Hello! We have our final homestudy visit on Monday, then we begin our "workshop" for our letter. Our agency showed us a lot of birthmother letter examples, but only 1 shutterfly book. I was wondering what type of pages did you have in your profile book? What date range of pictures did you use (5 years, 2 years, 1 year, 6 months)? Did you take any "professional" pictures for the book? Any helpful advice for profile books? I am a very visual person, so I am trying to imagine examples (I have googled it too, which was helpful).
Also, did you have your adoption profile book ready at the same time as your letter? I'm guessing our letter will be ready to go by mid June or early July, but we will be traveling at the beginning of August. I wanted to add some of those photos, but I wasn't sure if waiting on the profile book was a good idea or not.
At the time our agency only had 2-page profile books. We had a dear expectant parent letter (more of a note), a quick summary about each of us (ages, jobs, hobbies), and captioned pictures showing us, our families, that sort of thing.
Our agency requested all pictures be 3 years old or younger. They made an exception for one of our wedding pictures because it showed DH's rather large extended family. Most agencies discourage professional pictures, and feel candids (or staged shots showing you doing what you like) are more representative of who you are.
I still have the list of requirements/suggested guidelines if you want me to send them to you.
We didn't do a letter separately from the profile book, so I can't speak to when to have each of them ready. You may want to ask your agency about timing.
Ours was planned to be much more elaborate but we ran out of time because of the situation. I intend to go back once school is over and complete all my fancy ideas!
me:33 my wife:32 married in June '12 LONG road through IF ending in heartbreak and frustration.
Re: Profile Book
At the time our agency only had 2-page profile books. We had a dear expectant parent letter (more of a note), a quick summary about each of us (ages, jobs, hobbies), and captioned pictures showing us, our families, that sort of thing.
Our agency requested all pictures be 3 years old or younger. They made an exception for one of our wedding pictures because it showed DH's rather large extended family. Most agencies discourage professional pictures, and feel candids (or staged shots showing you doing what you like) are more representative of who you are.
I still have the list of requirements/suggested guidelines if you want me to send them to you.
We didn't do a letter separately from the profile book, so I can't speak to when to have each of them ready. You may want to ask your agency about timing.
follow our journey
me:33 my wife:32 married in June '12
LONG road through IF ending in heartbreak and frustration.