Thank you for taking the time to read this lettr. It is my hope that it will give you an inside view of my life and family. My name is Jennifer and I am engaged to a wonderful man named Cliff. We have been together for 9 years and have a wonderful life together. We have one son, Julian, adopted two and a half years ago. He is a great kid and keeps us on our toes! He is a happy child and always laughs at our silly stories or faces. Right now his interests are dinosaurs, tractors, and monster trucks. If he is not outside playing with them, he is inside listening to one of us read about dinosaurs, tractors, or monster trucks.

The issue of race was never a factor for us, or our families. We are a multiracial family that includes Hispanic, East Indian, African-American, and Caucasian relatives. There are always curious states when we go out, but we deal with it responsibly. We have yet to be questioned or approached in a confrontational manner. We will teach Julian (and any other children that we may have) the value of differences, emphasizing the unique features of our cultures, while teaching them that despite the differences, we should be tolerant and accepting of others.

Cliff is employed as an occupational therapist and has been for the past 20 years. Cliff specializes in hand rehab, teaching stroke patients how to dress and take better care of themselves. He loves what he does. He is very innovative; designing assistive devices if he can’t find the equipment he needs. Fortunately for me, he is also able to fix things at home. He is my guy for home repair, my very own Mr. Fix-It! His skills don’t stop there. He helps me with the garden and with the housework. Cliff is wonderful with Julian. He is teaching him how to swim and to be safe around water. Those two are almost always together, but never too far away from Mom.

I am employed as a registered nurse and have been for the past 17 years. I went back to school in 2003 to become a nurse practitioner and completed that course work in 2006. I used to work in the ICU, taking care of the seriously ill and injured, and patients recovering from heart surgery. Now I see patients much like a physician does. I am able to be home with Cliff and Julian (no more long shifts) and have holidays off. Although my job can be demanding and touch, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

We live in a small town in the Southern United States. Our neighborhood is quiet and diverse. We have approximately 54 acres of land. Plenty of room to explore and plenty of large trees along the property for a tree house. The front yard is fenced in and has sturdy locks on the gates. Cliff put in a sandbox, a swing set, and a slide for Julian. He loves it, but needs a brother or sister to share it with. There is a stocked fishing pond (we all love to fish, although Julian makes us throw them back!) We have a pool in the back yard that is completely fenced and locked for safety. Cliff and I are both certified in adult and child CPR, and so are our closest neighbors. There are 2 hospitals close to our home, both with pediatricians on staff. The police and fire departments are a few miles away and several schools are close by. Julian also loves to help us in the garden. Right now we are harvesting peas, green beans, tomatoes, corn, and bell peppers. Julian gets down on his hands and knees and goes to work! We both think he likes it because he can get really dirty without getting into trouble.

Cliff has two daughters from his first marriage and maintains a great relationship with them. Our families are very important to use, so I will tell you more about them. I grew up in Louisiana. My father was a self-employed fisherman. My mother stayed at home and raised 11 kids. That’s right! There are 7 girls and 4 boys. All of the kids pitched in to help around the house, and to this day, I clean my home just like my Mom does (early Saturday morning from top to bottom). My parents encouraged us to complete our education, travel in order to learn more about the world, and to maintain our faith. Although most of us have moved away from our childhood home, we keep in touch through phone calls, emails, and frequent visits to each other’s homes. I have several places to choose from, so a child will be able to see a great deal of the United States. The holidays are especially fun when we all get together.

Cliff grew up in Texas. He has an older brother and 1 younger sister. His parents are deceased, but he had a good relationship with them. He talks to his sister every other week. I love watching him interact with his nieces, Melody and Michaela. He knows exactly what to do to keep them happy and entertained. He is very patient with them. He does the same with Julian, is kind and patient even when disciplining.

Cliff and I share a passion for traveling and being outdoors. We go camping at last twice a year and love to go to the numerous parks in our area. We have traveled all over the world and can’t wait until Julian is old enough to take him on his first adventure. We complemented each other well. I am the planner and Cliff goes with the flow. He makes me laugh and loves me even when I am grumpy. He is my strength when I am down, my joy when it is time to celebrate and my conscience when I need to make a tough decision. He seems to know what I need, just when I need it.

Cliff and I come from different religious backgrounds. I grew up in the Catholic tradition and Cliff in the Lutheran tradition. Religion is very important to us, so now we attend services at a non-denominational Christian church. Julian comes with us and goes to Sunday school while we are enjoying the services.

We talked about children, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to conceive. It was then (after being together for 5 years) that we chose to adopt. We are very happy in our life together, and Julian has added to our happiness. Now, we are ready to add to our family and hope we are blessed by your loving and courageous choice. We have plenty of room in our home, our church, and most importantly in our hearts.

Again, we thank you for reading this letter and learning about us. We hope that you will consider us when making your decision.