Please contact us at luckiestparents@hotmail.com or through our Adoption Practioner, Joanne Conlin at pconlin@conlinlaw.com, 613-737-4140.

It is impossible for us to express our feelings towards birthparents that consider adoption plans for their children. How could we possibly thank someone for providing us with an opportunity to obtain a life that we cannot create on our own? What could we say to someone who could give us the chance to complete our family; to give our parents another grandchild and our siblings another niece or nephew? How can we express our gratitude towards someone, who can change our lives indefinitely, whose selfless decision may literally recreate our family and future? If words are possibly enough, we undoubtedly say…thank you.

Hi…we are Michael, Shawna and Emma, an active and energetic family that is excited and humbled at the possibility of having a new addition to our lives. All three of us are ready to embrace your child and eagerly await the arrival of this special and precious new miracle into our hearts.

We are truly blessed with the adoption of our daughter Emma, with a great marriage, loving families, terrific friends, and successful careers. As parents, our home and family life provides the loving environment that will enable your child to be happy and your child to reach their full potential. We have daily contact with our families and know that your child will be greatly loved and nurtured by grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. And we know above all else that we have unconditional love.

Our Beginning
We met almost nine years ago at a local restaurant during the summer when Michael was home visiting family and friends after his second season as a professional hockey player. We now treasure the seven years we have been married.

As we got to know each other there was an instant connection, we were “one of a kind.” Both of us had the same morals and values, were athletic, outgoing, and had similar goals. We both love children, animals, traveling, have similar family backgrounds, and are dedicated to self-improvement.

We celebrated a beautiful wedding with many friends and family. As a newly married couple we enjoyed traveling with Michael’s career, meeting new people, game nights and summers at our cottage

Before Michael retired from hockey we would spend our winters in the United States and our summers outside of the city at our house on the water. Summers were about relaxing, gardening, swimming, boating and most of all spending time with our family and friends. Our winters are now consumed with snowmobiling, toboggan rides, snow-tubing and traditional snowball fights.

Above all else, we love spending time together. We are a team, we are the best of friends.

Meet Emma
Emma Paige came into our lives April 18th, 2004 thanks to an amazing experience: adoption. Emma has been the smile on our faces ever since.  Emma is an active and extremely happy toddler. She melts people’s hearts with her big brown eyes and her smile. She is outgoing, curious, adventurous and never ceases to amaze us with her determination and independence. 

Emma loves to play on our jungle gym, cook us food in her kitchen, wrestle around with her dad, read books with mom and play with her babies. We have not taken anything for granted with her and have cherished every moment, milestone and event with her. We can’t imagine our lives without her and are so thankful everyday for the healthy start her birthparents gave her. 

Meet Shawna
I am 33 years old and feel like the luckiest person in the world. I am the second of three children and the only daughter.  After finishing school, I followed one of my dreams and began teaching at the high school in our town. It’s a great career as I was always helping students to realize their potential and follow their goals.

When we were blessed with our daughter Emma, I couldn’t pack up my classroom quick enough. I always knew that there was going to be no job better suited for me than a stay-at-home mom. I can’t imagine not watching our children grow. 

I was lucky growing up having my mother at home with my brothers and me, and my father always being there to offer support and guidance. I am extremely close with my family and have daily contact with my parents and both my brothers. We are fortunate that my parents live close enough to allow us to have dinner a few times a week. 

Today, my interests include spending time with Michael and Emma, sports, reading, traveling, music, and I have to admit shopping. I also enjoy decorating and doing home projects. My favorite evenings are spent staying at home with my family and friends having dinner, playing board games or watching movies. I look forward to the day Emma can help us teach your son/daughter to toboggan, swim, build sand castles and sit around roasting marshmallows with our friends and their children.

Meet Michael
I am 34 years old and the father to “daddy’s girl” Emma. I grew up in the suburbs with my parents and brother. After being a foster brother to over 150 children, my parents adopted another son, my younger brother. Our family would not have been complete without him or the foster children that came into our house.

After completing two years at university I was given the chance of a life time. All the years of dreaming about being a professional hockey player were about to come true. Playing hockey as a career was more then a dream.  After my second season, Shawna joined me. During the next six years my team was triumphant at winning the cup.  The only thing that tops that is waking up every morning and going to bed every night seeing a child. I can’t wait to have the privilege of another child to play with and to watch play.

Upon retiring from hockey, many opportunities opened up and I was able to follow a new passion; policing. 

I love my job and especially the amount of time it allows me to have with my family. I can’t imagine not being an integral part of raising our children. I love being able to take Emma to play groups, swimming lessons and the park. I try to convince Shawna to go back to work and that I will be “Mr. Mom”.

Home Sweet Home
We live in a town outside of a big city surrounded by trees, lakes and parkland. There are many young families with lots of kids to play with. Our property is large with a lake in our own backyard.

This allows us space to play, snowmobile, swim, boat and have campfires. Dinner cruises on the boat is always a favorite. In fact, it is not unusual for our friends to call and ask if they can use fun time at our house as bribery to get their children to do something.

Our house has four bedrooms. With only three being used, we anxiously await decorating the fourth.

Our Thoughts on Parenting
Our family is our first priority and family values are vital to both of us. We believe that our lives will be immeasurably enriched when we are given the opportunity to complete our family.

We believe that parents should provide security and encouragement to their children. Rather than demanding children to fit a mold, we think that their own individual personality and talents should be able to shine through. This combined with unconditional love should allow a child to become all that he or she can be. We, as parents, also need to prepare your child for the difficulties of succeeding in the real world.  As role models, we will teach the importance of respect, trust, compassion and diversity. We want to be consistent parents and teach your child responsibility. We will give your child the freedom and allow him/her to learn from their mistakes, but will provide guidance and support in all their decisions. We will encourage your child to reach their full potential in all aspects of life.

We will use our parents as role models and hope your child wants to do the same.

We have almost everything we could possibly want or need except for another daughter or son to complete our family and to give Emma a sister or brother to love and play with. We can hardly wait to experience parenthood again.

Hugs and prayers,
Shawna and Michael (Emma too)