More About Me

ABOUT KIM:

This is just an introduction-a first step in connecting-and I want you to know that I am willing to talk with you about your hopes and concerns for yourself and your child. I will work with you in any way that might make your situation easier for you.

Although I have not been lucky enough to meet and marry the man of my dreams, I have always known I still wanted to be a mom-a dream I have always had. I tried for a year to get pregnant, but with no luck. I was not discouraged, however, because my goal has always been to be a mom-not necessarily to be pregnant.

Since I have several friends who have adopted children, I came to know very quickly that adopting was the best way for me to become a mom. My friends and their adopted children are so happy and have made such wonderful families, I know it is a real blessing to adopt a child. I believe that I will be a loving, supportive mother to an adopted child. I have a wonderful relationship with my own parents, and I believe having their good example is very important. They have taught me that love, patience and a sense of wonder and humor are all ingredients to a happy family life and well-adjusted children.

I believe that when children know they are truly safe-that their family loves them no matter what and will always be there for them-that is when they flower and reach their full potential. Caring for and watching my nephews grow has been one of the great joys of my life. It has also allowed me to see and deal with many of the challenges of parenting, and to appreciate the wonderful things about each of the phases children go through as they grow up. My nephews love visiting with Auntie Kim because I give them my complete attention. Their parents and I support and praise them in everything they try-because we believe that is how children develop self-confidence.

I grew up in a large, close, loving extended family. My immediate family included my parents and my younger brother-but I was lucky enough to live near my grandparents, aunts, uncles and fourteen cousins. We grew up spending vacations together on Cape Cod, celebrating our birthdays together, and enjoying big, noisy, messy holiday parties! This is a tradition we still continue, even though many of my cousins now have children of their own. I look forward to bringing my child to these family vacations and holiday parties. I'm also glad that my cousins Kevin, Steve, and Craig will be able to play an important role in my adopted child's life, helping my brother and my father to provide strong, loving male role models for him or her. In addition, I am very close with my cousin Luanne-she was born just 2 days before me, so we were in the hospital together!-and she is raising two beautiful daughters who are very anxious to be "aunts" to my baby. I know Luanne and her husband will be there to help me whenever I need it.

Some of the things I enjoy most-and that I look forward to sharing with my child-include reading, photography and travel. I have always been a big reader and I believe it is very important in building the imagination and giving children a head start in their education. I was lucky enough to gain scholarships to Yale and Harvard, even though my family was blue collar, largely because my parents encouraged me to read and be curious as a child. As a result, even though I am a single woman, I am financially stable and capable of giving an adopted child the same opportunities I have had. I already have a small library of books I plan to share with the baby - and, of course, I have also started an education fund for him or her. I have loved photography for years and I enjoy taking and printing black and white photos of quiet, peaceful landscapes. I think it's my way of compensating for not being able to draw! I have started to get my nephews interested in photography and would love to share that interest with my child or to help them develop their creativity in other ways.

Finally, I love traveling and have been all over the USA, and the rest of the world-from London and Paris to China, Thailand and Japan. I also believe it is important for children to visit the beautiful and historic places in our country, to learn about other cultures in the world-and, of course, to visit Mickey Mouse whenever possible! I look forward to sharing my life, my family and all the love I have to give with a precious child who will truly be the center of my world.