Hello,
We are Kevin and Ken – a loving and compassionate couple living in Stouffville, Ontario. We thank you for taking the time to read our profile and for considering us as adoptive parents for your child.
About Us and Our Home
We have been together for 13 years. We began dating in 2006 and started living together a year later. Over the following years we rented apartments in various areas of the city so that we could explore different neighbourhoods before purchasing our first home in the north end of Toronto. We lived there for 7 years before recently deciding to move out of the city in hopes of starting a family in a larger home with a backyard. We decided on Stouffville for that bit of country feeling, but still close to the city, having the best of both worlds. We live on a quiet street located in a vibrant, child-friendly neighbourhood. We live near parks with splash pads, walking trails, schools, a community centre and a public library. We enjoy decorating our home for both Christmas and Halloween. We heard from multiple families that our previous home became a must see on Halloween night! We had hundreds of kids stop by to see our decorations and get candy of course! We enjoy dressing up and providing a great experience for families. We look forward to creating special memories like this in our new home. We have a Boston Terrier, named Lola. She loves to cuddle up next to everyone, give lots of kisses and is very child friendly. We have wanted to start a family for a long time and are proud of the home that we have created, one that is filled with lots of love, laughter and support.
Education is important to us both personally and professionally and we hope to be able to instill a love of learning for a child who comes into our lives.
Kevin works in university administration and obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ryerson University and his Masters of Leadership from the University of Guelph. He recently completed his certificate in Human Resources Management from Ryerson University. His entire career has been focused within customer service and he takes great pride in helping and being of service to others. He volunteers with Kids Help Phone as a Crisis Responder with their new texting service.
Ken is a high school teacher with specialists in both Guidance and Special Education. He completed his undergraduate degree from McMaster University in Hamilton and his teaching degree at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. He has taught in many high schools throughout Toronto in an effort to understand how to better reach all types of learners. He has learned that creating relationships and providing access to opportunities for all students is of utmost importance.
About Kevin, by Ken
On our first date, twelve years ago, Kevin displayed to me his sense of character and compassion through a simple, yet very telling gesture. Without even thinking, he leapt to his feet to assist an elderly man open a door. What I came to learn, as our relationship progressed, was that this is exactly how Kevin lives his life. Without question, he always does the “right thing” and approaches everyone with a high degree of integrity, care and kindness. Also, important to Kevin is his attachment to family. It is his strong sense of loyalty and love that lights the way for his strong connection to his nieces and nephews. Our relationship is strong and devoted, two things which are easy to obtain with Kevin by your side. Together we laugh our way through life. Humour is integral to everything Kevin experiences. His boldness and drive has served his professional and academic achievements well. In his work, he oversees a large department and always treats his employees with sensitivity and concern for their well-being. It is not uncommon for Kevin to encourage his workers to take a day off for themselves – something that is rare in today’s workplace. It is also his sense of global citizenship and connection to community that he will instill in our child. I know Kevin will make an amazing daddy.
About Ken, by Kevin
Ken is one of the most caring and patient individuals I have met. He has an extremely kind heart and can always make me laugh. Ken grew up in Burlington, Ontario. One of five siblings, he has always been super close to his brothers and sisters and to this day, still makes family time a priority. In addition to our time at the family cottage every year, he tries to get away with his dad and siblings for additional time. While away he enjoys time in nature and fishing. Ken is a very talented photographer and when I met him, he loved going to indie rock music shows and photograph artists in their natural habitat. He generously gave the photos to the artists to help them promote their careers. Early on in our relationship Ken shared with me that he had a desire to become a secondary school teacher. I encouraged him to pursue his dream and I have admired his unwavering love of supporting underserved youth. He has sought out opportunities to work with students experiencing a wide array of challenges to ensure their social, emotional and academic well-being. His passion for teaching and mentoring is also seen every summer when Ken volunteers his time at a leadership camp for students in grades seven and eight. Our relationship has been loving and stable and I have taken great comfort in having someone as loving and supportive as Ken in my life. I know that Ken will make an amazing dad!
Our Families
We are lucky to be a part of a large extended family. Ken is one of five siblings and Kevin has one older brother. Between us, we have two nieces and four nephews. Family means a great deal to us both and we have always been closely connected. We love spending time together whether it is for birthdays, holidays or gathering for no reason at all! When we cannot see each other in person we use Facetime to stay connected between visits. We know that when we start a family we will be fortunate to count on our extended family for support, love and guidance.
Our Interests
Cottage/Outdoors – We like to escape to the family cottage in Northern Ontario. When we cannot get up north, we both enjoy long walks.
Photography – Ken has always had an interest in photography and recently purchased a camera for Kevin so that he could begin to explore this hobby too!
Fitness – For the last five years we have participated in the Sporting Life 10k. We strive to beat our previous race time as well as raise funds for Camp Ooch, a camp for kids who are living with and impacted by childhood cancer. Last year, we raised $3,500, enough to send a child to camp for two weeks.
Blue Jays – We enjoy going to baseball games at the Rogers Centre and cheer on our home team!
Cinema / Theatre / Musicals – We both enjoy movies, whether it is going to the cinema, or catching a film during the Toronto International Film Festival. We also enjoy going to live theatre, and Kevin has been taking a yearly trip to New York to see plays and musicals on Broadway.
Reading – We both have a love of reading. Our interests vary between fiction and non-fiction.
Puzzles – We enjoy spending our free time with a puzzle and a glass of wine. We also enjoy gathering up the family and going to Escape Room games.
Thank You
We sincerely thank you for taking the time to read our profile and for considering us to be the adoptive parents of your child. We are strong believers in open adoption and we look forward to speaking to you about what that means for you. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have of us.
Thank you,
Kevin & Ken
