Choose a Family for Adoption
The Cradle has an extensive list of wonderful families ready and excited to welcome a new baby into their home.
All adoptive families must undergo a comprehensive screening
process and complete our adoptive family education courses before they
are approved to become Cradle families.
MEET SOME CRADLE FAMILIES NOW.
Nancy & Brad 
Add to Favorites
Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. It takes a great deal of love and courage to explore adoption and we admire your strength under these circumstances. We hope that our letter will give you a better sense of who we are and our love for one another as you explore a future plan for your baby. ...
View Family
Shannon & Isaac Add to Favorites
What we have learned in our adoption journey so far has lifted our spirits beyond some difficult times in our lives. We look forward to a bright future as parents and can only hope that you might also be part of that blessing.
...
View Family
Justin & Nathan Add to Favorites
We are Justin and Nathan and we have both always wanted to be parents. We’ve known for a long time that we would build our family through adoption and we are excited that that time has finally come! We can’t wait to lavish all the love we have on the beautiful baby who comes home with us. ...
View Family
Emily & Gordon Add to Favorites
We are Gordon & Emily and want you to know how grateful we are for the choice you are considering. We hope that we can work together to be an answer to each other’s prayers. We are looking forward to growing our family through adoption and are grateful for the opportunity to introduce ourselves to you. ...
View Family
Sarah & Tom Add to Favorites
Hello and welcome to our family story! We are Tom and Sarah. Before we begin, let’s all gather around for a big group hug!
We appreciate that this a difficult time for you and that many challenging decisions will be made. We hope you find our story to be true and real to the type of people we are, the type of family we have surrounded ourselves with, what we envision o ...
View Family
Chelsea & Matt Add to Favorites
We are Chelsea and Matt and we are excited to expand our family through an open adoption. We know that you have a lot on your mind right now and that you are in the process of making a major decision in your life. Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about our family. ...
View Family
Rebecca & Emily Add to Favorites
It was just over one year ago and Rebecca had come home from a delivery room where she assisted in the birth of her niece Lucie. We got to talking again about our plans to grow our family through adoption, and we decided the time was perfect. We contacted the Cradle. And here we are today, writing this letter to you. We know there is a lot for us to say to one another, and it&r ...
View Family
Anne & Michael Add to Favorites
Hi! We are Anne and Michael and we have two kids named Sofia and Nicolas “Nico”. We can’t wait to bring another child into our family! Sofia and Nico are very excited to have a little sister or brother. When we ask them if they are going to help care for the new baby, there is a chorus of “yes” (except for the part about changing poopy diapers).&nb ...
View Family
Margo & Joel Add to Favorites
In the beginning there were kickball and a wrong number.
We met while playing a good old-fashioned game of kickball. Joel asked the team captain for Margo’s phone number, but he was given teammate Mauro’s number instead. Fortunately, Joel then got the correct number, and a year and a half later we were married.
We know without a doubt that we want the joys of raising a child, so ...
View Family
Maureen Add to Favorites
We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time and miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands.
--- Kristi Larson ...
View Family
Rebecca & Mike Add to Favorites
From riding an elephant in Thailand to finding a vegetarian soul food restaurant on the south side of Chicago, our life together has been filled with adventure. What we want most is to share this sense of adventure—our love of laughter and learning—with a child. When we imagined our future, we looked around and saw a multicultural community, and we decided we wanted to become a mul ...
View Family
Aaryn & Tom Add to Favorites
“What do you want for dinner?”
Aaryn hears this question from Tom nearly every morning, noon or night. The answer really isn’t as important to Tom as it is for him to know Aaryn is thinking about our favorite time of the day. It also allows Tom to combine his passion for planning with creativity in the kitchen. The end result can be a simple burger or ...
View Family
Kristi & Jason Add to Favorites
When we think of a birth parent we picture someone like Jason’s mom; a young woman alone, pregnant and facing a very uncertain future. She made the decision to parent. While the road wasn’t always easy it was the right one for her. We want you to know that whichever family you pick, or if you decide to parent, your heart and mind will tell you the right thin ...
View Family
Adam & Eric Add to Favorites
Want to know a secret?
You might want to sit down. Okay...here goes...We are both men! Still there? Whew! Now that that's out in the open, let's get to what really makes us who we are... Obviously, it's no secret we are forming a "non-traditional" family, but our desire to give a loving and supportive home to a child, couldn't be more traditional.&nb ...
View Family
Dennis & Susan Add to Favorites
Hi. We're Dennis, Susan, and Alice. Thank you for choosing to read our letter. We are thrilled to be adopting for a second time, as Alice was adopted through The Cradle. We felt like the luckiest people in the world when our adoption counselor called in February of 2009 to tell us we were going to be parents…tomorrow! The excitement to expand our family has only grown sinc ...
View Family
Meghan & Jeff Add to Favorites
Greetings from the South Side! We never expected to become Midwesterners when we both moved here 7 years ago, but we can’t imagine a better city than this!
...
View Family
Heidi & Art Add to Favorites
We are thrilled that you have chosen to read our letter and get to know us better. Writing a profile like this with pictures and stories is difficult, but it was such a profile that brought us together as a couple in the first place. We became ‘Art & Heidi’ through online dating at Match.com and now hope to become a family through the Cradle.org. It all fits, in a ...
View Family
Jacob & Chip Add to Favorites
We are Bessie, Chip, and Jacob, and we feel lucky and honored that you may consider us as an adoptive family. We realize that you have many important decisions to make: your strength and love have led you to our profile. Now, we hope that our shared strength and love will bring us all together for bright and hopeful future
...
View Family
Lori & Corey Add to Favorites
Hi, We are Corey and Lori. Thank you so much for choosing to read our letter and learn more about us. We are thrilled to think that we may be the family that you are looking for…especially with Lori able to leave her job to be a stay at home mother. We understand that this is an incredibly difficult decision for you and we admire and respect your courage. We hope that yo ...
View Family
Edd Add to Favorites
“The secret of sweet potato pie is not cinnamon--it’s nutmeg. And that’s what they always get wrong when you buy it from a store.”
Hi. My name is Edd, and that quote was from my mother talking about the most important smell in my house around Thanksgiving when I was a child. Though bak ...
View Family
Susan & Jason Add to Favorites
Should you decide we are the right match for you and your child, your son or daughter will have parents who get down on the floor with them to play and imagine. Parents who aren’t embarrassed to wildly sing and dance around the house (even if their neighbors think they’re a little wacky). A mom who jumps to read bedtime stories every night, and a dad who is excitedly wait ...
View Family
Susan & Paul Add to Favorites
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our profile and learn a little about us. We know that this is a difficult time and we cannot begin to understand, but we would like to try. We welcome an open adoption and want to be sensitive to what you are most comfortable with and will work together to figure out what is best for all of us.
Now here is a little bi ...
View Family
Nancy & John Add to Favorites
For the wisdom of a lifetime, no one can ever tell but whatever road you choose, I am right behind you win or lose – Forever Young
Hi, we are John and Nancy, thanks for taking the opportunity to learn a little bit more about our family. We hope to share with you our love for each other, our son and provide a window to what really matters in our lives. We&rs ...
View Family
Eleni & Philip Add to Favorites
“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all” – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Once upon a time, a young woman returned to the Windy City from a trip to her childhood home: the Big Woods of Minnesota. Accompanying her was a trunk full of her most treasured chil ...
View Family
Traci & Rich Add to Favorites
We are very excited about adopting a baby and starting our own family. We have both wanted children since the day we got married and look forward to having our family expanded.
...
View Family
Marjorie Add to Favorites
I have ridden my bike across Alaska, backpacked through Nicaragua, operated the locks of the Panama Canal, kayaked the Sea of Cortez, climbed the second highest peak in Central America, dove to a Shipwreck off southern Florida and swam with sharks in the Bahamas...
So what could I be missing? What will be the next great ADVENTURE of my life?... KIDS!! ...
View Family
Kim & John Add to Favorites
“All because two people fell in love.”
We are Kim and John. And our family and friends say this quote personifies us. We married in our early twenties. Our first years of marriage are full of many happy memories. We celebrated with our siblings the births of 9 nieces and nephews and being Aunt Kim and Uncle John continues to fill our hearts with joy. We cons ...
View Family
Dixie & Mike Add to Favorites
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end” -- Seneca
We recognize what a difficult decision you are making. Probably the toughest one you’ll ever make. However, we believe your decision doesn’t have to be an ending but, rather, a new beginning. We hope to show you ...
View Family
Jeanette & Aaron Add to Favorites
What do you get when you combine a banker, an archeologist and 700 miles? Well in a word, us – Aaron and Jeanette. Our story starts on a blind date that ran from Chicago to New Orleans, with two people who didn’t know each other and both thought, “There is no way the other is going to fly here to take a chance on someone they have never met”. It could have ...
View Family
Amy & Keith Add to Favorites
Whatever it takes!!! That was our motto, as we discussed our plans to begin our family…
...
View Family
Nicole & Ken Add to Favorites
Hello!
Thank you for taking the time to consider us as family for your child. The decision you are making will impact the lives of many people and is a decision we know you are not taking lightly. We also took our decision to adopt a child very seriously and want you to know that we have done what we can to prepare and educate ourselves so that we can do our best as parents ...
View Family
Kate & Holly Add to Favorites
We are writing this letter so you can get to know a little bit about us. First, we want you to know that we want more than anything for a child to be a part of our family. We have always wanted to be parents. The only thing we really know about you right now is that you are considering adoption for your child. We can imagine this is a hard choice, and we admire you for thinking ...
View Family
Sylvia Add to Favorites
Hello,
My name is Sylvia. Welcome to my heart and home, where love is unconditional, promises are kept, dreams are chased, curiosity reigns, laughter is abundant, and the world is made a better place, step by step. ...
View Family
Amy & Chris Add to Favorites
We are Amy, Chris and Asher! We are an active and fun-loving family who live on the north side of Chicago. We’re so glad you’re taking the time to get to know us, and we hope we get the chance to know you!
...
View Family
Michael & Jonathan Add to Favorites
Hello from Jon and Michael,
People will tell you that you’re brave, that you’re special. And you are! You may not feel very brave, and probably feel scared and nervous. We’re nervous too – nervous about being parents, but it cannot possibly compare to what you’re experiencing while you choose what is best for your baby.
...
View Family
Jamie & Keith Add to Favorites
Here is our story, it spans through the course of time.
We know you will enjoy it, our sweet little rhyme.... ...
View Family
Janessa & Jason Add to Favorites
We are Jason and Janessa and we have two children, Wolfgang and Grace and live on the northwest side of Chicago. Jason and I both agree that the most fulfilling roles of our lives have been the role of a parent. We yearn for more children and our hope is to expand our family through adoption.
...
View Family
Dawn & Dave Add to Favorites
We are Dave and Dawn. It is our sincere hope that this short letter may give you a brief glimpse into our hearts and home. At the same time, we can only imagine how hard it is for you to read this letter and decide if we might be the right couple to raise, love, and cherish your child. ...
View Family
Marina & Michael Add to Favorites
Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. We are Marina, Michael and our daughter Emma. We would like to present to you a snapshot of our family. We hope it inspires you to want to get to know us better. We can only imagine what a difficult decision you have before you and we wish you peace and comfort as you plan for your child’s future. ...
View Family
Anne Marie & Charles Add to Favorites
If exploring an exciting and fun filled world of Barney, Elmo, Dora, The Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba, peaks your interest then welcome to our family. Our lives have evolved from traveling to majestic Europe and thrilling Las Vegas to the wonderful world of toddler imagination and development. These delightful characters play an important role in our lives, as they are the " ...
View Family
Rhodora & Mark Add to Favorites
We had canoed deep into the Boundary Waters and found a campsite where we decided to stay for a few days. It was clear at night, with no moon. We would stay up long after the fire had gone out so we could lie on our backs and look up at the stars. It was awesome! But one morning that week Rhodora sat by the campfire and cried. She said she wished we had ...
View Family
Dawn & Mike Add to Favorites
Hello! We are Dawn, Mike and Madeline. Thank you for choosing to read our letter and taking a moment to get to know our family. We can only imagine the difficult decision you are faced with as you search through these letters. We hope this one gives you a true sense of who we are and what our life is like. We have been married since 1995 and have a wonderf ...
View Family
Ricardo & Nick Add to Favorites
We are Nick and Ricardo. We are life partners, we have a deep love for each other and we have a tremendous amount of love to offer a child. We know this is a very difficult time for you and we hope after reading this letter you are able to find comfort, knowing that a loving and caring family is waiting. We hope you’d like to learn more about us and we would love the chance to meet ...
View Family
Irma & Chris Add to Favorites
“Love is the best medicine, and there is more than enough to go around once you open your heart.” Julie Marie. We are Chris and Irma and we want to thank you for considering us as you prepare an adoption plan for your baby. Our hearts and minds are truly ready to welcome a baby into our lives. We are excited about the opportunities that adoption offers us in forming the family we ...
View Family
John & Doug Add to Favorites
Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. We have always wanted to be dads and are so excited that we are in a place where we can provide a child with all the love, attention, and guidance they would want. We especially look forward to including you in our child’s life so they understand they were so loved that their birth mom chose an extra special family for them.  ...
View Family
Keri & Sue Add to Favorites
Hi! We are Sue, Keri and Noah and are excited to share our story with you! We know that this letter won’t answer all of your questions you will surely have, but we hope that you will want to learn more about our family after reading this. We also wish to thank you for taking the time to read our letter and we wish you peace during this life-changing process. ...
View Family
Christine & Jeff Add to Favorites
Hi! We appreciate your taking the time to meet our family. Christine is a stay-at-home Mom whose favorite noise is a child’s belly laughter. Jeff works in commercial real estate, but his favorite time of day is coming home to play with our son Alex, who we adopted with the help of the Cradle. Alex is one and a half, and he’s into everything. But our family is n ...
View Family
Megan & Shay Add to Favorites
Hi! We are Megan, Shay and Seamus! Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about us.
Shay and I met at a local tavern through mutual friends on Shay’s 21st birthday. It also happened to be his first day back in Chicago after returning to Ireland for a year. We often joke about how Shay hit the jackpot on that infamous day! ...
View Family
Anne & David Add to Favorites
As teachers, we have worked with children and young adults for our entire careers, and we now wish to welcome a child into our family through adoption. We are open to a child of any race, and we look forward to getting to know and maintaining a relationship with you as well. We hope the following information is helpful to you as you create an adoption plan for your child. ...
View Family
Julie & Marc Add to Favorites
Education is very important to us and we want to instill that in our child and provide every educational opportunity for them. Marc creates educational websites for a living and Julie is a director of a charitable foundation which funds children’s learning initiatives and a leadership academy for girls.
We are also “kids at heart” who like to laugh and enjoy the world ...
View Family
Jen & Chris Add to Favorites
Hello. We are Jen, Chris and Payton. Thank you for considering us as you make a plan for your child. We hope that if you decide to parent your child or place this responsibility with another family that you find peace and comfort with your decision.
Let us introduce ourselves. Our family consists of Chris, Jen, and Payton. We have been happily married for six years and have been parents f ...
View Family
Beth & Mike Add to Favorites
Hello, we are Beth and Mike and we are excited to begin our journey with you! Thank you for taking the time to get to know us. We hope that we can provide you with a snapshot of our life and family so that you get a feeling of who we are and what we hope to share with our child. ...
View Family
Renee & Adam Add to Favorites
Hello! We are Renee and Adam and are happy you are reading our letter. Our incredible story began in Omaha, Nebraska when we were in elementary school. As we smiled across the table at each other, we never thought we would fall in love and get married years later in another city.
...
View Family
Bridget & Alex Add to Favorites
We are Bridget, Alex, and Emerson and we appreciate you taking the time to read our letter and learn more about our family. We feel humbled and privileged by the opportunity to adopt a child and hope that learning more about our family will affirm what is no doubt a difficult decision for you.
Bridget always says that we are an open book when it comes to sharing things about our life w ...
View Family
Chris & Steven Add to Favorites
Hello from Steve & Chris
We are happy to give you a little information about us, and share some photos with you as well. We met on the dance floor in 1997, back when country was cool. We would go out dancing a couple of times a week, line dancing that is, the 2 step and the electric slide. We used to call it our country workout. We still like country music, but we don't limit oursel ...
View Family
Korrie & Eddie Add to Favorites
We are High School Sweethearts, it was love at first sight! It was November 1986, we were 17 years old. Poofy hair, gold chains and the Cosby Show were very popular; a gallon of gas cost 93 cents. We have been together ever since. We cannot imagine our lives without each other. We always dreamed of having a family. Good and bad, we know that no matter what comes our way, together we can ...
View Family
Jill & Ross Add to Favorites
Hi, we are Ross, Jill, and Ethan! In this letter, we invite you to take a glimpse into our lives. We are a family with a strong marriage, wonderful son, and supportive extended family and friends. ...
View Family
Christopher & James Add to Favorites
We hope as you read our profile that it makes you smile and that it will assure you that what ever you decide, this child will always be loved and taken care of in every way. We have absolutely no idea what you are going through or what you are feeling. As you read this, we say, “Thank you,” because you will help continue our path of becoming and forming a family. ...
View Family
Gina & Tom Add to Favorites
Hi! We’re Tom and Gina and we are so excited you are reading our letter. We just want to say thank you for taking the time to hear our story. We realize this is one of hardest decisions you will be making in your life. We want you to know that we would be honored to love, care and nurture your child. We have so much to offer a child; we are a warm loving couple that is so excited to start a ...
View Family
Todd & Craig Add to Favorites
Hello, we are Todd and Craig and we’re excited and up for the challenge parenting will bring. Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. Although we can't fully understand what you are going through, we admire your courage for considering adoption. Whatever you decide, we wish you and your child the best. If you decide that adoption is the best choice, we woul ...
View Family
Lisa & Dan Add to Favorites
Snuggling up on the couch, chasing quick little feet across the house, catching bubbles as they float above our heads, and searching for lady bugs in the backyard... The best things in life are the little moments. We hope to bring joy to our child through these “little moments” in our daily lives.
...
View Family
Susan & David Add to Favorites
So, who are we and what makes us so special? Hopefully this letter will give you some insight into who we are.
We’re Susan, David and Davis and we are excited beyond words that you are taking the time to learn more about us. Should adoption be your plan, we hope to be the family that provides your child with all of the love, care and support it takes to find happiness, secur ...
View Family
Michelle & Brian Add to Favorites
Hi! We’re Brian and Michelle and we are excited to share with you a glimpse into our lives. Have you ever wondered what happens if you go camping and leave your cooler outside during the night? You’ll never guess what happens... ...
View Family
Julie & Mike Add to Favorites
We are Mike and Julie and we want to thank you for reading our story. We hope to give you a picture of who we are as a couple, as individuals, and most importantly, as potential parents. We can’t know the emotions you are feeling, but we hope you will have comfort, support, and peace as you make decisions about your child’s future. We spend a lot of time thinkin ...
View Family
Amy & Zach Add to Favorites
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future full of hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Over the years, this verse has come to represent our journey to adoption and how even though it hasn’t always been an easy one, the belief that we’ll find our happy ending has kept us going. We realize your journey has als ...
View Family
Katie & David Add to Favorites
It took us a long time to meet but no time to fall in love! We grew up across a cornfield from each other, spent a summer on the same swim team, and studied in London during the same semester - but never met. Years later we met at just the right time and we have faith adoption will bless us similarly. We know we’re meant to be parents, we just haven’t met our kids yet!
  ...
View Family
Bruce & Will Add to Favorites
Hello. Our names are Bruce and Will, and we’ve probably rewritten this introduction 100 times trying to get it just right. But then we realized introductions are just that—the beginning. What really matters is what follows. ...
View Family
Marie & Kerem Add to Favorites
It began on a mid-September evening in 1996 when a girl from rural Wisconsin met the new Turkish foreign exchange student at a local high school football game.
...
View Family
William & William Add to Favorites
Have you ever seen the sunset from Fort Myers, Florida? Imagine the most beautiful watercolor painting you have ever seen. Shades of red and orange. Pink and coral. These colors all surrounding a family that has been gathering on these beaches for over sixty years and now providing the backdrop for our newly formed family. That newly formed family is us. Two Williams’ families creating mem ...
View Family
Brian & Jamie Add to Favorites
We are Brian and Jamie! Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to introduce ourselves and describe the family we are hoping to become. We are grateful that you love your child so much that you are considering an adoption plan for him or her. Fatherhood is a role we wanted to fulfill from early on in our lives. Unfortunately, being a gay couple does not easily mak ...
View Family
Michelle Add to Favorites
Hi! I'm Michelle and this is Jaden. My faith is at the center of my life and it is a life filled with family, friends and fun. I look forward to it being even more full with a second child. I can't wait to be a mom again and trust God that when the time is right, we will be blessed with a child that makes our family complete! ...
View Family
Wendy & Matt Add to Favorites
Family ~ Love ~ Laughter ~ Dogs
It’s our motto that if we have family, love, laughter and dogs, we can’t go wrong in life! We’re Matt and Wendy and we’d like share a little about ourselves in the hopes that you might want to get to know us a little better in the near future. ...
View Family
Michael & Christopher Add to Favorites
Can we be honest? Introductions like these are tough! The nerves, the multitude of questions, all the potential scenarios that run through your head…the results can be great, but the introduction can be stressful. So, if it’s okay with you we’re not going to call this an introduction. Instead, we’re going to call this a potential new beginning. Focusi ...
View Family
Jen & Shawn Add to Favorites
Hello! When anyone steps into our home, they usually experience a few things right away: friendly greetings from our cats, good aromas from the kitchen and the sound of laughter. We’re Jen and Shawn, and we are honored that you’re taking the time to get to know us! ...
View Family
Virginia & Todd Add to Favorites
Howdy! We’re Virginia and Todd. We have been together since 1996, and married since 2002. We love to camp, canoe, hike, run, and explore. The last three years we have learned that all of these activities become all the more exciting with our children in tow (or on our backs). At the end of this adoption quest, we will have three children, completing our family. You might be wonderi ...
View Family
Cristeana & Milan Add to Favorites
Hi, we are Cristeana and Milan! Our friends call us “The Newlyweds”. We hold hands, make each other laugh and are mushy and romantic. Doesn’t seem unusual? Well, it’s funny because we’ve been married for more than seventeen years! We love each other’s quirks, deeply respect each other and are best friends. Cristeana thinks that Milan is the s ...
View Family
Rufus & Ed Add to Favorites
Hello, we’re Ed and Rufus, and we look forward to introducing ourselves to you and telling you a little about our journey toward fatherhood. We have been together for a little over ten years, and we adopted our son Michael in May of 2010. From the beginning of our relationship we have always known that we wanted to raise kids. We weren’t sure how or when it would happen, but we bot ...
View Family
Lauren & Dan Add to Favorites
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
-Walt Disney
We love this quote by Walt Disney because it speaks of dreams and courage. We dream to become parents someday. We understand that you have dreams for your child. The decision to make an adoption plan requires courage from everyone involved. ...
View Family
Tara & Jason Add to Favorites
My skin is sort of brownish
Pinkish yellowish white.
My eyes are greyish blueish green,
But I'm told they look orange in the night.
My hair is reddish blondish brown,
But it's silver ...
View Family
Libby & Angie Add to Favorites
Hello birthparents! We are Libby, Angie and Jacob. Our family started almost twenty years ago, when Libby and Angie fell in love while studying in Europe. We have been in a committed relationship ever since. Our love and family grew in 2006 when we adopted our son, Jacob. He has filled our lives with so much joy and energy and we are so proud to be his parents. Now, we are ready to e ...
View Family
Marina & Erik Add to Favorites
What do you do when you find yourself interviewing a smart, good looking, and single guy for a position at your company? You give him the job, of course! We are Erik, Marina and Sammy and that is how our story begins…
Thank you for taking the time to read our letter and learn about our family. We are looking forward to bringing a new baby into our home- a place with love, lau ...
View Family
Paul Add to Favorites
My name is Paul. I am a single gay man.
If the previous sentence hasn’t scared you away, I’d love to paint a picture for you of who I am, what my life is like here in Chicago, why I would like to be a parent, and how I envision my future family. ...
View Family
Dana & Mike Add to Favorites
Life is a series of decisions, steps, twists and turns. We are so happy that our lives’ twist has brought you to us and are honored that you have chosen to take the time to get to know our family. We feel strongly that an open adoption will give your child a sense of where they came from and certainty that they were loved from the earliest moment of their life. Let our journey togeth ...
View Family
Dawn & Dean Add to Favorites
Small-town Iowa farm girl moves to Chicago and falls deeply in love with city boy. How two people with such completely different backgrounds ended up falling in love and on the journey to adopt their first child is an amazing mystery to us, and one we celebrate every day. We wish to share with you a little bit about us, our story, and what brings us to the adoption circle. ...
View Family
David & Vanessa Add to Favorites
We believe that the greatest gift we can give our children is another sibling! ...
View Family
Sue & Mike Add to Favorites
Thanks for viewing our profile. We are Mike and Sue. We've very excited to have kids and start the adoption process as we have always considered adoption to be a natural way for us to build our family. Sue and her sister were adopted and grew up in an adoptive family.
What we have no experience with is what you’re going through right now and can’t imagine what it’s like. ...
View Family
Angela & Scott Add to Favorites
When we met over 14 years ago, neither of us could have imagined that we would even still be speaking to each other, much less planning a family. We didn’t live near each other and a long term relationship was not something either of us was really considering at the time. Despite this, something drew us to each other and here we are, ready to expand our family again! We ...
View Family
Maggie & Ken Add to Favorites
Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. — Horace ...
View Family
Pam & Ardith Add to Favorites
Hi, we’re Ardith and Pam. We met on a magical Halloween night 12 years ago. Ardith says time slowed down just like it happens in the movies. Pam’s not sure about that, but still remembers the blue shirt Ardith was wearing that very first night. We’ve been a wonderful couple ever since! We have so much love and respect for each other that we know we’ll feel the same way ab ...
View Family
Sue & Kim Add to Favorites
Every child is special and deserves to be loved in a positive, uplifting and encouraging environment with an emphasis on creating a solid foundation for healthy self-esteem. This is our commitment to you and your child. ...
View Family
Robin & Howard Add to Favorites
37 years ago, Robin’s family had to make an adoption plan for her cousin when he was three years old. He was placed with a wonderful adoptive family who practiced openness before it became the norm for adoptions. They always made sure he was at our holiday gatherings and family celebrations. Our family became part of their family, which made a very difficult situation a little easier. As t ...
View Family
Gineen & Debbie Add to Favorites
Adoption Rocks! We are Debbie, Gineen and Dani Jolie. As we count our blessings each night, we look forward to bringing another little one into our fun-filled family. Our family strives on action. Whether we are eating meals together, driving home from watching basketball games or singing silly songs, we are always in the mist of enjoying one another. Humor ...
View Family
Liz & Lou Add to Favorites
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
“Nadie puede volver atras y empezar un nuevo comienzo, pero cualquiera puede comenzar hoy mismo y hacer un nuevo final.”
--Maria Robinson
Hi, we are Liz and Lou and thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about us. We imagine you are going through a ...
View Family
Amy & Peter Add to Favorites
We are Peter and Amy. We have one cat and one dog, and are excited about adding another addition to our family. Our five nieces and nephews are very special to us, and we can’t wait to take on a new role as parents to our own child. Through open adoption, we would love to learn more about you and welcome you and your child into our lives. ...
View Family
Cyndi & Anil Add to Favorites
Hi! We're Cyndi and Anil
“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.”
That’s a quote we printed on cards and laid on tables at our wedding. It says a lot about why we want to be parents. We have so much love to give, which is only multiplied because of the love we have for each ...
View Family
Jenny & Brian Add to Favorites
We should not be asking who this child belongs to, but who belongs to this child.
- Jim Gritter
Hello! We are Brian and Jenny, and our greatest hope is that your child will have all kinds of people who belong to him or her - you and your family, the two of us and our family, friends of a wide diversity and hopefully siblings too. We look forward to finding all out all th ...
View Family
Kate & Mitch Add to Favorites
Our relationship started just like the beginning of many cheesy movies---as opposing attorneys in the courthouse!
After we met, Mitch had to figure out how to ask Kate for a date in front of judges and colleagues during the early morning court call. He finally got up the nerve in 2003 and we were married in 2005.
We love each other very much and are committed to raising our child in a ho ...
View Family
Amber & Jeremy Add to Favorites
What do you get when you mix a city boy (Jeremy) with a country farm girl (Amber)? A pretty interesting marriage filled with dinners of mashed potatoes and sushi. Seriously, we both come from radically different backgrounds, which we think is a great strength. It allows us to see things from many different perspectives – and it makes us open to the fact that there are many ways to lead a h ...
View Family
Katie & Matt Add to Favorites
Hi. We’re Katie & Matt. We are both passionate and mission-driven people, devoted to our families, work, faith and social justice. We have been blessed to be able to impact kids’ lives as aunts, uncles, teachers and social workers, God-parents, coaches and mentors. We now have a strong calling to share our life and love with children as parents and are ecstatic to do so through the ...
View Family
Chad & Jeff Add to Favorites
Thank God for the Internet!
As we all know, finding your partner in life is not the easiest goal to achieve. We were both at the place in our lives where we were ready and open to finding love and settling down. We decided to give online dating a whirl and see if it could work! Not too long afterward, Chad’s online profile caught Jeff’s eye. That day, coincid ...
View Family
Dan & Amy Add to Favorites
“Life is short - break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that made you smile!"
Hi, we are Dan, Amy, Caden, and Alexa, and we are excited to share our story and our life with you. We have been blessed with two children through open adoptions with the Cradle and are returning to complete our ...
View Family
Jodi & Reid Add to Favorites
Dogs, Christmas and travel -- these are a few of the things we love. We are Jodi, Reid and Phineas, and we’re excited about open adoption. We live in a great neighborhood with lots of kids, great schools and big parks. Our story starts in 2001, but believe it or not we almost never met... ...
View Family
Jen & Robert Add to Favorites
We met in 2002 and have been together ever since. One of the reasons we’re so close is that we have so much in common: We both love to cook and travel. We both like movies, but can’t handle overly scary or overly sad movies. One of the most important things we have in common is that we love kids. Long kids, short kids, big kids, small. We love kids at every age--even wh ...
View Family
Holly & Brian Add to Favorites
“In bringing up children, spend half as much money and twice as much time.” This quote by an unknown author truly represents what we believe as parents. We cherish every moment with our son Jaxon! We adopted Jaxon through The Cradle in November of 2007. Giving him the gift of a sibling and completing our family with a second child is something we have ...
View Family
Nicole & Jim Add to Favorites
It all started when a city boy, who had no need for a car, fell in love with a girl who was geographically undesirable - a girl from the suburbs. Three weeks after our first date, Jim bought a car, and we have been inseparable since! Hi! We are Jim and Nicole, and we want to thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about us.
...
View Family
Steve & Scott Add to Favorites
Hi, we're Steve and Scott. One of us is adopted and one of us works in a high school, one of us was a professional actor and one of us dances flamenco, but both of us are excited about becoming parents! We are committed to the concept of open adoption and hope to include you and your child in our large and loving family.
...
View Family
Dennis & Teke Add to Favorites
We want to thank you very much for taking the time to get to know our family through this letter. We know you are considering your and your baby’s future, and we would like to share with you some things about our family as you make this very important decision. We know that by reading this letter, you are at least considering the possibility of making an adoption plan. We esp ...
View Family
Sarah & Jonathan Add to Favorites
Hi! We are Jonathan and Sarah. How many couples do you know who met when they were just toddlers? We did! We haven’t been dating for that whole time, but sometimes it feels close! We officially met in 1995, when we were both in art class at our high school in Central Illinois. Jonathan gave Sarah some pointers on her painting, and she had to admit that he knew w ...
View Family
Rosalba & Greg Add to Favorites
We are Rosalba, Greg and little Alexia and we are honored that you have chosen to read about us as you plan for your baby’s future. Hopefully this letter will give you an idea about who we are and how strong our desire is to add another child to our family. We would love to learn more about you and your hopes and dreams for your child. ...
View Family
Laura & Matt Add to Favorites
Paper or Plastic? Walk or take the bus? Even decisions that don’t matter can sometimes be difficult. Which must make the process you’re going through now incredibly hard. Here’s the good news: the families you are looking at are all loving people who are eager to open their homes and hearts to your child, if you choose to make an adoption plan. In some ways, ...
View Family
Joy & Jeremy Add to Favorites
Jeremy . . . Joy . . . Edith
We'd like to thank you for taking the time to look at our profile and to learn more about us! We know that you’re facing many crucial decisions right now and we appreciate the consideration you’re giving to the adoption process in general and to us in particular. While it is difficult to squish our lives into this short profile, we hope that we str ...
View Family
Tonya & Michael Add to Favorites
Proverbs 22:6~Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
We won’t pretend that this is easy and that there isn’t a little nervousness. In reality, we hope that you like us as much as you hope that we like you. … ...
View Family
Edde & Lorrie Add to Favorites
Hi! We are Edde and Lorrie and we thank you for taking the time to read our story. Choosing the family for your child is very important. Our family and a loving community of friends are excited to support and share with you in the life-long adventure of raising your child. ...
View Family
Jean & Tim Add to Favorites
Difficult times mean difficult decisions and those decisions can bring great peace. Thank you for choosing our letter, we are Tim and Jean and are excited that you may be considering us. Family means a great deal to us and we are open to having one by any means. We don’t know what type of relationship you are hoping for but we look forward to developing an open relation ...
View Family
Marypat & George Add to Favorites
Hi! We’re Marypat, George, and Shea and want to thank you for taking the time to read our story and get to know us. Our dream is to add to our family the way we started our family, through adoption. We understand that this is a challenging time for you with many important decisions to make for both you and your child’s futures. We respect and admire your courage in considering adop ...
View Family
Angie & Dan Add to Favorites
HI! Welcome to our family! We are Dan, Angie, Trevor, and Mitch. It is exciting time for us as we look to expand our family once again through the adoption of an African American baby or twins! Having more smiling faces in our family picture will be another dream come true. We are grateful to have the opportunity share our lives with a new member of our family, and his or her birth fam ...
View Family
Adrienne & Dan Add to Favorites
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference
--Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken
...
View Family
CONNECT WITH THE CRADLE
800-272-3534
Call our 24-hour toll-free number
Or text us at 224-489-1369
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Email a counselor
Join The Cradle Forum
