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Hello, I Love You: Adventures in Adoptive Fatherhood
There’s nothing like adoption to make a grown man cry. Repeatedly. In this humorous and honest memoir, Ted Kluck—father, writer, and sports fan—details his adoption of his two sons from Ukraine. While not always self-flattering, his complaints and struggles will provoke laughter, some fear, and self-examination. In the first part of his memoir, Ted reveals the chaos the Kluck’s first international adoption, the adoption of his son Tristan. He includes stories In the second part of his memoir—the story of Kluck’s second international adoption—new struggles arise, causing Ted to process with his In each section of Ted’s memoir, you will feel deeply, laugh out loud, and learn. Whether you’re an adoptive parent, seeking to be an adoptive parent, or unmarried, you will enjoy and appreciate Ted’s humorous and honest stories of his adventures in adoptive fatherhood. “While Hello, I Love You is about the stories of two adoptions,in reality, the stories serve to show the trustworthiness of God despite impossible circumstances and the need to find contentment in his providential care.” -Book review by John Starke on The Gospel Coalition An Excerpt from the Book’s This book began as a journal—some spiral-bound notebooks that came with me to Ukraine the first time, and which contained letters that I wrote to Tristan during the experience. In the first half of the book, it reads like I’m addressing Tristan directly, while the second half is a more straightforward narrative of Dima’s adoption. They’re both love letters to my boys, and the whole thing is a love letter to Kristin, my wife. You’ll also notice lots of frank, often sarcastic prose about cultural differences—usually with the author as the punch line, as it was my inability to deal with these differences that provided a lot of humor (in retrospect) and anger (at the time). There’s also some tough content regarding infertility. If this is something you’ve struggled with in your marriage, I hope this chapter encourages you, and I hope you feel less alone in your struggle. If you’ve been blessed with biological children, please don’t feel guilty for having them, or in any way judged or made fun of by the observations in that chapter (see It not being you, but me). Finally, the book contains lots of stories of God’s faithfulness—stories that we thought were too meaningful not to be told. Little “piles of stones” along the way that remind us of God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness. We hope that you’ll read them and not only be entertained, but be motivated to think of Christ and our adoption as His sons and daughters. It is only the love of Christ, and our hope in Him, that got us through the first, the most difficult adoption in the history of our agency’s work with Ukraine, then infertility, and finally a second adoption. And it was these adoptions, more than any other events or events in our lives, that truly taught us to find our peace, comfort, and identity in Christ.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Ted Kluck
38 books63 followersTed Kluck writes on topics ranging from Mike Tyson to the Emergent Church. Ted has played professional indoor football, coached high school football, trained as a professional wrestler, served as a missionary, and taught writing courses at the college level.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 30, 2020
*4.25*
Really takes you on the emotional roller-coaster ride of international adoption. Easy reading style, and I always appreciate Kluck’s humor, and his ability look to God in everyday situations.
Really takes you on the emotional roller-coaster ride of international adoption. Easy reading style, and I always appreciate Kluck’s humor, and his ability look to God in everyday situations.
November 3, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing style made it easy to read, and yet I’ve had more self examination due to this book than many of the more intellectual books I have read as of late.
The honest story gives an insider look at the international adoption process. It also made me think more seriously about what it means to be adopted into the family of God, and the sanctification process that goes along with it.
The honest story gives an insider look at the international adoption process. It also made me think more seriously about what it means to be adopted into the family of God, and the sanctification process that goes along with it.
December 19, 2025
So good! Written by Charlie’s uncle, I feel like I got to learn more about Ted and KK🥰 Seeing God’s faithfulness in the midst of challenges in adoption. Would recommend!
January 4, 2021
This was a great quick read on a Sunday afternoon. We are in the midst of an international adoption ourselves, and like most parents in this situation we are desperate to connect with people feeling the way that we do.
June 29, 2025
Be open to doing hard things and things I never expected knowing plans can change in an instant. While also trusting that the Lord will always provide for us financially and He is aware of His children. Lean on others for support through our adoptions. Miracles will happen.
August 1, 2019
Excellent book detailing the struggles of overseas adoption. It's honest with hilarity woven into each page.
January 27, 2011
Adoption is an amazing thing. It requires sacrifice, love, and perseverance to welcome someone into your family and promise to take care of them and treat them as one of your own children. As a Christian, it’s an amazing picture of the gospel and how God has adopted us into his family as sons and daughters. I have the utmost respect for people who adopt, and my wife and I have discussed the possibility of doing so ourselves one day.
I’ve never been able to witness the adoption process up close, however. After reading Ted Kluck’s new book, Hello, I Love You, though, I definitely feel like I have. Kluck, co-author of such fantastic books as Why We’re Not Emergent and Why We Love the Church as well as author of The Reason for Sports and others, has written a fantastically personal memoir about his experiences adopting his 2 sons from the Ukraine. Part travelogue, part blog post, part spiritual journal, Hello, I Love You takes readers on a journey with Ted and his wife through their multiple trips overseas, the frustrations with the enormous amounts of red tape, struggles with infertility after adopting their first son, and taking that son back to the Ukraine to adopt again.
Throughout the whole book, Kluck is brutally honest…about everything. He describes his difficulties with international travel, his huge frustrations with the adoption process, struggles with infertility while in a church with tons of young couples having babies, as well as his own spiritual struggles and doubts throughout all this. The book reads like a series of journal entries or blog posts, and this format allows Kluck to bring readers into the process. You feel some of the same frustrations when yet another curveball is thrown at them. You feel the joy of just an afternoon in the orphanage with the kids. And you get the payoff when they head home with their child.
Adoption is becoming a trendy thing to do. Brad and Angelina, Madonna, and others have made it chic to adopt foreign kids. While I’m not a huge fan of these people, I can’t see much bad about more people wanting to adopt. Kids need homes. In the Church, though, adoption is becoming even a larger part of the culture as people seek to live out the gospel. That’s what it feels like Kluck and his wife do in this book; they are living out the gospel to these kids.
Fair warning: if you have a desire to adopt and have never really looked into what all that entails, reading this book might scare you off a little. The shear difficulty and cost of the process, the amount of paperwork, the hassles and red tape, and the perseverance required are all daunting. I think, though, by the end of the book, reading Kluck talk about his children, readers are rewarded for taking the journey with him, and it might just convince a lot of people that it really is worth the effort. I hope so.
I’ve never been able to witness the adoption process up close, however. After reading Ted Kluck’s new book, Hello, I Love You, though, I definitely feel like I have. Kluck, co-author of such fantastic books as Why We’re Not Emergent and Why We Love the Church as well as author of The Reason for Sports and others, has written a fantastically personal memoir about his experiences adopting his 2 sons from the Ukraine. Part travelogue, part blog post, part spiritual journal, Hello, I Love You takes readers on a journey with Ted and his wife through their multiple trips overseas, the frustrations with the enormous amounts of red tape, struggles with infertility after adopting their first son, and taking that son back to the Ukraine to adopt again.
Throughout the whole book, Kluck is brutally honest…about everything. He describes his difficulties with international travel, his huge frustrations with the adoption process, struggles with infertility while in a church with tons of young couples having babies, as well as his own spiritual struggles and doubts throughout all this. The book reads like a series of journal entries or blog posts, and this format allows Kluck to bring readers into the process. You feel some of the same frustrations when yet another curveball is thrown at them. You feel the joy of just an afternoon in the orphanage with the kids. And you get the payoff when they head home with their child.
Adoption is becoming a trendy thing to do. Brad and Angelina, Madonna, and others have made it chic to adopt foreign kids. While I’m not a huge fan of these people, I can’t see much bad about more people wanting to adopt. Kids need homes. In the Church, though, adoption is becoming even a larger part of the culture as people seek to live out the gospel. That’s what it feels like Kluck and his wife do in this book; they are living out the gospel to these kids.
Fair warning: if you have a desire to adopt and have never really looked into what all that entails, reading this book might scare you off a little. The shear difficulty and cost of the process, the amount of paperwork, the hassles and red tape, and the perseverance required are all daunting. I think, though, by the end of the book, reading Kluck talk about his children, readers are rewarded for taking the journey with him, and it might just convince a lot of people that it really is worth the effort. I hope so.
August 15, 2010
Basically, I want to write like Kluck when I grow up. His writing is fun, honest, and witty. I love the fact that Kluck is a real Cristian guy who also is adopting. It's not like the typical, tear-jerking adoption books my wife reads. Kluck had tough adoption trips, money stress, and real struggles with infertility. I like that he deals with those honestly and with faith, yet in a funny way. If you are a guy who is adopting, then read this.
March 28, 2011
The only book I've read in recent memory (the last 10 years?) that I've read in less than 24 hours, and this is not a negative comment on the content. This was a very engaging and sardonic account of Ted's journey to adopt children from a foreign country. The humor speeds the story along, while the pathos rips your heart out. Ted is a great writer, and I will look forward to reading more of his work.
October 1, 2012
This was very well written. The author is funny and shares all the ins and outs of he and his wife's journey to becoming parents. Mr. Kluck is quick to point out that not everything will go well. You will spend a lot of money. You will not understand everything about the country you are going to. This is a no holds barred account of what he himself has gone through. I recommend to everyone considering adopting out of country. This is a quick read.
February 21, 2012
Two thumbs up for this heart warming memoir of a man becoming a father through adoption in the Ukraine. A great inside look at life in the Ukraine, infertility, and a fathers love... Hillarious at times, emotional others, very easy to read. Great book!!
July 12, 2014
Pretty much a travelogue/journal of two international adoptions. Who knew Ukraine was so depressing!? This was entertaining, heart wrenching, and uplifting.
I you've every wondered what adopting from a European country was like, this is for you.
I you've every wondered what adopting from a European country was like, this is for you.
October 3, 2020
This is an engaging, well-written true story made even more interesting to me as we go to school with the subject of this book, and I've met the author and his wife. Full of wit and transparency. Recommended.
August 24, 2013
Do I love this book because I know its author? No. I love its author and his wife and family because I love this book. You just have to read it to understand. Love, love, love...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews