Jenn and Dan
Hello, and thanks for reading our letter!
We are Dan and Jenn—just your average, down-to-earth couple that enjoys the simple things in life, like watching movies, hanging out with friends, and taking weekend trips together to visit new places and eat great food. We are really hoping to expand our little family by welcoming a birth family and a child into our lives! Here's a little about us:
Jenn: I was raised in Oregon and work as an ER nurse. In my “free time” I’m going to school to become a Family Nurse Practitioner so I can work with infants and children. I love spending a quiet night at home with Dan, having a girls’ night with my friends and their kids, going sightseeing in the city, and, I’ll admit it, shopping! I am very social, and was definitely the kid that had to spend recess inside because I got caught talking to my neighbors. I’m also very organized (my friends call me Polly McPlanner!) and if there’s something that needs to get done, you can count on me to get on it at lightning speed! Dan describes me as organized, caring, kind, and with a lot of love to share.
Dan: I have lived in the Pacific Northwest all of my life and I work as a driver for my dad’s family septic business. I also volunteer as a paramedic for our local Fire Department and do CPR/First Aid training on the side. Education is very important to me, and by teaching these classes I’m able to give people tools to possibly save the life of a stranger or a loved one someday. For fun, I like hunting, HAM radios (I get to talk to people all over the world and help prepare for emergency situations), and spending time in the woods just relaxing and enjoying nature. I feel the freest when I am surrounded by the sounds and smells of nature, and I hope to be able to share this love and respect of nature with our child. I’m pretty quiet, but friends say I have a witty, “dry” sense of humor once you get to know me. I’m calm and steady, and Jenn describes me as loyal, patient, and kind.
We met while Jenn was working in registration in the Emergency Room and Dan was an Paramedic. Dan would bring patients in while working on the ambulance and see Jenn sitting at her desk. With a little encouragement and “meddling” from our friends, we went out to lunch and have been together ever since. We’ve been together for 14 years and married for five.
Traveling together is one of our shared loves. We’ve spent time throughout Oregon, Washington (love to go to Seattle to watch Jenn’s Boston Red Sox try to beat Dan’s Seattle Mariners!), and Nevada (Vegas baby!), but most vacations involve relaxing in Mexico or Jamaica (our favorite!). We can't wait to take our child to the beach and introduce them to new cultures.
We are so excited to raise a child together! We’re at a point in our lives where we are really, truly ready to be parents, as we can give them not only the love and attention that they need and deserve, but we can also financially provide for their future. It’s really important to us to be able to have options such as public or private school and the opportunity for a college education. We also want to give them the fun extras, like dance lessons or sports—whatever they choose! We’re lucky that our jobs are very family-friendly. Dan works for his dad, so he has some flexibility in his schedule. Jenn has worked at the same place for 17 years, so by now she’s able to change her schedule as needed.
The idea of open adoption appeals to us because of the honesty and closeness it provides between the child, the adoptive family, and the birth family. We would love to get to know our child’s birth family, and hopefully to have a relationship that goes beyond just letters, photos, and the occasional visit. We feel like there cannot be too many people in our child’s life that love them, and we will welcome their birth family with open arms. Plus, there is no greater gift than to learn about your cultural heritage from relatives that share the same culture and nationality. Who knows, maybe we can all create some new traditions together!
Thanks for taking the time to get to know us a bit better! We hope we will have the chance to meet you and get to know you better. We welcome the opportunity to just visit or to answer any questions you might have about us…
Again, thank you,
Dan and Jenn