Todd and Erin - Little Rock, Arkansas

Dear Expectant Parent(s),

Hello! We are Todd and Erin, and we’d like to thank you for taking the time to learn more about our family. Regardless of whether you decide to parent, place your child with another family or choose us to parent your child--you will be continually in our prayers as you deal with the difficult decisions you are facing.

Todd and I (Erin) met the first day of our freshman year in college. We became friends, but didn’t start dating until we were sophomores. Soon after we began dating, Todd moved back home to complete his education, while I (Erin) stayed in Arkansas. Most of our dating was long distance, and we feel truly blessed to have gone through that growing experience together. After dating three years, we were married in July 2005. As a couple, we knew from the beginning that we would pursue adoption. I (Erin) have four adopted siblings, as well as cousins who have joined the family through adoption, and adoption has always held a special place in my heart. After being married a few years, and experiencing a failed pregnancy, we felt God was leading us to begin the adoption process. We adopted our daughter Callie, in February 2008. She is so amazing and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. We have also enjoyed our growing relationship with her birth mom and brother, and are blessed to be a part of an open adoption.

About Todd (by Erin)
Todd is quiet and thoughtful. He is an introvert, but really enjoys spending time with our close friends. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and keeps everyone around him laughing! The best quality about Todd is his loyalty. He loves his family and friends and supports them unconditionally. Todd is an amazing father, and Callie thinks her daddy is the funniest guy around! Todd graduated from college with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice. He has been a police officer for over three years, and loves his job. In his free time, Todd enjoys reading theology books and cooking, especially grilling. He also likes fishing and spending time outdoors.

About Erin (by Todd)
Erin is outgoing and is energized by people. It’s true that opposites attract--because we are very different! She is very “artsy” and enjoys renovating and decorating our home. The best quality about her is her compassion. Erin is very caring, and her family and friends mean the world to her. She loves shopping with her little sisters, baking, traveling and going on “dates” with her younger brothers and sisters. Erin loves reading to Callie. She also has a lot of fun learning new ways to style Callie’s hair! Recently, Erin completed her Masters degree in Teaching. She teaches Special Education and loves her job.

About Callie
Callie is our beautiful toddler. She will be two in February and is always on the move! She is laid back and sensitive, and is definitely a girly-girl. Callie loves to be with her family, and has a special relationship with her young aunts and uncles. She loves playing outside, listening to music and reading books. Callie has an amazing smile, and an even better laugh! We love watching her personality develop as she gets older! She doesn’t like taking a bath or getting her hair done, and bedtime is her least favorite time all day. Callie especially enjoys playing with our dog, Shelby. She is a Labrador Retriever and is wonderful with Callie!

We live in a quiet neighborhood on the corner of two dead-end streets. We have a large, fenced in yard with plenty of trees--which is perfect for our dog, Shelby. We are so thankful to have bought a house in the same neighborhood that Erin grew up in. Her parents live only three houses away, and it has been wonderful having them so close! They love being active in Callie’s life and see her every day. Our home is located in the same school district that Erin teaches, which means that when our children begin attending school, they will be on campus with Erin each day.

Our families are extremely important to us. We spend as much time as possible with them. Todd’s family lives about four hours away and we enjoy seeing them over the holidays and for weekend visits. He has one sister, Jill, who is seventeen. Todd has a small immediate family, and a large extended family. On the other hand, Erin’s immediate family is very large. She is one of six children, both biological and adopted. Her siblings’ ages range from 32 to 11. We see Erin’s parents and siblings nearly everyday. We feel so blessed to have wonderful, supportive families and friends. They are all excited about the possibility of Callie having a brother or sister!

Our faith is very important to us. We were both raised in Christian homes by godly parents, and it is very important that we do the same for our children. We attend a large, diverse Baptist church where many families’ lives have been touched by adoption(our pastor is the adoptive father of two). We enjoy being involved in ministry there, and like spending time with other families from our class and small group. Our church also has a wonderful Children’s Ministry with lots of programs available to teach even the youngest children about the love of God! Callie’s favorite part of church is the music--she loves to “sing”!

Thanks again for reading our letter. Our prayer is that God will grant you wisdom and comfort as you discern what is best for you and your child.

In His love, Todd & Erin (and Callie)

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