H I , I ’ M L AU R E N
Funny Phin
With Emerson, my gift from
his amazing birth mother
Sweet Abby
My Supportive Family
A N OT E F ROM LAURE N
The decision you are contemplating is
probably one of the biggest you will ever
make, and you’ve most likely done a lot of
soul-searching to be considering an
adoption plan. I am moved by your
strength and the immense love you
already have for your child.
I can only imagine the daunting task of
selecting a potential adoptive family and
that your greatest concern is to ensure
that your child will receive an incredible
amount of love and a bright future. As an
adoptive parent, I promise your child will
be nurtured, cherished, deeply valued and
raised to be a strong, kind-hearted person
who will receive every opportunity
available. He or she will receive a lifetime
of unconditional love that will begin with
your loving choice.
3 T H IN G S I R E AL LY WA NT YOU TO K NOW
I S E E M Y FAM I LY E VE RY DAY
My family’s unconditional love and support are the reasons that I
have been able to journey out in the world with confidence. They
raised me to believe in myself and know that I can do anything I
put my mind to. I lived in California and New York City after
graduating college, and I relocated to Georgia to be near family
when I decided to start a family. My parents live right across the
street, and my sister and her fiancé just moved here from New
York to be near family. Now I don’t have to journey far to see my
family and can walk right over. Your child won’t just be getting
Emerson and me as a family, he/she will have an extended
family that he/she will be with almost every day.
WORK FROM HOME FLEXIBILITY
I work as a marketing manager from my home office which will enable
me to spend lots of time with your child. My role is very flexible, and
I’m able to work the hours that I need to when it works for me,
which means I can spend more time with your child. With a super
short commute from the bedroom to the office, I’ll have more time to
spend with your child every day.
When a massive snow storm hit Georgia this year, my mom picked up
Emerson from school while I finished a few things at work. We took
advantage of the rare snow in the South and played outside. Having
grandparents to gladly help when needed will mean your child is
always in good hands.
FA MI LY FO R ME D BY
A D OP T IO N
My first choice to create my family is through adoption.
Although Emerson is still too young to understand his
adoption, we talk about it regularly, reading his life book and
talking about his family. I was able to spend a few days with
Emerson’s birth mother in the hospital and stay in touch with
his birth family through Facebook and text. Here he is with his
birth mother being showered with kisses in the hospital shortly
after his birth. Your child will have a sibling who was also
adopted, and they can share that experience with each
other.
MY VALUES
I grew up in a small town in the
South with my close-knit family. My
parents placed a big focus on
education, being well-mannered
and being nice to others. They
also made sure I was exposed to
many different activities that
interested me. I participated in
sports, piano lessons, art classes
and baton, as seen in the picture to
the left. When I was 5, my mom
would practice my baton routine for
hours with me so I was ready for my
recital. I watch the home video of
my routine and remember that time
with my mom.
In high school, I found my passion playing
tennis, and my parents were by my side
through good moments and bad. In my
senior year of high school, I played in the
state singles finals. My parents nervously
watched from the sidelines during the match
knowing how hard I had worked. In the
picture above, my parents are celebrating
with me after winning the singles state title.
It’s a moment I’ll never forget. I will support
your child in the activities they find
passion in pursuing.
Growing up, my family vacationed every year at the
beach in Alabama. We would always eat at a local
restaurant, Sea-N-Suds, and get a t-shirt as a souvenir.
I’ve started taking Emerson on vacation there and this
was his first trip to Sea-N-Suds. He scarfed down the
food and got his first Sea-N-Suds shirt to mark the
occasion.
As a child, my church was like an extended family that supported and loved me. As I high school senior, I participated in a
spiritual weekend event for teens called Happening that was about 2 hours from my hometown. The weekend ended with a
worship service that I led as the student “rector” for the weekend. Many members of my church family from my hometown
traveled the 2 hours to be there to support me. I remember seeing their smiling faces as I was at the front of the church,
and it made me feel so special and loved. I know I could call many of them even now, and they would drop everything to be
there for me. As an adult, I have volunteered with the youth group in my church. Pictured above is the youth group
enjoying a baseball game. Your child will have a church family that loves and supports him/her.
S U R RO U N D E D B Y A D O P T I O N
CELEBRATING ADOPTION
Each year I honor the day that Emerson’s birth mom
placed him with me by celebrating “Adoption Day.” We
celebrated last year by grilling out at my parents’ house
and enjoying cupcakes. Emerson was so excited for the
cupcake but since he was so little, he kept crumbling it
up in his hands before it would make it to his mouth. As
Emerson and your child get older, we will take the
day off from school and celebrate as a family with
activities that they like to do.
FAMILIES LIKE OURS
Your child will be surrounded by families that look
like ours. I am a part of a very supportive group of
women who are single mothers, and I have developed
friendships with other women that have created multiracial adoptive families. This winter we took the kids to
the children’s museum, and Emerson and his buddy
Kennedy had a blast “driving” the tractor, playing in the
sandboxes and watching the puppet show.
CONNECTION TO
E M E R S O N ’ S B I RT H FA M I LY
Emerson’s birth mother, Tammy, and I developed a bond
when Emerson was born. Tammy got pregnant
unexpectedly a few months after Emerson was born, and
she asked me to parent her second child. I was honored,
but unfortunately she miscarried the baby before
delivering. I’m in touch with Emerson’s birth family and
send them texts with pictures regularly. I look forward
to developing a relationship with you too so you
always know how your child is doing.
YOUR CHILD’S
AD OPTI ON STO RY
I created a life book for Emerson to help him better
understand his adoption story, and we read it at least
once a week. He will point to the pictures of his birth
family and call them by name. I will create a life book
for your child as well, updating it as he/she gets older.
Your child will know from a very young age about
his/her adoption story and how much you loved
him/her to create an adoption plan.
MY FAVORITE HOBBIES
AUB U RN FO OTB A L L
Generations of my family have attended Auburn University, and
I happily followed in those footsteps. When I was young
watching Auburn football games with my dad, he would patiently
explain the rules of the game and answer questions. We still
watch the game together every Saturday, and I explain the
game to Emerson.
Auburn fans have a storied tradition of rolling the oak trees that
line Toomer’s Corner on the edge of campus. I remember
rolling them after games as a child and then when I was a
student at Auburn. A few years ago, the trees were poisoned
and had to be removed. Days before the trees were scheduled
to be cut down, we took a trip to Auburn so Emerson could see
the trees that mean so much to the Auburn family. He won’t
remember the trip, but he will have the pictures to know he was
there. It truly does feels like a family in Auburn.
Your child will also grow up with the amazing traditions
that surround Auburn.
MUSIC AL THEATER
Musical theater is all around me. My dad acted in community
theater, and my sister has chosen it as her profession. My dad
was in the Music Man when I was little, and I would ask him to
sing me the song, “T is for Trouble” every night before bed. He
will still sing it for me when I ask him to.
My favorite show is Wicked, and I’ve seen it many times. I even
met one of my good friends, Stephanie (pictured to the left as
Elphaba, the “Wicked Witch”) after seeing her on Broadway. Her
first big song is “The Wizard and I” where she sings about
meeting the Wizard of Oz and being seen as someone of value
and not just the weird green girl. Stephanie sang with such
power and emotion that I was blown away. I’d never been so
touched by a performance as I was the first time seeing
Stephanie play Elphaba.
Your child to will get to see many shows, whether it’s the
community theater in town, a children’s production, or on
Broadway. The theater has enriched my life in so many ways,
and your child will experience the joy of live theater.
MY FAMILY IS MY SUPPORT SYSTEM
A LWAY S TOG E TH E R
With both of my parents right across the street and my sister and her fiancé in town, your child won’t just be getting Emerson
and me as a family, he/she will have an extended family who he/she sees almost every single day.
On vacation this spring, my dad Tom was so excited to
show Emerson how to fish - casting out the line and
slowly reeling it back in. They didn’t catch anything but
had fun just being together. Your child will have
grandparents who love to share their passions with
their grandchildren.
Your child will have an aunt and uncle who live within
minutes of him/her and are so hands on. My sister Paige
and her fiancé Dave just moved to Atlanta to be near us. At
Emerson’s birthday party this year, Uncle Dave sat next to
Emerson and patiently helped him eat his birthday cake.
MUSIC
My sister and her fiancé are musical theater performers,
so music is a big part of our life. They recorded a CD
of lullabies for Emerson and included a song about
Oklahoma since that’s where his birth family is.
They are already planning what songs to include in the
CD they will make for your child like “Sweet Dreams”
and “Smile”.
My sister has recorded a few other CDs, and when I’m
stressed it helps me to listen to her singing. One of my
favorite lines from a song she’s recorded is, “I'll give you
stars and the moon and a soul to guide you and a
promise I'll never go. I'll give you hope to bring out all
the life inside you and the strength that will help you
grow.” This line captures what I hope to give to your child.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
HIKING
We live near a huge lake and spend part of each
weekend there. When it’s too cold to get in the water, we
hike in the surrounding woods. My mom, Stephi, has a
special walking stick that she hides behind a tree at the
beginning of the path until we return the next time.
Emerson decided he needed his own walking stick, so my
mom got one just his size.
B ACKYARD FUN
I have a fenced in backyard which is great to have for your child
and the dogs to safely play. During the spring and summer, we
play outside in the evenings and on the weekend. My dad and
Emerson plant vegetables in the garden pots along the fence line,
and my mom and Emerson have elaborate bubble tools to play
bubbles. With my family in the neighborhood, they are regularly in
on the backyard fun. Emerson got a nozzle for the water hose
from the Easter bunny this year, and he loves to spray us and
listen to us squeal as we get wet.
L A K E AC T I V I T I E S
My parents got kayaks and a paddle board last year, and we
all get to use them and enjoy them. On the weekends, we head
to the lake for a few hours of fun. We take turns on the kayaks
and paddle boards while others play on the beach and in the
water. My sister was a swim instructor in school and has taught
Emerson to swim so he is safe. She will do the same for your
child. Your child will get to enjoy all the water activities that
come from living so close to a lake. Last month, Emerson
decided he wanted to ride on the kayaks with us. He’ll take
turns riding with us and has even fallen asleep for a nap on one
of the kayak rides.
FAMILY TRADITIONS
S P E C I A L B I RT H DAY S
On my birthday, my dad would make breakfast and
bring it to me in bed on a tray with a flower while
singing “Happy Birthday.” When I walked out into the
family room, the words Happy Birthday were hanging
from the staircase written on the computer paper that
used to be attached end to end. Your child will know
about their birth story and how much you love him/her.
EASTER EGG HUNT
Easter was always a special holiday with new Easter
dresses and an Easter egg hunt at church. I’m
happy to pass that tradition on to your child at our
church. The kids line up in age order so the little ones
can get to the eggs first. This year, a middle school
boy was helping Emerson find eggs by putting them
out in the grass for him to easily see.
PLAYING GAMES
I love to play games and cards. During holiday visits
when I was young, my extended family would gather
around a table to play Oh Heck. After each round, my
grandfather would tally up the scores. He would loudly
declare the person in last place to be the beetlebaum!
In the picture below, my mom, sister and I were
engaged in a competitive game of Spoons. We started
the game at a table and the cards ended up all over the
floor because we got so into the game.
BIG BREAKFAST
My dad makes the best big breakfast. Being from the
South, grits are an important part of the meal. He’ll
make the bacon in a cast iron skillet, and when my
grandmother walks by, she’ll try to sneak a piece of
bacon. She claims she doesn’t want any, but we’ll
catch her eating bacon while my dad cooks the rest of
the meal! He finishes off with scrambled eggs and hard
toast. What makes big breakfast fun is you mix the
grits, eggs and crumbled up bacon together with the
toast on the side. We all sit around the table and enjoy
big breakfast together.
FRO M M Y T WO - LE GG E D FRIE ND S
FR IE N D S WH O W E RE A D OP T ED
“Having been adopted myself, I was thrilled when Lauren told me she was planning
to adopt again. I'll be very involved in your child’s life, and will be able to share a
special bond with him/her and provide a perspective that others just cannot provide.
Lauren is very close to my five year old son, Trace. She has a very special way
with children, and they immediately feel very comfortable and safe with her. She is an avid Auburn Tigers fan, and some of his first words were "War Eagle Baby"
taught to him by Auntie Lauren. In the picture, Lauren and Trace are watching a
game together.” - Beth
PLAYFULNESS WITH CHILDREN
“Being a father of two girls, I’ve constantly spoken to Lauren about children. She has a
passion and love for children that was evident as I joyfully watched the interaction
between her and my girls. My oldest daughter Kyra (4 years old) wrote letters, drew
pictures and called Lauren to talk about the “gifts” she made for her. Kyra was drawn to
Lauren because of her tenderness and child-like playfulness that was exhibited towards
her. She made an impact on my daughter. I have experienced for myself Lauren’s
care and love towards my own children that I am certain that she will make an
excellent mother for any child.” - Floyd
MY FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS
A BB Y
Abby is my 12 year old shih tzu that I rescued when she
was 3. From the moment she came home, she’s been by
my side, following me around in the house and sleeping
in bed with me. She likes to sit in my lap while I’m
working on my computer, as you can see in the picture.
She’s incredibly mellow and will happily let anyone
hold her on her back, even the neighborhood boys.
PHIN
Phin is my 6 year old shih tzu, and I rescued him when he
was 18 months. His favorite thing to do is roll around on
his back, no matter where he is. It can be on the carpet or
floor, in the grass, on the driveway, or in the snow, like in
the picture. Phin is great with kids, and tags along
with Emerson because he knows he’ll give him food.
Your child will always have dogs in his/her life.
HOME SWEET HOME
MY HOME
I live in a suburb of Atlanta. It’s the best of both worlds with
small town friendliness and access to the activities and
amenities of a large city. I bought my home a few years ago
so I could start my family and be close to my parents. They live
across the street.
I have a room ready for your child that overlooks the fenced in
backyard and has a view of a horse farm across the street.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD
My neighborhood is a new development and most of my neighbors have moved in during
the last three years. The neighbors hold monthly lunches to celebrate birthdays and
people take turns hosting parties for different holidays. My parents and I hosted a get
together for St. Patrick’s Day. My dad went all out with his outfit wearing a kilt and top hat.
Our next door neighbors
are always out riding
their bikes and scooters.
One time, Emerson kept
trying to take one of the big
boy’s scooters. Instead of
getting mad, he decided to
just ride Emerson’s scooter
so Emerson could ride his.
Your child will have lots of
fun playing with them, and I
know the kids will look out
for him/her.
Each Halloween, our neighbors and kids all go trick or
treating together as a group. This year many of our
neighbors put together special treat bags with toys
and sippy cups for Emerson since he was too young
for candy.
L O O K I N G F O RWA R D
TA K I N G T H E J O U R N E Y
I am very open to welcoming a child of any race and
creating a multiracial family. I promise to raise
your child with a sense of pride in their race,
taking the journey with him/her as we learn
about what makes him/her special. I will provide
mentors and role models of the same race.
I will make it a priority for your child to be
surrounded by families that look like ours. My
friends have children of different races, both
biological and adopted. Your child will see and be
around other families like ours.
UNTIL WE MEET
I appreciate you taking the time to get to know me a little better,
and I hope I’ve provided you with some information you need to
make the best decision you can for your child.
If you would like, I’d be thrilled to have ongoing contact with you
before and after your child is born to hear about your life and so
you know how your chid is doing.
If you choose me to adopt your child, I promise he/she will
always know how much you love him/her. You will be forever
respected and will have a special place in our hearts.