Kelly and Josh
Dear Expectant Mother,
About Us
Fate, with a little help from modern technology, brought us together as we met online. Kelly knew the minute she saw Josh’s profile she was going to marry him. Josh had two pictures on his profile page – one of him, and one with his friends. She remembers thinking, “I’m going to marry this guy, and these people are going to be in my wedding.” Two years later, her dreams came true.
We have shared many adventures. Josh is a huge sports fan. That means hot dogs and peanuts at baseball games with family and basketball games with friends from college. We share a love for the theater, we sing along to the lyrics of Hamilton in the car. We enjoy traveling together – Josh calls Kelly the ‘travel manager” as she always has us packed and ready!
This year, we added to our family by welcoming to our home a beagle puppy, Daisy. Daisy is energetic, always eager to bound around in the back yard and play fetch, loyal, loving to sit near us while we’re watching TV or eating dinner, and in a short time has already become the neighborhood mascot with the kids on the block. Daisy will adore a new baby!
Of all of our adventures, none compare to becoming aunt and uncle to our seven-year-old niece, Claire. Although she lives in New York City, we are very close. Claire’s father passed away from cancer before her second birthday. Our relationship is very special, especially her relationship with Josh whom she affectionately refers to as her “YaYa.”We see each other every few months, whether it’s for Easter egg hunts, Christmas for trips to New York to see the tree at Rockefeller Center, or summers at the Lincoln Park Zoo to see the polar bears. We can’t wait to introduce Claire to her baby cousin!
About Kelly
I grew up in the Chicago suburbs. My parents and sister live in the area and we see them often. My dad is an investment broker and my mom is a teacher. They can’t wait to be grandparents and spend time baking Italian cookies and taking trips to the park.
My sister and I are as close as two sisters can be, always texting, shopping, or arranging play dates with Daisy and her adorable dog, Bootsy. I work as a cardiac nurse in a hospital with flexible hours. Inspired by my great aunt, becoming a nurse was my childhood dream. I am proud of the care I provide to my patients.
About Josh
I was born in Pennsylvania, moved to Connecticut when I was three and Illinois when I was 12 and have lived here ever since. My dad is a retired Lutheran pastor and my mom works with hospice patients. I have one younger sister (Claire’s mom). As kids we adored stuffed animals and had over 100 that we made up fun stories about. We played board games like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit and took family vacations to Disney World or amusement parks (I still can’t say no to a good rollercoaster).
My dad shared his love for sports, which led me to choosing a career in sports journalism. I am now the sports editor of a newspaper with most of my hours working from home. I love my interactions with high school athletes and sharing their stories. I teach confirmation class at church to junior high kids and feel I learn as much from them as they do from me.
What Josh loves about Kelly
What I most love about Kelly, and what first drew me to her is her smile and the importance she places on family, friendship, and respect. Her emotions are beautiful whether crying at weddings, laughing hysterically at a funny story, or squeezing our niece tightly with an ear-to-ear smile.
Kelly is also a meticulous, thoughtful planner. When Claire visits, Kelly has fun activities on the schedule, like coloring Easter eggs, drawing on the sidewalk with colored chalk, or finding a children’s museum to visit on a rainy day. The empathy, care, and compassion that Kelly shows for her patients, and people outside of the hospital, is evident to everyone. I can’t wait to see her as the loving, incredible mom she will be.
What Kelly loves about Josh
Josh is very easygoing and a loving, loyal friend whose selflessness knows no bounds. Recently, he balanced the demands of a new job with frequent trips to Indiana to be there for a friend in need. I remember Josh was the only one to get our friend’s baby to sleep by softly singing a Beatles tune while rocking her in his arms. I knew then what a great dad he would be! He plays with Claire as she puts stickers all over his face, puts on a dress while they play dress-up, lets her finish his ice cream, or reads her a book good night, playing out characters’ voices.
Our home
We live in a two-story, four-bedroom home with a big back yard in a quiet suburban community. Kids frequently bicycle through the neighborhood and families can often be seen pushing strollers or walking dogs. We love the family-friendly community that we live in.
Our promise
We can’t wait to become parents and share our love with a child. We will raise our child to respect others, regardless of background. We will encourage them to explore their own individuality and support them every step of the way as they pursue their dreams. We can’t wait for their first ice cream cone, cheering them at weekend soccer games and holding their hand on the first carousel ride.
