Eric & Kim Adoption Profile copy 4 - Little Blessings: Adoption Profile … and Kim... · Favorite...
Transcript of Eric & Kim Adoption Profile copy 4 - Little Blessings: Adoption Profile … and Kim... · Favorite...
Along with our daughters, whom we adopted, Addison and Sophie, we are thri l led at the possibil ity of welcoming your child into our “SUPER” family.
Aloha
Eric KimWe are
&
Aloha, it’s great to meet you! We are Eric and Kim from Northern Virginia. Happily married for 12 years, with two beautiful and energetic daughters we’ve been blessed to adopt, we are turning to adoption once more to complete our family. We are so thankful to have this opportunity to share a part of our lives with you. Our home is full of love, activity and laughter! We spend most of the time together as a family and there’s always something new going on…vacations, craft projects, swim lessons, baking cookies, playing sports…you name it! We can assure you that your baby will be a top priority in our family because we are ready with big hearts and open arms! Addison and Sophie cannot wait to be big sisters! There is so much love within us, and our extended family, that your child will always know what love, safety and happiness are.
Well, who are we?
A Day in the Life of “Us”As a family, your child’s life would include our trips to the local farmers market to pick up fresh fruit, cheese, vegetables and breads. Kim’s current favorite is turkey burgers with avocado and homemade sweet potato fries – sweet and spicy. Yummy!! Friday is our pizza and movie night where the girls “help” Kim make pizza. Who would have thought that three simple ingredients like homemade dough, sauce and cheese could be so much fun! All of us can’t wait to get your child into the mix of things.
We struggled with infertility for several years and decided to build our family through adoption, which has been absolutely wonderful! The girls have blessed our lives more than words can say and we are looking to complete our family through adoption once again.
Knowing we have each other makes life incredibly wonderful.
Favorite Food:
Favorite Vacation:
Favorite TV Show:
Favorite Color:
Favorite Kid’s Book:
Favorite Winter Sport:
Silly Obsession:
Loves to read:
tacos
Belize
Suits
purple
Oh, The Places You’ll Go
snowboarding
Loves to flip through cheesy tabloid
magazines
on her iPad
spaghetti
Alaska
Breaking Bad
burnt orange
Where The Wild Things Are
skiing
Loves cheesy tabloids too but he’ll never
admit it!
hard cover books
KIM EricFun Facts
At Disney watching the parade
we love being outdoors!
What Eric Likes To Do Growing up, my family took long summer vacations where we would go camping and Rishing, and winter vacations where we would go skiing or snowboarding. My love for the outdoors continues into adulthood. I am an avid runner, skier, surfer, and Risherman, but I can also be found reading a good book on world history or presidential biographies. One of my best childhood memories was when my Dad taught me how to make his famous beef enchiladas with red sauce. Now, I can be found in the kitchen making my own version of enchiladas -‐ chicken with white sauce. Which is better, chicken or beef? Oh, the Yin and Yang of enchiladas! I absolutely love cooking and when I do, I can’t help but to use every single pot and pan in the kitchen, which makes clean-‐up a chore….for Kim! LOL
My hubby Eric (Written by Kim)
Eric is generous, funny, and smart and has more integrity than anyone I know. He has a great sense of humor, which keeps me laughing all the time, and he is truly a thoughtful husband and a wonderful Dad. We love to spend our time together doing family type activities, whether it’s playing in the park, an afternoon with friends, or just relaxing over a meal in the backyard. Eric is such a positive inRluence; he is always smiling and can make friends with anyone. He also has a calm, steady presence, and I trust him completely with my heart and with my life.
chillin’ by a glacier
grilling up some grub
family fun in the snow
new dad grin!
fun at our park
My Better Half Kim
(Written by Eric)Kim’s entire face lights up when she smiles, and her laughter is infectious. I think this is what initially drew me to her, but it was her generosity, compassion, and boundless optimism that hooked me. Kim’s joyous spirit provides a perfect balance to my grounded sense of reality. Intelligent and strong-‐willed, she constantly challenges my assumptions and keeps me focused on the important things in life. There is no one I would rather have by my side through this adventure called life.
What Kim Likes To Do Growing up on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, I spent most of my time at the beach surRing, laying out in the sun or catching one of those infamous Hawaiian sunsets. I loved playing soccer and softball and enjoy the competitive nature of sports and the principles of sportsmanship that is learned: respect for teammates, opponents, and the game; graceful winning and losing. I also enjoy running 5k and 10k’s, and plan on training for a half-‐marathon. Eric absolutely love’s my Hawaiian culture and we try to integrate it in our daily lives by teaching the girls Hawaiian words such as Pau – done or Rinished, Mahalo – thank you, and Tutu – grandmother. We’ve even taught Addison the “shaka,” a Hawaiian hand symbol meaning “hang loose.” I do most of the cooking and I feel strongly about using fresh, local ingredients whenever possible, making delicious and healthy meals.
at the farmer’s market
morning run with a friend
making cookies for daddy
white water rafting in Alaska
hanging loose on top of
the blue ridge
mountains
fun in the sun hawaiian style
Addison is an independent, smart, active little 4-‐year-‐old girl with a very kind and tender side, and a compassionate soul that
Sophie is a sweet little toddler that is full of energy and bounds around from activity to activity, making sure to stop to get hugs and kisses from Mom and Dad. She is so thrilled when we play, “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. She loves music and dances to whatever catchy beat is on the radio, television or when Addison sings a song. Sophie also LOVES to eat! She eats anything and everything that is in front of her and has a big Buddha belly that we enjoy rubbing. Sophie loves to follow and mimic Addison, learning the good (and sometimes not so good) from her older sister. Sophie has also taken to her nightly readings and her favorite book, Good Night Moon, has become a nightly ritual before bedtime. Her laughter is the greatest sound and makes our home a joyful place to be! Sophie is a loving and gentle spirit and we take pleasure in watching her grow into this very special person. We just know that she’ll be a great big sister!
will make her a great big sister for your little one. She adores cuddling and always asks for “more hugs!” Addison often says, “Mommy, you’re my best friend” or “Daddy, hold my hand please”. Those words are the sweetest words that we can hear as parents. She loves to dress up in her princess outTits and superhero capes. She’ll be Cinderella for a day, Snow White for ten minutes, or Superhero Addie for three hours. Oh, the attention span of a four-‐year old! Addison enjoys playing with cars and has a Hot Wheel collection that spans the test of time. Some of her Hot Wheel
ADDISON
sophie
collection consists of cars that Eric played with as a child. Wouldn’t it be great to have your child share the same cars as his or her dad and older sister? Addison also loves to draw Tire trucks and rainbows. Our desks are decked out in her favorite drawings as well as her jelly Tish Tigures that represent our family. “Mommy jelly, daddy jelly, and Sophie jelly” as she calls us. Super cute!
Addison was given a Hawaiian middle name, Kahealani, which means “a call from heaven,” and Sophie’s middle name is Kamealoha, which means
“beloved child”. We plan on giving our next child a Hawaiian middle name to continue the tradition. Maybe you can help us choose this name?
addison’s
drawing of our
“jelly” family,
including the
new baby to be!
fun times!
Where We Live, laugh & loveWe live in a great community in Alexandria, Virginia, which is just outside of Washington DC. Our home is a Rive-‐bedroom house with a huge basement with a dedicated play area and a movie room where we have our family movie nights. We’ve also been known to squeeze in a Sunday matinee when the weather outside isn’t cooperating. We enjoy the opportunity to live close to an area where so much of our American history was formed, and we take advantage of it whenever we can. Our home is near many local hiking trails that connect to many parks and playgrounds. We love that when we walk to “our” park, which Addison loves to call it, we always run into Luke and Bella – the neighborhood golden retrievers that sit in the front yard and are always ready to give kisses. The area is a perfect mix of suburban and country life – we’re just minutes away from where there are great restaurants and a farmers market for fresh produce. Not only does our neighborhood have a very highly rated academic program, but to ensure that children are well rounded, it also offers a variety of programs such as dance, art and swim at the nearby school. We’ve enrolled both girls in year round swim classes where they learn to be comfortable in the water and learn about water safety – they are advancing nicely. We can’t wait to have your child enrolled into activities too.
On fire for trick-or-treatin
g!
ready for family movie night!
beep!Beep!two
future big
sisters Coming through the
kitchen!
we have so many sights to see around us!
our bright and sunny playroom with lots of fun
activities for little
hands!
Serving Our CountryWe are both active duty military in the Army, and we love serving our country and everything that service represents. While the military requires us to move every three to four years, we have found this to be a very positive aspect of our life. Our home-‐life routine and our relationship are both so stable that moving has seemed more like an exciting journey as opposed to an upheaval. Moving has allowed us to meet new people and gain new friends from all over the world, and each assignment allows us to expand our horizons as our family enjoys the unique experiences that each location provides. We are able to understand new customs and cultures that go beyond textbooks. Reading and hearing about other parts of the world is one thing but actually visiting and experiencing another state or country in person is quite different. These opportunities will create amazing family memories as well as provide our children with once in a lifetime educational experiences. Our current plan is to serve for a few more years, travel as much as we can and then transition from military service to settle down and establish roots. This will allow our children to enjoy the stability of a permanent home, especially during their junior high and high school years.
Traveling the World... a Family Adventure!
Since we enjoy traveling, being in the military gives us the perfect opportunity to explore the world. Eric has been to Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, Australia, and East Timor; and Kim has been to Japan, Guam, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines. Being assigned to different Army bases allows us to live across the United States, and even simple trips can turn into awesome adventures. For example, in Alaska, we boarded a seaplane for a bear-‐viewing trip; in Maui, we experienced the most amazing sunrise on the summit of Haleakala, an extinct volcano; and in Colorado, Kim chose the wrong ski slope and snowboarded down a double black diamond run (and for a novice boarder that is NOT GOOD!) Now with the girls, our trips are family focused and we couldn’t be happier. While stationed in California, we took several trips to Disneyland, cruised down the PaciRic Coast Highway, and spent the weekend at Safari West in Sonoma. Now that we’re in Virginia, we have trips planned to Disney World, New York City, the Carolina coast and possibly a Disney Cruise. We can’t wait to include your child into our family adventures.
Our Views on EducationOur educational background is diverse, as Eric attended one of the top military schools, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Go Army!). Kim selected the more traditional route of a four-‐year college, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communication, followed by a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management. As you can see, we value education and understand the importance of it. We guarantee that your child will have the opportunity to attend college; whether it’s a military academy, a state university or an accredited online campus, we’ll ensure that a higher education is in the future. As a matter of fact, we’ve already started college funds for Addison and Sophie and transferred Eric’s military education beneRits to both girls. Of course, we would start a college fund for your child right away and they would also be eligible for the same education beneRits.
Your Dreams & Desires for your ChildWe have a full understanding of closed and open adoptions and have respected all requests from both Addison and Sophie’s Rirst Moms. Addison’s Rirst Mom decided on a closed adoption while Sophie’s Rirst Mom opted for an open adoption. We hope this will reassure you that we will respect you and your decision and will listen to all your dreams and desires for your child also.
Our Parenting PhilosophyThere is a saying in Hawaii,
The translation: The lehua blossom unfolds when the rains tread on it.
The explanation: People respond better to gentle words than to reprimands. This is our philosophy with parenting. We are great parents, and trust us when we tell you that your child will have every ounce of our love and a loving and happy home life.
“I mohala no ka lehua i ke ke'ekehi 'ia e ka ua.”
having lunch with
addison at her school
Our Journey to Sophie – An Exciting and Joyous Time!Our second adoption journey with Sophie was just as exciting. As with Addison, our adoption advisor called letting us know that we were selected by her mother, who was due in two days ( yes, you read correctly, two days!). We were thrilled, excited and anxious. The baby was not quite ready on the due date and three weeks later our phone rang at 3:00am and it was the birth father informing us that that Sophie’s Rirst Mom was in labor and that we needed to get on a plane ASAP! We were able to get a Rlight within a few hours and when we entered the hospital room, Sophie’s Rirst Mom handed her to us and said, “Here’s your daughter”. At that very second, we knew we’d have a very special relationship. While at the hospital we meet the entire birth family and we felt a little overwhelmed but comforted at the same time, because we knew that both families supported our adoption of our little Sophie. The bond made in the hospital carried forward as we went to the birth parent’s home for a BBQ where we noticed that Sophie has the same chin dimple as her Rirst Mom and her biological grandmother…. very cool. We continue to have an awesome relationship and keep in touch to this very day with pictures and video’s of Sophie or just to catch up on life!
Adopting Addison – A Miraculous Moment!Our entire adoption process was Rilled with anticipation and joy as we looked forward to becoming parents. The call from our adoption advisor to tell us we had been chosen was one of the most miraculous moments for us! We immediately went shopping to get all the baby items on the “new baby checklist” we found on the Internet. Needless to say, we were a tad bit excited and went overboard buying everything in sight! About a week later, we received a phone call informing us that Addison’s Rirst Mother was in labor, and we needed to get on a plane immediately. No words can express the love we felt when we held her in our arms for the Rirst time. We were ready for parenthood; we were ready for her!! During our stay in the hospital we spent hours with Addison’s Rirst Mom talking, listening and sharing visions for our daughter. It was very emotional and words cannot express how grateful we are to her.
“Becoming parents through adoption is
absolutely the best thing that has happened to us.
Creating our family through the selflessness of birth families is truly amazing and we cannot wait to share that moment with
you, whether it be for a few minutes or a lifetime.”
christmas at disneyland
Our Wonderful We have been blessed with family and friends who are over-‐the-‐top excited for us to welcome another child into our lives. Our close and extended family is one that enjoys being together as often as possible. Eric’s family ski trips to Colorado are always jam-‐packed with stories of previous adventures as well as chances for creating new ones. We will always remember the sleigh ride in Telluride because the horses kept passing gas, which made the 20-‐minute trip seem like 40! Eric’s brother lives in Dallas, Texas along with his wife and their two sons, and his extended family continues to grow, with seven young nephews and two nieces; they are all looking forward to playing with their new cousin. Just think of how many instant playmates and cousins your child would have with us! On our trips back to Texas, we always stop at Eric and his dad’s favorite BBQ joint, where we end up eating way too much chicken, ribs and sausage. Oh yeah, and we can’t forget the beans! When we walk out of there, our bellies are full and we are completely useless for the rest of the day.
We try to go to Hawaii every year, as spending quality time with family is very important to us. When we are able to make it to Hawaii, we often rent a cabin on the beach to get away from the hustle and bustle and spend hours boogie-‐boarding or playing in the water or eating, because it’s what we do best! We remember our last trip to Hawaii, where we were playing in the eddy and Kim’s brother was towing his three year old daughter on a boogie board, and she waved to everyone like she was in a parade. After that, we called her, “Miss Aloha” and it’s what we call her to this day.
Kim’s mom, two brothers, sister-‐in-‐law, niece and nephew live together in a multi-‐generation home, which is very common in the Hawaiian culture. We’re not sure if it would work for us-‐-‐-‐okay, we are deRinitely sure it would not work for us-‐-‐-‐but it totally works for them. As you may know, families come in all shapes and sizes, and we are no different! Kim’s brother and his wife have a daughter who just turned three and a son that is six months old; he also has a son and a daughter-‐in-‐law whose daughter is four, which makes his granddaughter older than his daughter and son. Yep, crazy, right? But we love it!
“Ohana”
Kim as a Mommy (Written by Eric)Kim is an incredible mother, and nothing brings her more joy than spending time with Addison and Sophie. We reserve Sunday mornings for baking homemade mufRins and biscuits or pancakes for breakfast, or something sweet for the week. It is really cute seeing the three of them together; measuring, cracking eggs and pouring Rlour and sugar into the bowl. Kim lets Addison mix everything together and drop the batter into the pans while Sophie plays with the leftover dough. She also loves doing crafts with the girls. Addison loves glitter glue (Kim does not ☺), construction paper, and water color paints, while Sophie enjoys stickers which end up on her face and every piece of furniture within her reach. This past holiday season, Kim was able to make homemade ornaments where the girls’ handprints were placed on a clear ornament with the year written on it. She can’t wait to do your child’s handprint to add to the family collection. The girls and Kim love cuddling up together to read a book, watch a movie or have a picnic in the basement. Your child will deRinitely be included in all these activities, and depending on their likes and interests, many more will be set up just for them!
Eric as a Daddy (Written by Kim) I am super excited for Eric to become a Dad again. He is an amazing father, and he lights up each time he sees “his girls”. Eric’s love of running has created a special opportunity for just the three of them, with Saturday mornings dedicated to daddy and daughter time. Riding in our double jog stroller, Addison and Sophie are Eric’s new running partners! When the new baby comes, he can’t wait to try out the triple stroller, and the girls can’t wait to have another stroller partner. Simply being together and sharing the fun is awesome, and I know that Eric is ready to create a special moment with your child, too.
building forts with daddy is so much fun!
time for a spin on the carousel!
a family that
runs together, has FUN together
Our Hearts & Home Are Open to YouBecoming parents through adoption was a beautiful experience for us. Our hearts and our home are open and we welcome you and your child into our family. We promise to raise your child in a stable home and loving family, and we will nurture him or her with an understanding of their adoption story, respecting your decision as a choice that was based on love. Whether it is an open or closed adoption, we will ensure that your child knows what you want them to know. We believe in strong core values – honesty, integrity, respect, and compassion, and we will pass on these values to your child. We will also pass on our love of learning and will provide your child with the best possible education. In short, all of our love and efforts will go toward providing a solid foundation so your child can eventually grow and discover the world on his or her own.
Until We Meet AgainThank you for taking a glimpse into our lives. Our hope is that our story, through pictures and heartfelt words, will create a
connection with you. We are so excited to adopt again and want you to know we are looking
forward to the day we welcome another miracle into our lives. We hope you feel that our family is everything you’ve dreamed for your baby. It is hard to say
goodbye and to share how grateful we are and how much respect we have for you. Instead of “goodbye” we would love to say “until we meet again”… and hopefully this
will be a new beginning for all of us.
“Mahalo Nui Loa” or “Thank you very much!”
Eric Kim
We would love to talk with you and answer any questions you have. Contact us directly Toll Free 877-228-5305 or by email [email protected]