Susan and Andy
Dear Expectant Mother,
We admire and respect your strength as you consider the best future for your child. We understand how much you already love your child. We promise you that your child will know you, the brave choices you made and your love for them. You will always have a place in our family and in your child’s heart. Above all else, please know that we will love and cherish your child every day and with our whole hearts.
Your child would be welcomed into our fun and loving home. We will laugh with them and delight in their joy. We will hold them when they cry and hold their hand when they need our strength. We will be there to guide them throughout their life. We will treasure every moment with them, the good moments and the not-so-good moments, because all of those moments strengthen us as parents and a family.
OUR STORY
We met in Washington, DC, where we both had moved for work. Andy was attracted to Susan’s strong independent streak and intelligence. Susan fell in love with Andy’s kindness and generosity. Married over 12 years, we are each other’s companion and strength.
Our family is made up of our daughter Tessie and our dog Butterscotch. Unfortunately, Susan experienced complications post-delivery and can no longer have children. In our hearts, we know that our family is not complete. We cannot wait to welcome a new child into our family and experience again the sheer joy of watching a child grow. We are excited to watch Tessie be the great big sister we know she will be.
Our Family
Meet Susan: I grew up in Wisconsin with my parents and 3 older siblings. We lived minutes from extended family and celebrated holidays and birthdays together, creating lasting family traditions. My siblings and their families still live in the Midwest and my mother is delighted when my childhood home is filled with the now eight of us and our nine children.
I love reading and learning. I had a great experience practicing law before Tessie was born. I enjoyed the research and writing, being an advocate and finding solutions. Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, I find I am still advocating and solving problems – just now for my child and family instead of clients! Being a parent can be challenging but is also incredibly rewarding – I learn about myself and from Tessie all the time. I can be serious and practical but I love to joke and laugh. Friends say my sense of humor is witty and dry but my daughter just finds me silly. We give each other big hugs and bunny kisses. I end each day snuggling my sleeping daughter and whispering how much I love her. I long to go to two rooms each night, giving out hugs, kisses and loving whispers.
Meet Andy:
I grew up in Massachusetts. I come from a family of educators and activists which shaped my worldview. I have one sister and three step-sisters and an amazingly supportive extended family. I learned from a young age that it is not the labels that matter but a family’s love and inclusiveness.
I was a camp counselor as a teenager and that describes who I aim to be today—a caretaker, an organizer, a positive energy in all situations. I love being a father. I revel in everything from having tea parties to splashing in the lake to teaching Tessie baseball.
My career at a large Chicago bank provides for my family and allows flexibility for family time. I strive to be home every night for dinner and bedtime. On days I work from home, I like walking Tessie to school and taking time out to play with her. I have enjoyed volunteering at preschool and with an inner city reading program.
Meet Tessie:
Tessie is kind and loving. Her favorite color is pink and she loves dressing up as princesses, ballerinas and fairies. Tessie loves music, animals, and nature. Tessie cannot wait to be a big sister. She draws pictures of our future family and has set aside clothes and toys for her future sibling.
Our Home and Our Family Adventures
We live north of Chicago, in a city along Lake Michigan. Our neighborhood is a community; it is heartwarming how many neighbors call out “Good morning!” while we walk to school in the morning and ask how Tessie’s day was as we walk home in the afternoons. While our quiet, diverse neighborhood feels “tucked away”, we are within walking distance to the downtown area, the library and public transportation. Several great neighborhood parks are nearby.
Thank You!
Thank you for getting to know us and learning about the life we can offer your child. We hope that you can feel all the love that is waiting for your child. We believe that loving a child is an adventure – sometimes surprising, sometimes heartbreaking, but always amazing. We hope you will trust us to go on that adventure together.
If you would like to contact us, you can email us at andyandsusanACFB@gmail.com or reach out to our adoption counselor, Linda, at Linda@centerforfamily.com. You can also contact Linda at 773-919-5702 (call/text) or 800-869-1005 (toll-free).
