Our Photos

We love learning about new cultures and cities.

Riding together is a healthy and fun way we connect.

Taking classes is a fun way to spend family time.

Here we are at an adoption event - playing and connecting with other families.

Post marathon with Sara's coaches - Dad and Brad

Celebrating birthdays with family and friends is a common occurrence.

Cousins at the aquarium. The Belugas are beautiful.

Fetching with Gracie at the nearby park. She
can go all day.

Brad enjoys racing with his teammates

Oliver has become an experienced traveler. He loves riding the train!

Shopping at the neighborhood farmer's market. Delicious locally grown veggies and fruit for a home made dinner.

Oliver with his birth parents. We stay close to
his birth mom through emailing.

Hi we are Sara and Brad

Thank you for reading our letter. We imagine that this is a very difficult and challenging time in your life. Making an adoption plan for your child takes courage and unselfishness. We feel that we have a lot of love to give and are deeply grateful that through adoption we will have a chance to expand our family. We hope that this letter will give you a glimpse into our life and the life we hope to offer your child.



About Us

This spring we will celebrate our ninth anniversary. We joke about how on our first date Sara quizzed Brad on his desire for children. We were immediately drawn to each other and felt that life wouldn’t be complete without parenting.

A wonderful event did occur when we adopted our son Oliver in October of 2009. He is an amazing little boy who has brought us tremendous joy. Watching him learn to crawl, walk, and say his first words have been exciting events. We’ve enjoyed having an open relationship with Oliver’s birthparents. His birthmom and some of her family have come to Chicago to visit. We visited both of Oliver’s birth parents and birth grandparents close to his first birthday. We stay connected through emails and pictures.

We have lots of interests and an active lifestyle. Our mutual love of athletics is one of the many things that drew us together. Sara bought her first road bike from Brad which is how we met. We enjoy traveling and learning about new places and cultures. We recently went to San Francisco and had fun going on runs together and eating delicious meals. Brad is an avid bicyclist who races competitively. We both look forward to family bike rides. Sara loves to run and has competed in the Boston and Chicago marathons. She likes to run with our dog, Gracie.

Our family loves music whether it is dancing at home, taking Oliver to Wiggleworms, or attending live performances. Brad is a talented bass guitarist. We love reading and value education. We began reading Goodnight Moon to Oliver before bed days after he was born. He now loves to look through his books and has quite a collection. A typical weekend might include a trip to the zoo or one of the several museums in our city and dinner with family or friends. Walking through the rose gardens at the Botanical Gardens is a springtime activity. They have an elaborate miniature train set where Oliver could spend hours. We attend a church in our community that we were drawn to because of the warmth and openness of the pastor and congregation.

Family

Our extended family is an integral part of our lives. Sara’s brother and family frequently come over to let the kids play together and share meals. Our niece and nephew like to go to our local ice cream parlor where they often jockey to be the one sitting next to Uncle Brad or Oliver. They take great interest in Oliver and are the best cousins he could have. Sara’s parents live in Indianapolis and frequently come for weekends. Brad’s parents and sister live in Florida and we see them at least twice a year. Our parents and siblings are eager to have a new child in the family.

Neighborhood

We recently purchased a home on Chicago’s north side. Our home is close to two wonderful parks where we take Oliver to play. There is a lot of green space for our dog, Gracie, to run and play. Our neighborhood is full of young families and there’s often a birthday party or cook out to attend. We chose this neighborhood due to the excellent school that’s in walking distance.

Brad about Sara

Sara is a warm and loving person. One of qualities I love most about Sara is her ability to listen and her genuine interest in others. This quality makes her excellent at her job as a mother and social worker. She is a clinical social worker who sees patients one on one providing a caring ear. She is invested in giving back to the community, which is a trait I admire. She has flexibility in her work, which has allowed her to be at home three days a week. Sara is an amazing mother who is caring, loving, and patient with our son. She takes such pleasure in Oliver and is eager to share with me what new words or mischief he has been up to throughout the day. She keeps busy taking Oliver to classes, museums, or hanging out with playmates. I know she will be an amazing mother to a baby boy or girl as she has much to give.

Sara about Brad

Brad is a fun and intelligent person. I love that Brad can put anyone at ease in a matter of seconds. He is fun loving and can bring levity to all situations. I know that I can bring him into any social situation and he will leave with a new friend. Brad is also extremely hard working and in the past few years he has propelled his career to new heights. He works for a leading company in the bicycle industry. He has found a career that he loves, a company where he is admired and valued, and works harder than anybody I know! He also strikes the right balance between home and work. Watching him become a loving and engaging father has made me love him even more. A baby boy or girl would be lucky to have him as a daddy.

Adoption

As happy as we are with our lives together we both long to have another child. We believe having a sibling offers a child an opportunity to learn how to get along with others, share and develop generosity. Sharing the experience of adoption will hopefully be a source of comfort. A brother or sister will bring tremendous joy and we envision filling our home with children’s laughter.

We respect and admire you for choosing life. If we are lucky to be given the opportunity to raise your child, we assure your child will know what a special person you are. Knowing you through your son or daughter, we will forever be apart of each other’s lives. Although we will always respect your privacy, we would welcome having an open line of communication. We hope that we have given you a sense of who we are. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this very difficult time. If you would like to learn more about us or to arrange an initial phone call, please contact Cindy Simonson (anytime) at A Loving Alternative (800) 556-5635.

Warmly,

Sara & Brad

Contact This Family

To talk to this family, please call Cindy at 800-556-5635 or by sending an email below