[Stormster]

Isabo your post was super interesting to me. I can't say we have much in common with E's birth parents in terms of education but I in particular really "meshed" with them. Heck I slept on their futon in the basement at their house and we cooked meals together. It was so easy I couldn't believe it. Like old friends.

E's birthmother has the following things in common with us: she loves to cook, to garden, she was a model (I was a model agent), she is very spiritual, she is 'young' for her age and likes the media and music of a much younger person, she is soft, laid back, funny and like me just kind of sweetly naive LOL also she looks like me (she's prettier but we look so similar, same height/coloring etc.) When we went for the 3d ultrasound the nurse asked if I was her sister! And by the way her brothers and sisters did go on to graduate college and even grad school.

E's birthdad is a blackbelt in karate (all his uncles are) and both my brother and husband have been trained in the martial arts. All of the uncles went to college and have very strong work ethics like we do. He also loves carpentry and construction (as a trade and a hobby) and we both LOVE talking about and planning home improvements. I remember talking to him for almost an hour about different kinds of wood flooring!

Both of E's parents have unique problems relating to their respective addictions. I think there is a fair bit of mental illness and self medication involved. I have mental illness in my family and am very comfortable talking about and not judging people who may seem eccentric or atypical because of these kinds of problems.

The only thing is I can just tell he has inherited his fathers EXTREME gregariousness and DH and I are going to have to make sure we keep him in lots of social situations which that can be nourished. And I suspect he may be a good athlete so I'll have to "young up" and start practicing throwing a ball!

Seriously I totally hear your point and it makes sense to me. Even just the immediate AFFECTION we had for each other probably translates to the baby. I love that.