Mark and Staci
Dear Birth Parents,
We appreciate you taking the time to read our letter, and to get to know us a little better. We are Mark and Staci. We know that this is a very tough decision for you, and we admire your courage and commitment in making an adoption plan. We are very excited about becoming parents, and we believe that with your help, we can give your baby a wonderful home.
Our Story
Both of us love animals, and it was our passion for them that made us choose our unique careers – we are both zookeepers and met eight years ago on the job at a zoo in South Florida. The fact that we both grew up in Pittsburgh gave us more common ground, and I knew from the start that our relationship was something special. I felt like I could be myself with Mark, and that I could tell him anything. He always knew how to make me laugh even when I was having a bad day. We dated for a year before getting engaged. We decided then to move back home to Pittsburgh to be near our families, and secured jobs at the Pittsburgh Zoo doing what we love. Mark works with the big cats, and I work with elephants and giraffes. We were married in September 2005 and began to work on fulfilling our next dream: adding children to our family.
Like many other couples, we didn't realize how difficult it would be to conceive – especially at our age. I was 23 when we began trying and Mark, 30. We spent the next five years visiting doctors and pursing various fertility treatments. Our journey through infertility brought us closer as a couple and strengthened our relationship. We decided that what was most important to us was being parents, and we looked toward adoption as the way to start our family. It taught us to hope again.
About Mark
I am 35 and was adopted when I was three months old. I was raised by and blessed with great parents who love me unconditionally. I feel that my own experience with adoption – as well as my extended family's experience and support – will help my child because I'll be able to relate in a unique way.
I grew up in the city and really enjoy listening to music, especially hard rock. I played the trumpet in high school and learned to appreciate all music. I would encourage my child in any of the arts.
I am also a Penn State grad and enjoy watching and playing sports. I have been playing softball for about four years with a church league. I am also a very passionate Pittsburgh Pirates fan. I've been attending at least 10 games a year with my dad ever since I was a small boy. I look forward to continuing that tradition with my child.
About Staci
I am 28 and the youngest of three sisters. I grew up about an hour north of Pittsburgh, in the country. I am a bit of a tomboy. I spent most of my childhood outdoors, hiking in the woods, fishing, playing softball and taking care of the many animals that we had. I enjoy many hobbies: art, photography and woodworking are a few. I especially love reading. I love finding a comfortable chair or a soft place in the grass to relax and read. I often imagine reading to our child and hope that he or she will get the same enjoyment.
Our Home
We live in a charming little house in the suburbs of the city. It has a fenced-in yard with plenty of room to run and play. On hot days we sit under our large tree in the back yard, and we often grill in the evenings. Our neighbors are very friendly and the kids in the neighborhood are always riding bikes past our house or playing on the nearby playground.
Our "Furry" Family
We have three pets; Indiana, Max, and Taz. Indiana is our lovable, adorable six year old Labrador and Max and Taz are our cute and cuddly cats. They all love to greet us at the door and compete for our attention. Our cats like to snuggle and keep us company. Indiana loves playing fetch and we are sure he will love having another member in the family to play ball with and to go on walks. Our pets bring much joy and laughter to our family.
Friends and Family
We are lucky that most of our family and friends live within an hour drive. Many of our friends have young children, and we look forward to setting up play dates with them and celebrating birthdays. Everyone has been very supportive of our plan to adopt – especially our parents. They are very excited about meeting their first grandchild.
Our Everyday Life
Like many other couples we both work. It allows us to live comfortably and to have extra money to do fun things. Last year we went to Hawaii, and this year we learned how to surf in Mexico. We love to travel and are always looking for new places to visit. Every year we go camping in Erie. We can't wait to continue the tradition with our child. We try to stay active. Staci has been taking martial arts for a year and both of us are members of a church bowling league. When we are not on vacation or working, we spend our evenings and weekends together. We get a lot of enjoyment doing yard work, cooking, watching movies, even grocery shopping together. We believe laughter is the key to a good marriage and there is plenty of that here.
Thank you for taking the time to consider us and if you would like to know more about us you can visit our website at http://www.wix.com/themcdonoughs319/love or contact us by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
We are working with The Children's Home of Pittsburgh, a licensed adoption agency, and they can be reached at 800-961-7704 or 412-441-4884, or at www.childrenshomepgh.org
Best Wishes,
Mark and Staci
