables in our garden. This year, we grew carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, peas and beans. We hope to pass on to your child our love for good food, prepared ourselves from fresh, tasty ingredients. We are looking for ward to experiencing the joys of life with a child - The e xcitement of the holidays, building snowmen, working on crafts, playing tag, learning to ride a bike…we are so excited to share in all of the wonderful experiences to come!
TRADITIONS We value strong family traditions year round, especially around the holidays, many of which we celebrated as kids with our families growing up. Apple picking in the fall, sleigh rides and Santa Claus parades at Christmas, baking cookies, strawberry picking in the summer…The list goes on! We especially love the holidays and Christmas is definitely our favourite time of year. We value spending time with family and friends around the holiday season. We love going to a local farm with Steve’s sister and family to cut our own Christmas tree. It’s so much fun to run through endless rows of trees on a crisp, snowy day to find just the right one and warming up by the fire afterwards sipping on hot chocolate.
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We’ve shared and embraced each other’s traditions and have made some of our own too. We consider ourselves lucky for the opportunity to celebrate our Canadian, Polish and Catholic traditions. We are excited to introduce a child to these traditions and create new ones together as a family. We would love to have the chance to hear about some of your favourite traditions and childhood memories so we can incorporate them into your child’s life.
OUR close to parks, We live in a suburb of Ottawa that is a cozy two forests and trails galore! Our home is grow. We live story, three bedroom home with room to the two of us in a home that is too big and quiet for of a child. hter and we can’t wait to fill it with the laug
This is our house. It is filled with happiness, laughter and love.
We love decorating the house for Christmas. Nothing beats the smell of a fre shly cut tree. a ted on ve r a t s ha get ait to ery room. Weideas! w t ’ n y Ca te nurs s o ma n cu super
uch super cozy comovie! A : m o o r ec R Our d watch a to curl up an Our backyard is perfect: Its large, fully fenced and offers a safe and secure place for a child to learn, explore and play. There are plenty of mature maple trees to provide shade on sunny days, a veggie garden and space for a sandbox, swing set and more! We can`t wait to watch a child play in the grass, or set up the sprinkler and run through it on a really hot day.
your child wou bedroom across frld have their own wait to replace th om ours. We can’t is couch with a cr ib!
ts ing new projec nd fi ly nt ta ns o c ns me and we’re the renovatio it We love our ho sing to tackle many of t er nv o o ent to c to tackle, cho cently renovated our basem worth it and it t re ourselves. We . It was a lot of work, bu y. m da o ne ro o c into a re for a child ect playroom rf pe e th e b ill w rd with space to warm & inviting! a large backya
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Our neighbourhood would be a wonderful place to raise a child… Just one of the playgrounds we would love to take your child to! Welcome to our ne
ighbourhood!
We were initially drawn to our neighbourhood because the area has some of the best schools and child care centres in the city with both French and English schools within walking distance. We’re located in a very safe and family friendly neighbourhood with lots of young children so there will be plenty of opportunities for your child to play, socialize, and make lifelong friends. There are two parks just down the street with baseball diamonds, basketball courts, play structures, soccer fields, tennis court, a skateboard park, sledding hills, skating rinks and a splash pad. Our church, the public library and recreation centres are only a short drive away!
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Our friends and families have shown us the true meaning of unconditional love and commitment. The prayers and support they provide us on a daily basis is so humbling. They are ecstatic at the idea of adding to our family through adoption and can’t wait to shower your child with love and affection!
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Patricia’s Parents, 2 younger sisters and brother-in-law
PATRICIA
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I grew up in Mississauga, Ontario in a very close knit Polish-Catholic family with my two younger sisters. My childhood involved spending lots of time outside in nature. Every Sunday after church, my parents would make a point of going hiking or for a bike ride together. Summers were filled with weekends at the cottage, strawberry picking (we ate WAY more than we picked) and endless games of hide and seek with the neighbourhood children. My parents still live in Mississauga with my youngest sister while my middle sister lives in Alberta with her new husband. We're all still very close and we travel to see them often.
Sisters = Best friends for life!
STEPHEN
I was fortunate to have grown up in the country side together with my parents and older sister. There was always lots of room to play hide and seek, ride my bike or build tree forts in the woods. Helping my dad build a walk-way and mowing the lawn on the John Deere tractor and summer road trips are some of my favourite childhood memories.
Steve’s parents, sister, brother in-law, niece and nephew.
My family all live within a ten-minute drive away and we’re always getting together for dinner or just to chat. They’re always ready and willing to come over and lend a helping hand in an instant! A loving M to bake anom & Grandma who loves her grandkd spoil ids.
Dad: A Son’s First Hero! Helping my dad build a walkway
ate ter’s A sis ite playm r favou
BEST
An EPIC BBQ wit h our friends - So many playmates for your child!
Family is not about blood. It’s about who is willing to hold your hand when you need it the most.
Our friends are so important to us and are a large part of our lives. We consider our friends like family! We love sharing time together, being there for each other and having fun. We are so lucky to have such amazing people in our lives!
BUDS!
THE COTTAGE! Endless fun and adventures await a child here!
As a child, Patricia could spend all day in the water. We can’t wait to teach a child to swim in the lake! Just a short drive away, near Algonquin Park, is Patricia’s family cottage. Growing up, it’s where my sisters and I learned to swim, went fishing with my dad and went on make-believe adventures in the forest. As a child, I remember being too excited to sleep the night before a trip to the cottage, thinking about all the fun things I was going to do when we got there! Now, it’s the place where we go to unplug from the complicated world and spend quality time together with family. Our summer weekends are spent in the lake swimming or canoeing and roasting marshmallows by the campfire. On rainy days we retreat inside to play board games together. It’s truly an amazing place to build family memories and we can’t wait for the chance to take your child there soon.
Pat r ic ia’s ch ild ad ve n t u re s h o o d fish ing
e la ke . Kaya ki ng arou nd th th e in We lo ve go ing ou t lo on s. mor ni ng to se e th e
R o a s t in g m a rshm a ll o ws: O f av o u r it ur e me mo r ie s umme r s!
Thank you for taking the time to get to know us and allowing us to share our story with you. We hope that our photos and words have given you a sense of who we are and the kind of parents we would be for your child. More than anything, we want you to know how much love we have to share. We know you only want what’s best for your child and we deeply respect your decision to find the right people to love and cherish your child. Should we be blessed to be chosen by you, we promise not only to love your child unconditionally, but also provide him or her with a happy, safe and stable home, filled with lots of laughter and silliness. We will welcome you into our lives for all the years to come. We will do everything in our power to help fulfill all
the hopes and dreams you may have for your child’s future and ensure that he or she blossoms to their full potential with our guidance and support. Your child would be loved and cherished more than words could ever express. As you take this time to make your decision, please know that we are here with open arms and hearts, thinking of you and your child each step of the way. Wherever your journey leads you we hope that you find comfort and peace knowing you made the best choice for you and your child. We look forward to getting to know you and hearing about all your hopes and dreams for your child’s future. We would love to meet you. Perhaps together we can make these dreams a reality?
You are MIGHTY, you are FIERCE, you are BRAVE, you are LOVED… XOXO
Patricia & Stephen
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