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If you would like to learn more about us, please call 1-800-ADOPTION (2367846), fill out the form at the bottom of our on-line profile page, or email us at bp_information@americanadoptions.com.

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Daniel & Shannon

We are excited to be building our family through adoption. We had our first child using a donated egg, but the doctor has told Shannon that she should not become pregnant again. We both grew up with siblings, and always hoped to have multiple children in our family as well. We look forward to meeting you and the wonderful baby that you're bringing into the world!

About Us

Daniel
Shannon
Job
Environmental Scientist
Attorney
Education
Master's Degree in Geology
Law Degree
Children
Vincent
Relationship
Legally Married
State
Missouri

Why We Chose Adoption

Autumn in the Park

We love being parents and sharing our lives with our son, Vincent. However, the road to parenthood has not been easy for us. Before we got married, we knew that it was possible that we might have fertility problems. When we were unable to conceive naturally, we started seeing a fertility doctor. Less invasive treatments were ineffective, and we eventually turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF) using a donated egg. Our son was born in 2020 using an egg from an anonymous donor. Vincent was our last shot at fertility treatment. If Shannon hadn't gotten pregnant with him, we would have gone straight to adoption.

Vincent is a great kid. He's a goofy guy, who laughs easily and loves to make us laugh. He likes to "fix" his toy cars with us. He also likes to cook food in his play kitchen and brings us whatever he makes. It's fun to imagine him playing trains or throwing a ball with a little brother or sister, just like he does with friends at school.

We spent the first year and a half of our son's life learning to be parents and enjoying the time with him. We wanted a second child, but the doctor strongly advised against Shannon getting pregnant again. Completing our family with an adopted child seems a natural fit for us. We will already be having conversations with our son about the unique circumstances of his birth, since Shannon is his mother, but not his genetic parent. We will greet our adopted child with the same love and open arms that we have for our son.

Our Leisure Time

Dancing Together

Like a lot of families during the pandemic, we have been focusing on hobbies that we can practice at home. We love to cook a new dish in the kitchen or get into a discussion about a TV show.

Recently, we've been returning to the hobbies that we practiced while we were dating and earlier in our married life. We met swing dancing, and we still love it. Over the summer, we did some swing dancing at a friend's birthday party at a winery. It was fantastic to be back on the dance floor!

We love board games and puzzles. We have two big dining tables in our house, one for eating, and the other gaming. We selected our house in part because it has an open floor plan that works well for hosting game days for friends. Having several game tables going simultaneously makes for a lively event.

We also both love to play the piano. Shannon's parents gifted us their old piano. We plan to get Vincent and your child involved in piano lessons, if they show interest. If either child does play, we will likely study alongside them, and the house will be filled with music.

Lastly, we love hiking. We had two honeymoons, which both involved hiking. Daniel's family in Colorado have taken us hiking in the Rockies, and we look forward to going back. There is a state park about 25 minutes from our house with wonderful views.

Adoption in Our Family

We have several family members and friends in our circle who are adopted themselves or who are adoptive parents.

Two of Shannon's father's cousins are adopted and one of Daniel's cousins and his wife have adopted two sons from Korea.

Shannon talks to her Aunt Katie about once a month. Katie was adopted in the 1960s in a closed adoption. She located her birth mother some years ago and they have built a positive relationship. Katie is aware that we intend to adopt and she will be available to offer her love and an adoptee's perspective as we move forward.

In addition, one of Daniel's bosses, who he interacts with frequently, adopted both of her children as a single parent. Both of her children are of a different race than her, and one of them has special needs. One of their recent holiday cards included a family picture; their smiles were radiant. It was plain to see how happy adoption has made them as a family. Their experience has been an inspiration to us.

Finally, our son's daycare says they have several other families enrolled whose children are adopted. We look forward to connecting with them as we move forward.

Photos

At a 5K Race Fundraiser
At a 5K Race Fundraiser
Making Cookies
Making Cookies
Hiking in the Rockies
Hiking in the Rockies
Building an Excavator Together
Building an Excavator Together
Daniel Playing the Piano at a Friend's Wedding
Daniel Playing the Piano at a Friend's Wedding
At the Top of a Mountain in Hawaii
At the Top of a Mountain in Hawaii
At the Ballpark
At the Ballpark
Enjoying a Snowy Day at Home
Enjoying a Snowy Day at Home
Dressed Up for a Work Holiday Party
Dressed Up for a Work Holiday Party
Shannon Is Proud of the Hibiscus Flowers in Her Garden
Shannon Is Proud of the Hibiscus Flowers in Her Garden
Vincent Playing on a Slide
Vincent Playing on a Slide
Ready for the Trunk-or-Treat at Vincent's School
Ready for the Trunk-or-Treat at Vincent's School
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At a 5K Race Fundraiser
At a 5K Race Fundraiser
2 / 12
Making Cookies
Making Cookies
3 / 12
Hiking in the Rockies
Hiking in the Rockies
4 / 12
Building an Excavator Together
Building an Excavator Together
5 / 12
Daniel Playing the Piano at a Friend's Wedding
Daniel Playing the Piano at a Friend's Wedding
6 / 12
At the Top of a Mountain in Hawaii
At the Top of a Mountain in Hawaii
7 / 12
At the Ballpark
At the Ballpark
8 / 12
Enjoying a Snowy Day at Home
Enjoying a Snowy Day at Home
9 / 12
Dressed Up for a Work Holiday Party
Dressed Up for a Work Holiday Party
10 / 12
Shannon Is Proud of the Hibiscus Flowers in Her Garden
Shannon Is Proud of the Hibiscus Flowers in Her Garden
11 / 12
Vincent Playing on a Slide
Vincent Playing on a Slide
12 / 12
Ready for the Trunk-or-Treat at Vincent's School
Ready for the Trunk-or-Treat at Vincent's School

Our House and Neighborhood

Our Home in the Fall

We live in a suburb of a large Midwestern city, about 25 minutes from the city center. Our house is a three-bedroom ranch house with a nice yard. Our favorite rooms are the living room and kitchen; whenever we have people over, that's where people end up. There are seats at the counter so our guests can talk to us as we cook, and we can watch the kids play in the living room.

The baby's room will have the best view in the house, onto a large green space backed by a small wooded area. A creek runs through the woods, and we see deer, hawks, owls, and the occasional fox and groundhog in our yard. The neighborhood is a peaceful place with tree-lined streets and sidewalks. We see dog-walkers and kids playing outside all the time. There's no park within walking distance, but there are several within 10 minutes' drive which have playground equipment for younger and older kids. Our favorite park has a fountain to run through in the summertime.

We chose this neighborhood in part because it is in the best school district in the area. In addition to having an older brother, the baby will have lots of kids on our street and in our neighborhood to play with.

Our Extended Families

At Hollywood Studios With Shannon's Family

Both of our parents live within 15 minutes' drive of our house. The baby will see both sets of grandparents at least once a week. In addition, we each have one sibling in town, who have families of their own. We see them for birthdays and holidays, and sometimes just to hang out. The child will have a cheering section at sports games and music recitals, and will have lots of people there to see them blow out their birthday candles.

When there's a problem, our families are there for us. This has been especially helpful when the refrigerator dies, someone has car trouble, or the daycare is closed.

With Daniel's Parents

Our families love holidays. Daniel's favorite holiday is the Fourth of July. His dad taught him to grill, and the guys all work the grill together. The table will be full of hamburgers, brats, roasted vegetables, and several kinds of BBQ sauce. Shannon's favorite holiday is Christmas. Her family loves to decorate a big tree and wrap gifts. Shannon's sister will put together a holiday playlist. We'll enjoy looking at each other's gifts and have a buffet lunch, with fruitcake, butter cookies, and chocolate peppermint cookies for dessert. But first, on Christmas Eve, we follow Daniel's family's tradition of driving around to look at Christmas lights with our son.

Our extended families are aware of and supportive of our adoption plan. They can't wait to meet the latest member of the family!

From Us to You

Hi, we are very happy that you have decided to learn more about us! We are honored that you are considering entrusting us with the precious little life you are about to bring into the world.

Let us tell you a bit about ourselves. We have known each other for over 10 years and in 2022, we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. Shannon is an attorney at a large law firm, practicing banking and securities law. Daniel is an environmental scientist who works for a utility company. Both of us are fortunate to have jobs that allow us a measure of flexibility. We both work from home at least 2-3 days each week, and can take time off for vacations and to cover household responsibilities. We own a home and we don't presently have any pets. We have one son, born in 2020, after four and a half years of fertility treatments, using an egg from an anonymous donor. He is the light of our lives and we'd love for him to have a little brother or sister.

When we got married, we talked about and hoped for 2 or 3 kids, but we knew it was possible that we might have fertility problems - and we did. Getting pregnant was much harder than anyone would have thought and carrying a child also turned out to be more dangerous for Shannon than we had expected. Because of that, we decided not to attempt to get pregnant again and to instead grow our family through adoption.

We imagine that this must be a time of great stress and uncertainty for you. Every day moves you closer to one of the biggest decisions you will ever make: will you choose to parent, and if you choose not to, who will be the best parents for your child? We're sure that you will make the right decision for yourself and your child. Have faith in yourself, and you'll find the right answer in your heart.

We'd love to tell you that we're absolutely certain we would be the best parents for your child, but we've found that parenting doesn't leave much room for absolute certainty! Like every other parent, we're learning every day. Every day brings new challenges and requires constant adjustment. Being parents is a balancing act, steadied by certain core principles that drive our lives:

  • We love and trust each other;
  • We're as well-prepared for the future as we can be;
  • We're committed to making a loving and stable home for our son; and
  • We have room in our home and our hearts for another child.
  • Everything else is a process of discovery, a daily adventure that we take together.

    As you move forward, please remember that choosing to place your child for an open adoption does not mean the child disappears from your heart, or from your life. We'll send pictures and letters as the child grows. We should talk about a schedule for emails and phone calls, if you're interested. At least once in the child's first five years, we'll arrange a face-to-face meeting with you, if you're open to it. We promise you that the child will be raised to know your name, to honor your choice in placing him or her for adoption, and to think of you with respect. If the child is from a different ethnic or racial background than ours, we are prepared to forge relationships and learn how to connect the child to that part of their heritage.

    Adoption is a lifelong commitment. When you're ready, we look forward to meeting you and to talking about the kind of future we all hope to build for this child.

    Daniel & Shannon

    Favorites

    Daniel
    Shannon
    Actor
    Michael Gambon, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Sam Elliot
    Tom Hiddleston, Matt Damon, Liam Neeson
    Actress
    Gemma Arterton, Meryl Streep, Annette Bening
    Julia Roberts, Judi Dench, Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Lawrence
    Animal
    Raccoon
    At the zoo: penguins. At home: cats. (Dogs are good too, if they're well-trained.)
    Author
    R.A. Salvatore, Brent Weeks, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Michael A. Stackpole, Christopher Rowley
    Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Andy Weir, J.K. Rowling
    Book
    Dune
    Maisie Dobbs (by Jacqueline Winspear), A Christmas Carol (by Charles Dickens), The Martian (by Andy Weir)
    Candy Bar
    Snickers
    Mounds, which are hard to find. Usually Snickers.
    Cartoon
    Voltron, Transformers
    On the big screen: How to Train Your Dragon. On TV: Star Wars - Rebels.
    Childhood Memory
    Adventuring outside with my Dad
    Dad took me to see Return of the Jedi in theaters when I was 8. We had Junior Mints and popcorn and he got me a souvenir.
    Childhood Toy
    Legos, Ball push popper (looks kinda like a vacuum cleaner and the balls inside pop as you push it)
    X-wing fighter and my counted cross-stitch kits
    Children's Book
    Winken, Blynken, and Nod
    The Secret of NIMH
    City
    Tulsa, OK is my favorite that I lived in.
    Can't pick just one; great people will make nearly anyplace seem fun.
    Classic Movie
    The Cameraman (Buster Keaton)
    From the 40s: It's A Wonderful Life. The 60s: Charade. The 80s: Back to the Future. The 90s: Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves.
    Color
    Green
    Red
    Day of Week
    Saturday
    Any day can be good or bad
    Dessert
    Ice cream
    Ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and extra cherries
    Disney Movie
    Fox and the Hound
    Beauty and the Beast or Moana
    Dream Car
    Impossible to answer without driving it.
    Red Mustang convertible. Would have to learn to drive a stick shift.
    Dream Job
    Game design
    Federal prosecutor or legal aid attorney. In an alternate universe, an astronaut.
    Dream Vacation
    Going back to the Outer Banks, NC; trip to Spain
    Watching the sun rise behind the Pyramids, studying Mayan carvings in Belize, touring Shakespeare's birthplace, dinner in a small restaurant in the Italian countryside.
    Family Activity
    Playing games
    Cooking together, playing in the yard, board games
    Flower / Plant
    Dead Nettle
    In the yard: daffodils and shrub roses. For a bouquet: a crazy mix of whatever is in season.
    Food
    Chicken Parmesan
    Italian, Thai or pub food
    Form of Exercise
    Working out with friends
    Realistically: walking. Ideally: running 5Ks.
    Fruit
    Apple
    Gala apples
    Game
    Magic the Gathering
    Splendor, Scythe, Yedo. I'll try any board game that's based more on strategy than luck.
    Hobby
    Playing games (tabletop, video, etc.)
    Learning languages, gardening, swing dancing
    Holiday
    4th of July
    Christmas
    Holiday Song
    Christmans in Sarayevo
    Something I can play on the piano - maybe It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
    Holiday Tradition
    Holiday lights
    Driving around on Christmas Eve and looking at the lights, baking chocolate peppermint cookies
    Ice Cream
    Mint Chocolate Chip
    My husband's homemade chocolate ice cream
    Junk Food
    Peanut M&Ms
    Caramel corn
    Leisure Activity
    Playing a game, reading
    Board games, looking for a new show on TV
    Magazine
    Men's Health
    Men's Health (no, that's not a misprint; my husband subscribes, and the interviews are great)
    Memory with a Child
    Taking my son out in the yard his first spring, playing chase
    Standing in the yard with our son and talking about how to reach the moon
    Memory with Spouse
    Movies, home-made pizza, and root beer on Friday nights. Also our wedding party - seriously one of the most fun parties ever.
    Pulling out a collective victory at the end of a long card game. Cooking something that's restaurant-quality. Having deep conversations about a TV show.
    Movie
    Lucky Number Slevin, Spaced Invaders
    The Martian, Knives Out, Star Wars: A New Hope.
    Movie Munchie
    Popcorn
    Popcorn and a Diet Coke
    Movie Quote
    Anyone else want to negotiate? (Bruce Willis in the Fifth Element)
    "The Force will be with you. Always."
    Movie Type
    Action/Adventure
    Action/adventure
    Musical
    Cats
    Ragtime, My Fair Lady, Wicked, and Hamilton
    Musical Group
    Hard to pick, I've never had one group where I fell in love with everything they did, or the just the group itself.
    New Republic, Train, Alison Kraus & Union Station
    Nursery Rhyme
    Twinkle Twinkle
    Wynkin, Blinkin and Nod
    Olympic Event
    Don't have one currently, watched a lot of figure skating as a kid.
    Figure skating, gymnastics and diving
    Personal Hero
    Nightcrawler (of the X-Men)
    Abraham Lincoln
    Play
    The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
    Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
    Poet
    Robert Frost
    Robert Frost or Emily Dickinson
    Quality about my Spouse
    Her ability to care for others
    Upbeat and thoughtful
    Quote
    You can never know everything, and part of what you know is always wrong. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing that, a portion of courage lies in going on anyway.
    "The man who says he can and the man who says he can't are both probably right." Attributed to lots of different people.
    Restaurant
    Andolini's Pizzaria
    Someplace local, preferably Italian, Thai or pub food.
    Sandwich
    Hot Turkey & Cheese
    BLT
    Shopping Store
    Schnucks
    Anyplace with a good petite department
    Song
    Be Yourself - Audioslave, House of the Rising Sun
    Patience (Guns 'n Roses)
    Sport to Play
    Swimming
    Never been athletic. Loved field hockey, but terrible at it. Liked rock climbing.
    Sport to Watch
    Hockey
    Baseball, intrigued by hockey
    Sports Star
    Ozzie Smith
    Yadi Molina
    Sports Team
    St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals baseball
    Subject in School
    Foods class. Cooking was the most fun class I ever had in school.
    Spanish, biology and English
    Superhero
    The X-Men
    Iron Man and Black Widow. Cap has grown on me.
    Thing to Cook
    Tacos
    Chicken risotto with peas and zucchini
    Time of Day
    Evening
    Afternoons and evenings. Never been a morning person.
    Tradition
    Thanksgiving meal
    Friday night - homemade pizza and a movie night.
    TV Show
    Pretender, The Americans, Mandolorian, Burn Notice, Firefly, Ted Lasso
    Ted Lasso, The Americans, Chuck, White Collar
    TV Show Character
    Zoe (Firefly) - cool under pressure with great wit.
    Neil Caffrey from White Collar, Captain Picard (from Star Trek)
    Type of Music
    Rock N Roll, Movie Soundtracks
    Movie soundtracks, salsa, pop
    Vacation Spot
    Outer Banks North Carolina, Mountains in Colorado
    A Disney park or the Outer Banks of North Carolina
    Video Game
    Final Fantasy 7
    Super Mario Bros., Diablo III, Heroes of the Storm

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