Shelley and Ron

Dear Birth Mother,
We are Shelley and Ron and we want you to know that we will always be supportive of you and your decisions. We believe that considering adoption takes a deep sense of self and an unimaginable amount of emotional strength. Blessing us with your child is a true act of love and your baby will always know about your love.

We met on a blind date. Shelley was very picky and didn’t expect much, so she wore a big oversized sweater and jeans. However, we were immediately attracted to each other and the rest is history! We’ve been happily married for four years and we still joke about Shelley wearing the infamous sweater.

We love hiking and exploring. After our first date, we went hiking at a local forest preserve. As Shelley complained about the bugs and the trees scraping her legs, Ron realized that Shelley loves being outdoors, but is not “outdoorsy”. But despite the jokes, we still enjoy hiking! We both have an intense love of sports. Shelley grew up with season tickets to most Chicago teams, and Ron loves Michigan teams. Shelley thought it would be great to bring Ron and his parents to a Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions football game. When the Bears won, Shelley was the only one smiling!

A few of our friends have adopted as well, and we have learned from them how important it is to respect the birth mother’s interests and how to apply it to the child. Your child will have the benefit of knowing lots of other adopted children. We live in a family friendly neighborhood in Chicago with many restaurants and stores nearby. We love living here and being a part of so much diversity. In the city, there are many opportunities to experience other cultures, such as food and celebrations, which will give your child a better understanding of the world.

About Shelley
I work in Human Resources with a company that is very supportive of working mothers (they even win awards!) I will have flexibility to work from home a couple days a week as well as flexibility to participate in school activities. I love being active and played tennis, basketball and track in my teens. I still play tennis at the local tennis club with friends. We want your child to experience different activities to find their passion in life.

I love to draw, and enjoy arts and crafts projects. I often paint on canvas or paint coffee mugs with my friends. I’m the one bringing coloring books to Christmas hoping one of the kids will want to color with me. I’m so glad I’m married to Ron! Our marriage is very easy and extremely stable. I love that Ron’s tough on the outside, with a huge caring heart. He’s very protective of those he loves.

About Ron
I teach PE, Drivers Ed and Health to high school students. I’ve coached many sports and worked with youth summer camps. I’m looking forward to being home every evening and off in the summer once we welcome a child into our lives. I started fishing at age three with my dad. It’s my biggest passion and I love teaching our nieces, nephews and friend’s children how to fish.

Your child will know how to fish! I played almost every sport growing up, and I coach sports at my high school. Shelley was in awe the first day I brought home the team uniforms to wash them. I know that many of the kids aren’t able to wash the uniforms regularly, so I do it for them. And Shelley doesn’t even mind that our washing machine smells like a locker room! Shelley is easygoing and my partner in life. We balance each other perfectly.

Our Family
Your child will have over 10 aunts and uncles, and 15 cousins, half of those cousins are between six months and three years old. They live in the suburbs of Chicago and we get together often. Most of Ron’s family lives in Michigan, with cousins ranging from four – 18 years. Your child will also have doting grandparents to spoil them! Our parents both have pontoon boats and we love to visit. If we’re not taking the cousins for rides on rafts, Shelley is floating in the lake sunbathing and Ron fishing. Your child will grow up swimming in lakes and playing with their cousins.

In our family, there is always sports on TV while we celebrate events. However, you can never hear the game because the kids are always playing and chasing each other around the house. You can typically find Ron and Shelley playing with them. WE LOVE ANIMALS! We both grew up with dogs, but Shelley had a cat that Ron fell in love with as well. She earned the name Tabasco, when Ron saw her feisty side. Tabasco passed away but we plan to have a family pet that your child can help choose!

Our Values

Support: We value independence and being your own person. Our families are very supportive. When Shelley’s cousin ran the Chicago marathon, there were eight of us cheering her on! We want your child to understand that no matter what he or she wants to pursue in life, we will support them 100%.
Education: We believe in the value of education and the hard work it requires. Shelley has her MBA and Ron has a Masters in Education.
Faith: We believe in the importance of learning faith when young so it becomes the foundation of your values. Shelley grew up with a Christian education and your child will too.

We believe that everything happens for a reason. We hope we showed you the love we have to give, and the life we offer. We look forward to a journey with you, and want to have a level of openness that makes YOU comfortable. To learn more about us, please e-mail us at shelleyandronACFB@gmail.com. You can also reach us through our adoption counselor, Maggie Benz, at 800-869-1005 (toll free), text 847-366-6343, or email maggie@centerforfamily.com. We completely support any decision you make.

Wishing you the very best!
Shelley and Ron