Our Photo Profiles, what do you think?

So, the adoption agency said to keep these simple. They will go along with tons of paperwork that tells all about us. Any feedback?

And......... it's off!

YAY! Our adoption paperwork is off and on its way to the agency as of today. Man, it was alot of paperwork! But it is all worth it. We know how hard it is to decide what family to place your baby with, so we understand the need to be thorough. It just took awhile, but that is ok. All things in good time.

Anyway, just had to share. Now we wait to hear about the next step: the home visit.

And then there was Geoff...

Well there is plenty to know about Geoff. Mainly that he is a good guy with a quirky sense of humor, who is incredibly intelligent. He is also a great dad, hard-working, and a good friend. Some interesting bits about Geoff:

• Born in Anaheim, CA.
• Has lived in New York
• Learned to read at age 3
• Has lived in WA State since 1987
• Served a mission for church in Alabama & Mississippi
• Loves Seattle bands
• Volunteers at PAX - Penny Arcade Expo (games)
• Has studied psychology, furniture design, photography, and nursing
• He will graduate as an RN (nurse) in August 2007
• He thinks black fingernail polish is cool
• Owns a pair of purple Doc Martens boots
• Hopes to own a small, old, truck someday
• Plays D&D with his friends
• Loves to read, really loves to read
• Likes alot of shows on the SciFi channel
• Likes to visit his cousins in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)
• Wants to go to New Zealand
• Would love to have a 50's style kitchen
• Is a great cook, loves to bake cookies
• Is the eldest of 6 kids
• Favorite all-time band is REM
• Likes pepperoni
• Loves ice cream

Geoff and the boys, Christmas 2002

Geoff and the boys 2003

Geoff in Arizona 2005

Geoff and the boys, Christmas 2005

Getting to know Sindea

Sorry it has been awhile since we started sharing a bit about each of us. Well, we are getting caught up and would like to finish sharing about the family. Also- as an update, we are mailing in all of our adoption paperwork this week- tomorrow, in fact! We are so excited to being one step closer to having a baby, our newest family member. The boys are so anxious, and so are we.

Some fun things about me:

• I have a dry sense of humor.
• I love to dance!
• I love Plymouth Valiants.
• I've been to Disneyland once.
• I've been to Canada many times.
• I've been to Sweden & Denmark.
• I am a birth & postpartum doula.
• I enjoy meeting new people.
• I love to read.
• I love going to concerts.
• My first concert was Beatlemania.
• I still love Duran Duran.
• I own almost 400 music cd's.
• My first cd was by Tori Amos.
• My first record was by Rod Stewart.
• I love playing with Photoshop.
• Been a photographer since I was 5.
• I have lived in WA. for 16 years.
• I grew up in Louisiana.
• I was born in West Virginia.
• I love living in Washington.
• I love nature.
• I love children.
• I love animals.
• I am fun.
• I am unique.
• I enjoy my friends and family.
• I have been married since 1994.
• I am a wife.
• I have two sons.
• I am a mom.

Sindea and Santa, about age 3



Sindea and Raiden, fall 2004

• 

Sindea in Arizona, Spring 2005



Sindea with the boys, Christmas 2005;


Sindea in Malmo, Sweden, 2004

Recent photo of Sindea and the boys

Here is a photo that was taken on Mother's Day 2007. It was a great day, Sindea's mom came over for dinner and we had a really nice time. Geoff and the kids gave Sindea a beautiful, velvety soft 6 month old kitty named Luna for Mother's Day. She and our 1 year old cat, Aslan are now best friends... This is Sindea's favorite photo from the day.

Letter to the 'birth parents' of our future children...

*** Let us preface this by saying that we realize not everyone likes the term 'birth mother' or 'birth father' or 'birth parent', but for the sake of titling this post, we used it just for that reason- to give it a title. Thanks for reading!***

Hi there! May 31, 2007

First we want to thank you for learning about our family, and for the gift you are considering giving to us. You must be an amazing and strong woman to consider placing your child with a family for adoption. We can only imagine that this is a tough and intense time in your life. For the care and thought you are putting into the life of your unborn child, we just wanted to say thanks.

You are probably wondering why we are choosing to add to our family through adoption. Well, there are a couple reasons. The first is that we know this is the path we are meant to take. Sindea has known she would adopt since she was 5 years old, and Geoff has wanted to adopt multiple kids since he was 9 years old. Second, while we have been able to have 2 wonderful biological sons, the pregnancies were very rough, and at times scary. Sindea was told that for her health and safety, that she should not have any more biological children. We know that our family is not yet complete, and that there are children that are meant to be a part of our family.

A little about us? Geoff and I met in college choir almost 14 years ago. He thought I was wearing cool tights (fruit pattern), and I thought Geoff had a funny hat. After that we became good friends, and after less than a year we were married! We enjoy a good sense of humor between us, going to concerts and movies, talking about plans for the future, and generally being weird/silly together. Throw in a couple of oddball sons and we have a great time!

We have 2 sons, Raiden is almost 11 and Teegan is 6. They are great kids, who share our sense of humor. Raiden is finishing the 5th grade, and he loves to read, play his Nintendo DS, learn about airplanes, make PowerPoint slide shows and read. He also is a great swimmer, plays kickball, and loves music. He plays the drums and is in choir, and is learning to play the piano. He is a gentle and sweet guy. Then there is Teegan, he has the best (but odd) sense of humor around! He is also a bright kid, and very compassionate. He is getting really good at reading, loves math, and enjoys swimming and kickball and wants to be a naturopathic doctor when he grows up. And to be a drummer in a rock band.

As for our family? We like to go to the movies, play board games, jump on the trampoline, go on short road trips, dance around our living room to loud music together, play video games, go to local music festivals, visit with family and friends, and BBQ. Lots and lots of BBQ.

About Sindea, by Geoff:

Um…hmmm. Well, she is the anti-me (the opposite). Social, friendly, outgoing, cheerful, optimistic. She fills in all the parts that my personality doesn’t have, and I’d like to think I compliment her like she compliments me, but I’m just here for heavy lifting. And washing the dishes.

Sindea is the more caring and nurturing parent (duh, she’s a mom) while I fill the role of talking the kids into doing really bizarre and mischievous things that get us all in hot water then I deny ever having encouraged the kids to avoid being in trouble. Sometimes that works.

Sindea is the one who has patience, who spends hours reading with the kids or playing board games. I’m the one that cheats at Candyland so it will get over quicker and I never read the bedtime story the way it is written, preferring to include pirates and alien abductions at some point.

Sindea is the one who was totally prepared to be a mother before we even started to make babies. I am the one who still acts like a big brother because I think farts and wet willies are hilarious.

Sindea is the one the kids will talk to when they are sad or depressed and she always knows how to make them feel better. They talk to me when they need help getting revenge on their sibling in retaliation for a prank (that I most likely helped pull).

If anything were to happen to either of us, if Sindea were the remaining parent the kids would be fortunate because she is prepared to step in and keep things running smoothly. Except there would be piles of dishes all over the kitchen (that is my job these days). If I were the one left, well, the kids better like peanut butter sandwiches 3 meals a day and learn how to vacuum because I’m kinda useless without her. And by kinda I mean incredibly.

About Geoff, by Sindea:

First let me say that Geoff is way more friendly and a much better cook than he gives himself credit for!

Geoff is a funny guy with an odd sense of humor. That is what I like most about him. He is quirky and sometimes people do not always get the humor he uses- but in the end, that is what most people enjoy about him. I also think a good sense of humor goes a very long way in helping to create a happy life and family.

Geoff is caring- when one of us sick, he makes sure we are taken care of. He is finishing up nursing school, and putting those skills to good use. He also shows that he is caring by helping friends in need. He helps people move, he helps my mom fix things around her house, he is the guy who helps when asked!

Now that I think about it- what is most impressive about him is his amazing wealth of knowledge. He seems to know about everything. Go ahead and ask him something, I am guessing he knows about it. He is best with really useless trivia, but he is good with important facts as well. Most of this knowledge comes from the crazy amount of reading he does. But he is just a real sponge and absorbs information like he just cannot get enough!

Geoff is reliable, he is the guy who never calls in sick to work, and is always there when he is supposed to be. And he is a real dad. He changed diapers from the first day (not like some who think that the mom should do it all), and he is amazing with babies. We were just visiting his brother who has a new baby. The baby was crying so much, and Geoff asked to give it a try. He cuddled and talked to the baby, and he was the one who got him to calm down! It was great. He likes to play with the kids at any age, whether they are babies, or whether they are almost fully grown, he is an all around great dad.

We are sure there are lots of things you would like to know about us, but do not want to make this too long. And besides, talking in person is a better way to get to know us. But here are a few tidbits about us:

- Sindea moved to WA state when she was 18 from Louisiana. Her mom moved out here 2 years later.

- Geoff was born in California, then moved to New York, and then his parents finally settled in WA state when he was 15.

- Sindea worked for Baskin-Robbins for over 3 years, and still loves ice cream.

- Geoff is working on becoming a nurse, and hopes to either work in surgery or the ER.

- Raiden was born 6 weeks early after Sindea had a really rough pregnancy. He was a healthy baby for being born so early.

- Teegan was born at home, right on time.

- Both of our families are really excited for us to add to our family through adoption.

- Geoff is the eldest of 6 kids, 3 boys and 3 girls in his family.

- Sindea is the youngest of 4. She is the only girl and always wanted a sister.

- Sindea works with families during and after childbirth as a doula. She is also a professional photographer- but looks forward to going back to being a full-time mom once we adopt.

- Geoff loves Seattle music! One of his favorite bands is called Peter Parker.

- Sindea used to have hopes of becoming the President of the USA.

- Geoff just likes to listen to the band The Presidents of the USA…

- Sindea has attended births, and offered support, of moms relinquishing their babies for adoption.

- Sindea started volunteering at a local daycare when she was 10, and babysitting when she was 12. Over the years she has been a nanny and preschool teacher.

- Geoff’s favorite ‘job’ at church, has been working in the nursery with the little kids.

- Sindea says her name like Cindy- which was the spelling of her name at birth! She was named after Cindy Brady on the Brady Bunch.

- Sindea’s high school best friend lives in Sweden, and she has gone to visit a few times. The kids love hearing about their ‘Auntie Nena’ so far away.

- Geoff spent 2 years on a mission for church in Alabama and Mississippi. He now has a love of Southern cooking, especially BBQ.

- Geoff wrote a story when he was 9 years old about wanting to adopt 10 children when he grew up!

- We are all very active in our church and our community. Geoff grew up in our church, and Sindea converted in 1992.

- Geoff’s dad is from Brazil, and his mom is a mix of English, Danish, and Scottish.

- Sindea’s family is a mix of Spanish, German, and Czech.

- We have 2 cats, and a bunch of fish.

We want to let you know that we are very open to an open adoption. We realize that can mean something different to every family. For us, it is important to be able to discuss this with you and to do what feels right for everyone. Ideally this would mean meeting you at least a few times before the birth of the baby, attending the birth (if you are up for that), and from then on- we would like to send photos and letters, and are open to the idea of future visits. We think and hope that an arrangement like this will make it so that your child, that will become our child, will know how much they are loved and understand better how they came to be a part of a new family.

There is so much more we could say about our family, and about our strong belief that adoption is right for our family. Our 2 sons talk to us almost daily about adopting their little sisters (they both REALLY want sisters, and we think that every little girl should have a big brother, so it sounds perfect!). We have looked forward to this time in our lives since not long after we were married, 13 years ago. Thank you so much for getting to know our family a little better.

Peace and lots of love,

Sindea, Geoff, Raiden and Teegan