When adopting domestically, a profile book is often the most important part of being considered by the birthmother. Your profile book should completely show who you are and why you want to be parents.

1) Be genuine: This book not only shows who you are as a family, but also what life will be like for your future child. Be sure it effectively represents you, your spouse, extended family, neighborhood, family traditions, and anything else you feel makes your family special. Tell the truth and be open and honest. There will be birth parents who think you are exceptional.

2) Pictures: One of the best pieces of advice we can give is to show more than tell. Which sounds better: a list detailing your love of animals or a picture of your massive Great Dane sitting on your lap with the caption “Tiny loves to cuddle”? Of course, you chose the second option. Be sure to choose pictures that are fantastic (consider lighting, color, focus, posed versus candid, etc.) and create captions that are equally awesome.  Include pictures of your family, your hometown, Christmas dinner, your church, your hiking trip, your garden and anything else that makes you uniquely you.  Incorporate pictures of you with the children in your extended family to show the birthparents what you will be like with a child. The pictures should show that although your life is full and rewarding, you still have room for a beautiful child.

3) Easy to read: Many people can get lost in the sea of fonts available. When choosing a font, it is important not only to consider which one matches your and your spouse’s personality, but also what will be easy to read. Birth parents will see dozens of these books. So if you have a difficult to read font, your book could easily be passed over.

4) Be personal, yet humorous: You want to give the birth parents a sense of who you are and what life will be like for their child. Don’t keep everything too serious. Inject some humor into your book, but in moderation. Include awesome stories about your home, your family, your favorite vacations, etc. Be sure to include pictures to go along with all of your awesome stories. Truly tell your story.

5) Be creative: For those who are not creatively inclined, you can use different websites to help you create and print your profile book. One of our favorites is Shutterfly.com. You could also consider making a website version of your profile book.

We hope these tips will help you create your perfect profile book. If you have any questions, contact Debbie or Jody at 662-842-6752.