Tom about Sue Ann…
I love Sue Ann's warmth, easy smile, and wonderful way with people. She loves to go for walks, read to Rachel, and work on crafts. She's decorated our home beautifully with her creations. She also loves flowers, and plants a lot of them so we can enjoy a beautiful deck and garden. Sue Ann is a full time mom and very involved in Rachel's school and activities. She also does the bookkeeping for our business, but most important, she is a great Mother to Rachel and will be to our next child as well!

Sue Ann about Tom…
I was drawn to Tom's sensitivity, laid-back style, and patience. He loves to laugh, and is a very optimistic person. Tom enjoys working in the yard in the summer, and during the winter he spends hours in his woodworking shop. He has made an oak shelf for me, a bookcase for Rachel's room, and is already planning to build a rocking chair for the baby. Tom is co-owner of a 401k administration firm, which gives him the freedom to schedule his work around family activities. Most important, he is a great Dad to Rachel and will be to our next child as well!

Family
We were both born and raised in Iowa, and have a lot of family here, including Tom's grown son Michael. We are fortunate to be surrounded by our parents and family members, and are never at a loss for baby-sitters when we plan a night out together. Our family also includes 2 cats--Skittles and Smokey--who provide lots of entertainment.

Where do we live?
We live in Urbandale, Iowa, which is a Des Moines suburb. It's a beautiful city surrounded by parks and bike paths. In fact, we have a path at the edge of our back yard that leads to 3 parks, a new library, a soccer field, and baseball diamonds. We are within walking distance of St. Pius church and school, where we attend church and where our children attend grade school. We love our home and plan to stay in Iowa because of family, friendly people, and excellent schools.

Hobbies and Interests
In the warm months we enjoy walking, and often walk to the library. In the fall, we enjoy hayrides at a nearby Christmas tree farm. For Halloween, Sue Ann and Rachel always make costumes, which are quite elaborate! In the winter we like to gather in front of our fireplace, where we enjoy reading or playing games. Sue Ann & Rachel often make cookies together, with Rachel ending up covered with flour from head to toe!

Values
We believe in faith and family. We were both raised in loving homes with traditional values, and we instill those values in Rachel daily by our example. We believe in discipline with love. We work hard, and are active in our church, attending regularly. We are committed to our faith and send Rachel to a Catholic school to support the values we teach at home. We both have college degrees and strongly believe in the value of education. In fact, we have already started saving for college for our new baby!

Parenting
Since we have been blessed with a child, we are confident in our ability to parent. We know all about diapers, night-time feedings, the joy of a baby's first belly laugh, their surprise at rolling over for the first time, and their excitement from taking their first step. We believe in "hands-on" love, which includes unlimited hug & kisses, playing on the floor with Daddy, and reading books at bedtime every night with Mommy. We realize that children grow up very quickly, so we appreciate every moment with them. We believe structure is important in our lives, so we strive for regular mealtimes and a regular bedtime for Rachel, whenever possible. We can't wait to experience this again, share the joys of a new baby brother or sister with Rachel, and see our new baby grow up very loved, and very happy.

Thank you for considering us, and we look forward to hearing from you.