CONTACTS:

You can contact us directly any time at:
Email: kasia_jamroz@msn.com

If you prefer, you can also contact our Social Worker, Margaret Russ at:
Phone (Toll free): 416-230-4721
Email: margaret@russults.com

Hi,

We are writing this letter because we want more than anything to become parents. We are a young couple committed to sharing our blessings with the one fortune that has eluded us, a child... as we have always pictured our life together with children.

Summing up our life and everything we have to offer you in a letter isn't easy. So we decided to ask a few of our friends to help us out. Here is what they had to say:

"These two make the best and most trusted babysitting team in Toronto!"
- Jon & Tanya

"Our children spent the best summer at Kasia and Chris' weekend home on Georgian Bay. Thank you!!!"
- Mike & Raff

"As an expectant mother myself, I am excited to have Uncle Chris and Auntie Kasia be part of my child's life."
Raluca & Theo

And we're excited, too. Ever since we got married 8 years ago, we've dreamed of starting a family. Now thanks to adoption, we're hoping to turn that dream into a reality. We hope that our letter will speak to you in some small way and that you'll be part of that dream, too.

About Us

My name is Kasia. I was born and grew up in Poland. Although I was an only child, my parents always made sure I had lots of things on the go so I was never bored or lonely. Growing up, I loved to keep active -- I still do! -- with skating, skiing and playing basketball and volleyball.

Like me, Chris was born in Poland. But he grew up and went to school in England. He competed in skiing and windsurfing competitions throughout Europe and was named class president. After graduating from business school, he moved to Canada and worked for a while in banking. Today, he is the president of a large Canadian company. Chris may be a big shot at work but at home it's obvious who's the boss! Me! I like to remind him that even though he may oversee thousands of people at the office, I'm the one who has to tell him where to find a pair of socks! To his credit, he tries his best to keep me happy by doing chores around the house. And even though he's not a big fan of gardening -- one of my passions! -- he's always been good about picking up one (or ten) loads of top soil for my beloved tulips and daffodils.

Kasia came to Canada eight years ago after I met her in Poland while visiting my beloved grandma. I had just set up a charity in Poland and Kasia applied for a volunteer position there. The next thing I knew Kasia flew back to meet me in Canada and the rest, as they say, is history.

For the first 100 days after we met, we were inseparable. Then, one day, Chris got down on one knee and proposed to me at my favourite restaurant. With an offer like that, how could I refuse? Today, almost a decade later, Chris is still as romantic as ever: He celebrates the 11th day of every month by bringing me a bouquet of red roses, the very same arrangement he showed up with at our first date on January 11th, eight years ago.

We have so much to be thankful for: a solid marriage, a supportive family, close friends, rewarding careers and a beautiful home in Toronto. And let's not forget our cute, child-loving Yorkie named Molly. We love the life we've created for ourselves and look forward to sharing it with a child. Once we become parents, I plan to become a stay-at-home mom and Chris will be a hands-on dad. We can't wait for that day to come, and neither can Molly.

About Kasia (by Chris)

What can I say about Kasia? It's hard to know where to begin. She's smart, she's funny and she's beautiful. But don't take my word for it - not only has she worked as a model; she was a finalist at the Miss Poland pageant! But as lovely as she is on the outside, it was Kasia's inner beauty that first caught my attention.

From the time I met her, I knew there was something special about her. Kasia knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. She always says what's on her mind and doesn't beat around the bush. The great thing about that is you always know where you stand with her. And yet she forgives easily and has a good heart. In her spare time, she devotes herself to helping others through her charity work with the United Way and non-profit organizations like the Royal Ontario Museum.

Kasia grew up in a warm and loving home. Her parents still live in Poland and both have recently retired. They are very young - only 60 and they're full of energy and an inspiration to anyone half their age. Kasia speaks to them by phone a few times a week. As soon as they get word about our adoption, I know they'll hop on the first plane to Canada.

From her parents Kasia learned the importance of focusing on the things that really matter in life -- our home, family and friends. Kasia completed a diploma in Human Resource Management and got a degree in Psychology and child education. Kasia works in finance at an office in downtown Toronto. Although she could have settled on any number of careers, she chose one that wouldn't interfere with her priorities at home. She makes sure that we eat together and talk openly about our day -- the ups and the downs. She's my rock -- the person who keeps me grounded and has taught me the difference between a house and a home.

Kasia loves to cook. She comes from a traditional Polish family - her parents paid a lot of attention to cultural observances so our home particularly around the holidays, is filled with the delicious smell of freshly baked bread, blueberry-stuffed perogies, cabbage rolls and schnitzels. At the same time, I can never stop being amazed at Kasia's passion to learn world cuisines and incorporating them into our home menu. Kasia's succulent butter chicken, Italy-inspired buffalo mozzarella and tomato salads and mouth-watering home-marinated barbecued steaks are my favourites.

Perhaps because she was an only child, Kasia tends to look out for her friends or her extended family as she calls them. Despite the distance between them, Kasia is still very close to many of her childhood friends back in Poland. When she heard that one of them had a rare and deadly form of multiple sclerosis, she organized a charity fashion show and went to Europe to raise funds for her friend's medical treatment. It was typical Kasia -- always supporting those around her with an open heart, dedication, loyalty and passion. These are the values which we will encourage in our child - kindness, honesty, generosity, being open minded, and to have compassion for others. Open communication will be a given on our home, and our child will be encouraged to approach either of us to talk. Kasia and I are very affectionate people, as are each of our families, and we will shower our child with love and affection.

About Chris (by Kasia)

Chris is a go-getter and a teddy bear. It sounds like an odd combination, I know, but it describes him to a "T". Chris isn't the type of person who sits around and waits for things to happen. In everything he does, he rolls up his sleeves and keeps going until the job is done.

Chris works hard at his job. He also believes strongly in giving back to the community. Growing up, he realized that children in Eastern Europe didn't have as many opportunities to excel as kids in the West. So when he was 25, he created a charity to help them get a better education in the Western hemisphere. Today, Chris continues his charitable work with a number of groups including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the Junior Achievements programs, and as a "Big Brother".

I am so proud of Chris and everything that he has accomplished in his life. What's even more remarkable is that he did it all on his own, through his own drive and initiative. When Chris was six, his father left for a teaching job in Canada and never came back. Chris was left to care for his mother and his younger brother, Tom. Chris and Tom are very emotionally connected and the bond they share with their Mom is extremely strong.

The experience would have been hard on anyone and, for Chris, it was the same. Although the absence of his father was a difficult experience, Chris has managed to turn it into a positive. Shy and introverted as a child, his mother's constant love and support, coupled with his inborn strength, determination and solid work ethic, helped him to compensate for his father's absence and allowed him to grow into the confident, ambitious and passionate person he is today.

Chris' Mom's approach to parenting was based on partnership, education and respect. Chris' mother was not a harsh disciplinarian, her saddened look of disappointment was the most effective method of correcting his behaviour. We both believe in the merits of partnership-and-respect based parenting. Despite both of his parents' successful academic careers, Chris never felt any pressure to follow in their footsteps. Growing up without a father not only made Chris a stronger person. It taught him about the importance of family. Over time, Chris rebuilt his relationship with his father and today they enjoy a strong relationship together. Both he and Tom live in Montreal, and are excited about our plans to grow our family through adoption. Chris and I believe that spending quality time as a family is important. Whether it be sports, music, arts, dancing, reading or whatever they may like, we will encourage and support our child towards their interests. Our home will be the one where friends will always be encouraged to come over, and we will also have quiet time as a family, just cuddling and reading stories.

Our Life Together

We live in the northern part of Toronto. Our home is situated in very close proximity to great parks filled with old trees, bike paths, and highly rated schools but, at the same time, the location offers all the big city amenities, ideal for an evening at the movies, a bike ride or a hike with Molly. During the day the neighbourhood is filled with the laughter of children playing outside in the nearby schoolyard.

A typical day for us starts about 6 a.m. when we take Molly out for a walk on one of the trails near our house. After our walk, we have breakfast and then we drive to work together. On the weekends, we usually head up north to our home on Georgian Bay near Wasaga Beach. In the summer, you can find us by the beach. In the winter, we ski.

For us, the weekend is our time -- a chance to relax and recharge. We turn off our cell phones and computers and spend the time with family and friends. We also babysit our friends' children - Kasia teaches them how to bake cookies and her specialty mini-pizzas, I specialize in outdoor activities in the park, on the trails and on the beach. I teach them how to swim and surf and Kasia is building sand castles. At night we sit around the fire pit roasting marshmallows, tell ghost stories and do karaoke. Up north, things have a way of slowing down. One of the things we love to do together is just sit back and enjoy the beauty of the forests and the nearby lake. For our vacation, we both take a month off every year. We vowed that as long as our grandmothers were alive we would always go to Poland to spend Christmas with them.

Our Thoughts about Parenting

Chris and I are more than ready to become adoptive parents. We already have lots of parenting experience through our babysitting assignments with our nephews and nieces and our friends' children. (Even if it is only part-time!). Whave a good understanding about what open adoption means through our conversations with other parents and my own studies in child psychology.

As parents, we plan to honour and respect your relationship to your child through open discussions, a life-book, and talking about you and your family. We believe it's important to discuss adoption with a child from an early age and we're comfortable with whatever level of openness you'd like to have, whether it be exchanging photos, phone calls, emails, or visits.

Our dream is to give your child all the opportunities the world has to offer so that they develop a strong identity and self-esteem. We realize that there will be challenges, but there are with any kind of parenting so we're ready to take them on.

As part of my studies, I worked with children from troubled homes. It taught me many lessons that I hope to apply to my own parenting experiences. Perhaps the most important one of all was the importance of making good choices and preparing a child for adult life. The same qualities that I relied on to help these children cope -- patience, understanding and compassion -- Chris and I plan to use in guiding your child.

Our Thoughts about Adoption

We feel that it is important for our child to understand about their birth family and about the love, hard thinking, and soul searching that went into making an adoption plan for their life. Adoption is something that we will talk openly and honestly about in our family.

Both Chris and I look forward to building a fully extended family for your child. We will always think of you as a valued member of our family, and we hope that you will feel the same way about us. Adoption for us is like getting married; two families coming together to create one big family forever. We believe in open adoption and we are a very open, flexible and welcoming couple, who want to partner with you to give your child the best life possible. We would love to be able to meet with you to understand the level of openness that feels right for you, and we would respect your opinions and decisions. If you are not interested in an open adoption now, we will make sure that you can reach out to us in the future should you change your mind.

So here it is - our life together in a nutshell - our hopes and dreams. We can't wait to hear about all of yours. At the end of your difficult decision, should you choose adoption, and should you choose us to be your child's adoptive parents, we want to reassure you that your child will always know of your love. You could rest assured that he/she will have two committed parents who will help him/her develop to their fullest potential.

Wishing you all the best,
Kasia and Chris