John and Karla

For moreinformation, contact Laura at Phone: 608-787-7541 or
email: Laura.Conley@lsswis.org

John and Karla

Family Information

Family Favorites

Adoption Preferences 

Dear BirthParent Letter

 For moreinformation, contact Laura at Phone: 608-787-7541 or
email: Laura.Conley@lsswis.org

Family Information

Full Names: John Richard and Karla Rae

Number of Years Married: 15

Number of Children age(s): Cameron 8yrs old and Rylan 5yrs old – both adopted

Religion: Catholic

Child Care Plans: Karla will take a 12 week maternity leave, and then slowly start back to work.  John has every Friday Off.  When childcare is needed, we will use the same in home family daycare we used when our oldest was a baby – who happens to be a cousin of Karla’s

Pets and Names: Lucy – our dog which is a Chinese Pug

Ethnicity: John, Karla and Cameron are Caucasian; Rylan is Hispanic

City Type: Rural

Years lived here: 6

Community/Neighborhood: Our house is on 35 acres of land in the country; Lots of room for the kids to run and play.  We’re just a short 10minute drive to the city though.  We have many neighbors in the area that we live with young children.  John’s parents are just a couple miles away from us.

Holidays: We have very traditional holidays, shared with our immediate and extended families.  Our Christmas celebrations are smaller with us going to Karla’s parents on Christmas Eve and John’s parent sChristmas Day.  However, we celebrate Thanksgiving at our house and Easter at John’s sisters house.  Everyone is invited!  We end up with about 30 people and wouldn’t have it any other way. The extensions of our family really enjoy visiting each other.

Vacations: We take one big family vacation every year and have so much fun choosing the spot!  So far we have a done a different State every year!  We keep a map on our wall to pin all the places we’ve gone. We usually do a few weekend get-a-ways in between as well.  Our kids love staying at hotels and playing in the pools!

Family Gatherings: Since we live within 20 minutes of our parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, we see each other often!  We are a close family who enjoy being together.  It’s rare to go a week without seeing each other!

For more information, contact Laura at Phone:608-787-7541 or
email: Laura.Conley@lsswis.org 

For more information, contact Laura at Phone:608-787-7541 or
email: Laura.Conley@lsswis.org

 Adoption Preferences

Ethnicity: Open to any child

Ongoing contact - OpenAdoption:Open to all forms of contact; Open to all forms of contact / Letter and Photos / In-Person Visits

We are Open toDiscussing: Alcohol use prior to knowledge of pregnancy, Drug use prior to knowledge of pregnancy, Drug use during pregnancy, Alcohol use during pregnancy, Clinical depression in birthparents, Mental health issues in birthparents, developmental disabilities in birthparents, Conceived through forced intercourse, Conceived through incest, Limited or no information about birthfather, Assist birthparents with expenses (as allowed by WI state law)

Location of Birthparents:We are open to a birthparent in Wisconsin and other states.  To learn about all the states we are open to, contact Laura at Phone:608-787-7541 or email: Laura.Conley@lsswis.org 

Dear BirthParent,

Our names are John and Karla, and together with our boys, we are excited to start this journey again! Our hope is that this letter will give you a better look inside our lives. We truly wish you the best of luck with the rest of your journey, and hope you can find comfort in knowing that any family you chose, will welcome you and your child with open arms.

John and I have been married nearly 16 years. Looking back on our accomplishments, I can’t express how proud we are of the life and family we’ve built. Right after we got married, we tried to start a family. Years later, after various tests and procedures, we were left with no answers,empty arms, and very sad hearts. Becoming parents through adoption was never ahard decision; in fact, it was something that we had always thought we might do. So in 2002 we pursued domestic adoption with LSS. It wasn’t long before our son Cameron was born In April 2003. It was the most amazing experience! We knew we would be doing this again. In 2005 we contacted LSS to have our home study updated and decided to enter the International Adoption Program. We were going to adopt a waiting child from Guatemala. Rylan was referred to us at just 2 ½ months old. The process to bringing home was to be along one due to inter-country law changes. So 18 months later, when he was 20 months old, he finally came home. It was March 2008.

Our beautiful boys are now 8 years and 5 years old. They understand adoption and their birth history and are so excited for a baby! Cameron is a great big brother already, always protective of Rylan. He loves trains, semi’s, tractors, lego’s, and anything to do with history! His favorite shows are; Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars, American Pickers, and How’d They Do that. Rylan is full of personality and keeps Cameron on his toes! He is in preschool this year and loves it. His favorites are Spiderman, monster trucks,and pirates. He also has some smooth dance moves! He loves music.

John and I have lived and worked in the same area all our lives, and are very close to our parents and siblings. We live in a newer home we built in the country about 6yrs ago on land that has been in John’s family for generations. We’re deeply rooted in our community and school. Living in the country (with a short ride 10 min ride to the city) has offered our kids so many opportunities! We love the outdoors. As a family we enjoy boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, camping, and 4-wheeling. We also enjoy staying at my parent’s cabin, going to the movies, Cub Scout activities, and most especially traveling. I do believe I’m the only one in my family that likes shopping though!

As busy as life can be, we certainly have been known to simplify it and just relax at home…. Our favorite days have been spent watching cartoons or movies, reading books, relaxing, and playing with the dog. Did I mention that we are all animal lovers? If there is something to be rescued, we’re saving it!

I know that it’s hard to get to know someone in one short letter, but I hope this gave you a sneak peak into our home? Feel free to request our portfolio to read and see more about us! We would surely be open to answering any questions you may have.

All the best to you, John and Karla

 For more information, contact Laura at Phone: 608-787-7541 or
email: Laura.Conley@lsswis.org