Hello! We are Heleen & Tjaard from the Netherlands. Thank you for reading our profile. We can only imagine the difficult choices you are facing. Deciding what’s best for your baby’s future is the most loving and brave choice you can make. We hope by reading this profile you get to know us a little bit and you can see how much love your child will receive from us, our family and friends. Just know that you are welcome in our lives. We would love for you to stay in contact but we want you to be comfortable with the amount of contact so that’s up to you. Just know that we will always tell your child about you and the brave decision you made. The bond between you and us is unconditional!

After we started dating, we knew right away this was the real deal. So after 6 months Heleen moved in with Tjaard and got a new job in the area. In the summer we went on our vacation to the country Turkey. After we got back from a sing-a-long musical we sat outside on the balcony of our hotel room. There Tjaard asked Heleen under the moonlight to marry him exactly one year after our first date. We married a year later. Knowing we could not have children of our own, and longing to be parents, we began our adoption journey soon after our marriage. It is difficult to adopt in our country so we are grateful to be able to adopt in the United States to start our family.

I grew up in a small town about half an hour from Amsterdam. I have one older brother, Joost. He is 3 years older than me. My parents gave us a very warm, loving and stable home. Growing up I loved playing shop and playing with my barbies. I was also really into ballet. When I was young my eyesight wasn’t good. The operation needed to fix this wasn’t available until I was nine years old. I was also very tall for my age. These challenges made me resilient and a fighter. I always look for the solution instead of the problem.

After I finished high school I went to Spencer, Indiana, USA to go to a high school as an exchange student for a year. I stayed with a wonderful family who truly became my family. We are still very close. I came back to visit a lot of summers during college and a part of me became American and that’s always going to be this way!

After law school I became a lawyer. I really enjoyed working as a lawyer but the hours were very long. I realized I missed having more time being around family and friends. So when Tjaard and I moved in together, I decided to stop practicing law. Now I work part-time as a contract manager. Together with my colleagues I negotiate the contracts to maintain the highways. It’s a lot of fun and the hours are flexible. So when the baby comes, I can be home for the first months. After that I can work fewer days (2-3 days a week) and I can also work from home.

What I love about Heleen is her unconditional love. Not just to me but also to the people around her. She loves, listens and takes action if she can help you. That’s what makes her my best friend and a wonderful wife. Also she is a really good cook and is a lot of fun to be around. She has a good sense of humor. I know she’ll be a very warm and loving mom and I can’t wait to start a family with her!

I’m an only child and when I was 3 years old I moved to Switzerland with my parents. Things got a little rocky there because after I turned 4 my father died suddenly. My mom and I moved back to the Netherlands. Growing up my mom and I were a good team. She supported me in exploring the world. Whether it was trying out new sports or building my own bonfire in the backyard. I even hatched eggs and raised the chicks. Family was (and still is) very important to me. I’m very close with my family on both my mom and dad’s side.

When Heleen came into my life I realized I was ready to start my family. I like to just be home and spend time with Heleen and family and friends. When the baby comes I’m also really looking forward to being there to share the little things. At my company we already have a relax room with a couch and table so we can just hang out there. We will also create a safe space for the baby so I’ll be able to take care of the baby at times, while at the office.

In college I got my bachelor degree in ‘Management, Economics and Law’. During college I spent my summers abroad to learn English and to meet new people. I also got to spend a summer in California with a host family. I really liked getting to know this part of the USA! After college I started my own company importing koi fish from Japan. After 14 years my company is the biggest koi company in this part of the Netherlands.

Tjaard is a very down to earth kind of guy. His patience and sense of humor makes him always fun to be around. He is truly my best friend. He is a very warm and loving person who is always there for me and supports me in the choices that I make. I know that Tjaard will be a great dad because I know he will always be there for his children.

We live in a three-story house with a yard in a town outside of Rotterdam. Our house has 4 bedrooms. Heleen’s favorite room of the house is the kitchen. We recently renovated the kitchen and now she has everything she needs to enjoy her cooking hobby. Tjaard’s favorite place is his yard. Last year we made a childproof pond for his koi fish. Our house is located in a family oriented quiet town with schools, children play area’s and shops all within walking distance. The big city of Rotterdam is also just a 20 minute car ride away. Both families with children and elderly live in our neighborhood and our neighbors have all sorts of ethnic backgrounds.

Growing up Heleen always had cats as pets (and a guinea pig). When she got her first real job after college, she took in a kitten of her own named Loes. Loes is a partly indoor and partly outdoor cat. She definitely has a mind of her own but can also be very cuddly. She will make a great fur companion to our future child. Loes and our fish are also great together. The fish are very interested in her and she enjoys all of the attention.

We are both family oriented. We both grew up with strong ties. Tjaard has a lot of cousins who live nearby. Most of them have young children. We try to see them as often as we can. Heleen’s parents and brother also live nearby. Heleen’s mom retired from her job this summer and is really looking forward to her first grandchild. She already offered to babysit one day a week.

Our friends are also very important to us. Most of our close friends are also married and have young children. We like to go over there or invite them so we can spend time together and play with their kids. Being able to spend time with our friends and family is one of our biggest ‘hobbies.’ Usually we combine it with sharing a meal together too.

Thank you for reading our profile! We hope that our profile showed the warmth and love we have to share. It’s a difficult decision you are facing but also the most loving one. Just know that if you choose adoption and select us, we would be very humbled and honored. We would share the love you have for your baby so that your child will know you and the courageous decision you made. We promise to care for and love your child with all our hearts and provide every opportunity to make your child's dreams come true.