We have been married for over nine years, but have known each other for more than fifteen years. We met at Case Western Reserve University where we both attended college and were introduced by Melissa’s older brother, Jim, who also attended CWRU. We both majored in Business Management and shared quite a few classes during our college years. We became very close friends and study partners and eventually began dating our junior year. After graduation, we continued to date for several years as we both established our careers. We were married in May of 1996 and soon after bought a beautiful home in a quiet suburb of Cleveland. We both have an overwhelming desire to raise a family and we’ve known for quite some time that conceiving on our own might not be possible. After several years, we were finally blessed with the birth of our son, Michael, in January of 2003. He has totally enriched our lives and we are excited about the opportunity to welcome a new baby into the family and provide him or her with all our love and attention as well as a wonderful big brother to learn from and grow with.
I am 35 years old, 6’3” tall with brown hair and hazel eyes. My friends would describe me as a very easy-going, generous, and outgoing person with a great sense of humor. I am very handy around the house and enjoy doing yard work and taking on home improvement projects when not golfing or spending quality time with Melissa and Michael. I grew up in a small town in Ohio with two younger sisters, Jennifer and Sarah, in a family that enjoyed sports and the outdoors. My father and grandfather both worked in the construction business and I spent most of my summers working with them to earn money for college. I was a near straight-A student and I attended Case Western Reserve University where I was a pitcher on the baseball team while majoring in Business Management and Information Systems. Melissa and I met in 1989 and I graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management. I am currently a Senior Project Manager with a large firm in downtown Cleveland. My family lives about one hour away and we talk with most of them by phone at least once a week and visit with them every few weekends. Both of my sisters are married and have young children of their own. Family birthdays are normally celebrated together and holidays usually include Melissa’s family as well. Our families get along great! My parents visit us frequently, sometimes staying over for the weekend. Melissa’s parents often participate in the weekend activities which usually include taking the kids to the park or the zoo, golfing (for the guys), shopping (for the girls) and, if it’s warm, a cookout.
I am 36 years old, 5’ 0” tall with black hair and brown eyes. My friends and family would say that I am a very loving and giving person with a wonderful sense of humor. I especially enjoy reading and traveling as well as spending quiet evenings at home with family or friends. I grew up in a suburb of Cleveland with one older brother and I graduated with top honors from high school where I also participated in cross country. My brother and I both attended Case Western Reserve University where I majored in Business Management and Accounting. I was introduced to Scott in 1989 by my brother, who was in the same fraternity as Scott. I graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Accounting and I became a Certified Public Accountant the following year. I am currently the Chief Financial Officer for a small company in downtown Cleveland where I have worked for the past 11 years. Both Scott and I work for companies that are very family oriented and allow us take time off to tend to Michael whenever necessary. My parents reside less than 15 minutes away and we frequently get together with them for dinner or just to visit. They often stop by during the week to take Michael for a walk or sit and play with him before bedtime. My brother has since moved to Memphis, TN with his wife and their two young children ages five and seven. We keep in touch with them by phone and try to visit whenever time permits. My parents are an enormous help and are always anxious to baby-sit whenever Scott and I have plans on our own, with friends, or just need a helping hand.
I was born on January 22, 2003 almost five weeks early. I am 2 1/2 feet tall with blonde hair, blue eyes, and an endless supply of energy! Although I am quite good at talking, I can’t type yet, so Daddy is helping me with my autobiography. My family says I am the happiest baby they have ever seen, and I tend to agree. I also think I’m pretty cute! Mommy and Daddy stay busy keeping up with me...but they really seem to enjoy it. I love being outdoors and we have a big yard with a swing set and sandbox that Daddy built for me. There are also several wonderful parks near our house where I can go for walks, ride in my wagon, or play on the swings with the other kids in our neighborhood. There is a water park very close to our home that was built just for kids my age and I love going there and running through the sprinklers with all the other kids. I'm even taking swimming lessons. I love being around other kids and I’m very excited about adopting a little brother or sister into our family for me to play and grow up with. My grandparents visit often and also love coming to the park with me. My favorite television show is Sesame Street and my favorite food is pasta, with extra sauce! I make quite a mess when I eat which is probably why I get my bath right after dinner. Mommy and Daddy both work during the day and they found a perfect daycare right by our house where I can play with all my friends…the teachers are also really nice and I’m learning a lot! One of my first words was, “School”. We have a pet cat named Smokey who is still too quick for me to catch...but I try. Sometimes she’ll crawl up on my lap while I’m snuggling with Mommy and Daddy and let me pet her.
We bought our three-bedroom, ranch home almost eight years ago in a quiet suburb about 30 minutes outside of Cleveland. We knew it was the perfect home for us the minute we saw it. Scott and his father remodeled the basement into a cozy family room where we relax in front of the fireplace with friends or family as well as watch movies. The neighborhood is very safe and quiet and we have become good friends with all of our neighbors. There are many families in our neighborhood very similar to ours with young children who play together and ride bikes on our street. Our home is situated on a corner with a large, fenced in yard and plenty of sidewalks. We have a large deck in the back where we have family cookouts or just sit and relax during the weekends and evenings. Our back yard is large enough that Melissa is able to plant a garden every summer and Michael has a swing set, swimming pool, and sandbox to play in. The high school is less than one mile away and the elementary school is just at the end of our street…within walking distance. The wonderful reputation of the school system was a major reason we moved into this community. Michael’s daycare is also just a couple minutes away. We chose the daycare because of its great reputation and the fact that the class sizes are small, giving Michael the individual attention he deserves as well as a wonderful environment with other children to learn from. Our city has also been named one of the best in Ohio for its park system and numerous hiking and biking trails. One of the largest and nicest public beaches on Lake Erie is less than two miles away.
This is our female cat, Smokey, who Scott got from an animal shelter almost 11 years ago as a kitten before we were married. She is strictly an indoor cat and her front paws are de-clawed. Smokey is an important part of our family and she even has her own stocking over the fireplace every Christmas that we fill with toys and treats…although she seems to prefer playing with the wrapping paper and ribbons. She loves to curl up in front of the fireplace in winter or in front of the window in the sunlight during the summer months. Smokey is an extremely energetic cat and loves playing, often hiding under beds or behind chairs to jump out at you as you walk by. Around the house in the evenings, you can always find her close by your side either curled up on a chair or sleeping at your feet. She is a little shy around strangers, but is now comfortable enough with Michael to sit on his lap and be petted. We have several bird feeders just outside our dining room window and Smokey enjoys sitting on the window sill and watching all the birds, chipmunks and squirrels that live in our back yard. Michael sometimes sits with her and watches also…they make quite a pair.
Our social lives are probably considered tame by some standards, but we enjoy getting together with friends regularly for quiet dinners, cookouts or movies. Neither of us smokes and rarely drinks aside from an occasional glass of wine while dining with friends, so we generally don’t enjoy going to bars and nightclubs. We both love the outdoors and our hobbies are a reflection of that. Melissa enjoys walking, biking and just reading on our patio. Scott is a huge sports fan and enjoys baseball, golf and fishing. There is a minor league baseball stadium just a few minutes from our house and we enjoy going to games with friends or even taking Michael on a sunny afternoon. We also enjoy taking Michael to the zoo whenever we have a spare afternoon...Michael loves the monkeys! We were married Lutheran and joined a wonderful church close to our home where Michael was baptized and which we attend regularly. Melissa regularly volunteers to work in the nursery during church services. The church has been rapidly growing in membership the last few years with a number of young families, just like ours. We are firm believers in strong family values above all else. Our families get along great and are loving, supportive, open, and honest with each other under any circumstances.
We hope that we have given you a sense of comfort and confidence that we can provide your child with a wonderful home and close-knit family including a loving big brother to learn from and grow with. Your child will have our unconditional love and support as well as all the opportunities that you would want for your child throughout their life. We are committed to making this process as positive and rewarding for you as it has been for us. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you in person, by phone, or through letters so that you have all the information needed to make this very important decision for you and your child. We are very comfortable with an open adoption and will gladly share letters and pictures with you each month the first year and continue to do so beyond the first year if you wish. We will also respect your wishes and privacy if you prefer a closed adoption. Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you consider all of your options and what is best for the future of your child. You have our utmost respect and gratitude for taking the time to consider us for such a wonderful gift. Thank you and God bless you!