Introduction

Dear Birthmother,

It is so hard to express the gratitude that we feel for you in considering us as adoptive parents. From early on in our relationship, we talked about how much we each enjoy children.  It was never a question of whether we would have children – it was just when. We tried to conceive for more than five years and it seemed like an eternity. After countless hours in doctors’ offices, listening to hopeful words that someday we could have a family, we decided to learn more about adoption. It was the best decision we could have made. We so eagerly wanted children to love and share our lives with and to be a family. We know that this is possible because of your courageous decision. Thank you for taking the time to read about the love we hope to give a child. We hope we’ll have a chance to talk with you and meet, if you are open to this; we want to know the dreams and wishes you have for your child. Thank you, again, for considering us.

How We Met

Everett and I met ten years ago, while I was still in college. I was an intern at the company where Everett worked.  We were friends all summer and then, two weeks before I returned to college in another state, we started dating.  We have an ongoing joke about who officially asked the other out first (I did), but the important thing is that we came together. Since I attended college, at the time, in Pennsylvania and Everett worked in Massachusetts, for the first year, we enjoyed nurturing our relationship from afar. After this time apart, we knew that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.

About Us: Michele

We both grew up in families where one of our parents was at home for us and wanted to pass on that gift to our children. I, (Michele) stay home and this has meant the fulfillment of a dream for me, and a priority for us as a family.  About a year and a half ago, we adopted our son Tucker.  He is a happy and energetic little boy whom we love so much.   Ever since the first time Tucker laughed, we have wanted to devote our lives to his laughter and the joy of a second child.  It fills us with so much happiness to watch him notice things for the first time and get a look of awe on his face.  He makes us slow down and notice the world again.  Things like the shadows of the leaves and reflection of the sun on the kitchen wall become amazing again seen through his eyes.  Tucker is very social and will stand at the door to go outside when he sees the other neighborhood children.  When he meets a new baby, he walks up, squats down and talks to them.  We all eagerly anticipate the opportunity to adopt another child.  There is so much room in our hearts and home that welcoming another child would truly be a Godsend.

Everett and I are one of the happiest married couples I know, and we have extended that happiness to a growing family.  I love him because he is caring, thoughtful, supportive, and spontaneous.  Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to notice that he has pulled extra covers over me because he knows, without me telling him, that I get cold at night.  He also brings me flowers at times for no reason – just because.  Since he tends to be the one who is spontaneous and carefree, and I tend to be the one who is practical and prepared, we balance each other out nicely and with humor.  We are best friends and enjoy our time together, however we also understand the importance of being able to explore our individual interests and passions.  We are both active people and like to travel, entertain, and participate in outdoor activities.  I like to read, go to the theater, and watch movies, while he likes taking academic classes, building things, and golfing.  While our vacations used to include travelling abroad, now we’re more likely to go to child-friendly spots like the beach or zoo.

Growing up, my mother stayed home to raise my brother and me, while my father worked.  Because our family moved a lot, I learned easily how to make new friends. I realized the importance of having an open heart and mind, and the value of good friends and family.  Many of the values that I learned as a child, respect, individuality, kindness, honesty, and giving selflessly to others, I look forward to sharing with our children.

About Us: Everett

Michele and I have been together for over ten years now and I can’t imagine my life without her. We are not just husband and wife, but also best friends. We run our ideas by each other before making any major decisions and we respect each other’s feelings and opinions as we make choices.   We try to be very respectful of one another, including things like calling to let the other know where we are, if we’re out on an errand, or letting each other know if we’re running a little later than expected. She really is amazing and I admire her many qualities.  She is honest and sincere in everything that she says and does.  Within the first year of our relationship, Michele shared her wishes for having a family. This comforted me because I knew, even before we were married, that we both shared the same dream.

When I was younger, my mother stayed at home and was actively involved in our education and upbringing. Her parents lived across the street from us and my father’s family lived in the same town, so we have always had a strong sense of closeness within our family.  I also admire and respect my father for the way that he supported us, financially, and in every other way.  I can only hope that someday my own children respect me as much as I respect my parents. Michele and I appreciate so much that our children’s grandparents live close by.  We feel good about giving our children the same opportunity of a close and frequent relationship with their grandparents and extended family.

Following in my father’s footsteps, I am very proud to support my family.  I am a manager for a large, financial institution downtown.  I am lucky because I enjoy both my company and the position I hold.  As a manager, I am able to mentor my staff and provide guidance for future career advancement.

Our Family: Michele

Becoming parents has been so much more than we could have ever expected.  I love that when you’re a parent, it becomes ok to be silly again and to regain the pure joy in things.  I also love when Tucker’s fresh and innocent point of view so dramatically sheds light on things that I hadn’t thought of in quite the same way before.  At times I think that it’s because of him that I pay attention now to little meaningful details that I wouldn’t have noticed without his inquiring nature.  It’s always pleasantly surprising when someone tells us that Tucker is very lucky to have parents like us because it is we who feel blessed to have him as our son.  I so look forward to enjoying these moments anew with our second child. Any child that enters our family will be such a tremendous gift that we appreciate every second of every day. We will value every moment we get to spend with our family.

Our families are also eager to help us welcome a second child into our home.  Our children will enjoy many family gatherings on holidays, birthdays, reunions and vacations.  Christmas is a big event for our family.  On Christmas Eve, Everett’s sister and nieces, along with both our parents, come to our house for a big meal.  We have a tradition that each person gets to open one gift, then we read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” before everyone leaves.  If it’s not too cold, we go to town hall to sing carols too.  Christmas morning we head to Everett’s father’s to meet up with everyone again for stockings, presents, and the holiday feast.

We moved to our house about six months ago to have more space and a yard for kids to play.  We selected our new town for a few reasons, the excellent school systems, community focus, and particularly because we are so close to family members.  Also most of our neighbors have children, which makes our community a great place to raise a family.  There are quite a few stay-at-home parents nearby, so we are able to socialize with other families regularly enjoying neighborhood Bar-B-Q’s and ball games.  Right now, we have a weekly playgroup of kids that are Tucker’s age.  Because of the neighborhood’s design and location, it is a very safe and child-friendly place.  Since people know each other, we all keep an eye on each other’s children.  We also have a private park on the street, where kids play soccer and baseball.  There is a pond nearby that we all enjoy exploring in the summer and ice-skating on in the winter.

In addition to our home, Everett’s family owns a summer home on Cape Cod.  Everett has many fond memories of summers spent there.  We can’t wait to create new memories there with our family.  Today there is a great mix of people that live close to our family’s summer home.  Some are third generation families of summer vacationers, and others are year-round residents. There is a tight bond among the neighbors.  Every summer we have a large block party complete with a moonlit bonfire, and on the 4^th of July our family has a huge clambake.  The best part is the lake, which is a great place to cool off on a hot day, enjoy a peaceful sunset, or try to catch a fish (something Everett devotes a lot of energy to).

Our Family: Everett

I have a sincere admiration for the strength and courage you have in making these decisions.  We feel comfortable talking with our children about the love and dedication that you show in making the selfless decision to consider an adoption plan and feel comfortable speaking with the children with pride and respect about adoption. We know that children enjoy hearing their “adoption story”, along with the story of how they came home from the hospital. We are comfortable sharing this part of the experience and helping the child to know how special and meaningful the experience was (and continues to be). We always plan to be open about the reasons Michele and I have adopted and will convey to the child the amount of strength, courage and love you had in making this decision.

We met Tucker’s birthmother and we are so glad we had that opportunity. We now have pictures of her and can accurately and affectionately describe her to Tucker.  We plan to be very open with our children about how wonderful our adoption experiences have been.  We are happy to share pictures and letters with you as frequently as you would like these, so you will feel confident that your child is well cared for and happy.  If there are any family traditions or experiences you feel are important for your child to experience, we would want to know so that we could have a chance to give this to your child. You will forever be in our thoughts.

In closing, we wish you the very best, and hope that life’s road, as bumpy as it can be, will be kind to you and give you joy and happiness.  We promise, if chosen, to do everything in our power to raise your child with all the love in our hearts.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We wish you the best, and hope to have a chance to talk with you in the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Michele & Everett