Amy has worked for the US Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, where she manages the violence against women with disabilities grant program. She has been doing this work for approximately 12 years. She enjoys her work because she continues to learn and be challenged, and believes she is able to create lasting change in the lives of others.

 In our spare time, we love to travel, cook, play golf, go to concerts, spend time with friends and go to movies and out to dinner.  When we go on vacation, we usually go with our families, or just the two of us will go somewhere together.  Chrissy’s family likes to spend time at the beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Amy and her family have vacationed on the coast of New Hampshire ever since she was a little girl. 

 Our immediate families are also both very supportive.  Both of our parents and siblings are excited about having another grandchild and niece or nephew in the family.  Both of our siblings already have children and I know that our nieces and nephews will enjoy have a new cousin to play with.

 Finally, we live in the heart of Washington, D.C, and we are only 13 blocks from the U.S. Capitol and a short ride to the White House.  As you know, D.C. has so many great places to visit and so many activities to partake in.  We hope to expose our child to many different places and sights like the Smithsonian Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Archives, the White House, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the different war memorials and Arlington Cemetery.  Washington is a great place to learn about the history of our country and to learn how our government works.  I think exposing a child to this is a great way for them to learn.

 In terms of family traditions, we would like to implement some of the same traditions we each had as children growing up—like fondue on Halloween, putting up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving weekend, getting a new Christmas tree ornament for every year, etc. 

 We are very excited about having a child.  We have always believed that the definition of family extends beyond biology and includes those you love, feel comfortable and safe with, and whom you trust. Simply put, family is made up of the people you love the most.  Our dream for our child is that he or she will feel as loved as we did growing up.

We promise to teach your child all about you and how much you love them. We want your child to know what a wonderful sacrifice you made for them.
We promise to protect and care for your child.
We promise to teach your child to love and respect themselves and their family.
We promise to instill in your child the importance of a good education and provide them with that opportunity.

Finally, we wish you all the strength and peace as you go through this difficult process.   

 Thank you for considering our family as a home for your child.  We realize that this is a difficult decision for you.  We would love to talk with you and answer any questions you have about us. Please feel free to call us ANYTIME at 202-547-7559 or e-mail us at cgephardt@hotmail.com.  We'll happily call or email you back and answer any questions you have about us. 

 You can also call our adoption worker Aimee at (877) 909-2229.  She is a birthmother herself and is warm, caring and easy to talk to.  She can also listen if you just need someone who understands what you’re going through.  Additionally, feel free to contact our adoption attorney, Susan Romig, at (800) 462-3678.

 With great respect,

 Chrissy and Amy