Dear Birth Parent(s),

We feel a jumble of emotions as we write this letter, recognizing this whole process has a bitter-sweetness to it all… in the midst of your mixed feelings about making such a difficult decision, lies the potential for us to be entrusted with the most wonderful gift on earth. We can only imagine what you might be thinking and feeling; we sincerely hope that you find peace in whatever decision you make. We thank you for taking the time to learn about our family.

Our names are Randy and Nora. As you have probably learned, we are a family of three. We are the proud parents of Ava, who joined our family at two weeks of age. We feel that having experienced an adoption and knowing how completely we love her, that we are in a unique position to offer you reassurances about what you can expect from us. Know that above all, we respect you for choosing life for your baby. Whatever your reason for considering adoption, we believe it reflects a heart full of love…that you have loved this child enough to give life and that you love this child enough to consider different options for assuring a wonderful future for him or her.

A day doesn't go by that we don't thank God for our daughter and for her birthmother who chose adoption. Ava knows she is adopted…we don't believe in "breaking the news" to her or future siblings at some specific point in time…it is part of their life story and should be shared from day one. Recognizing that children will understand different aspects of their story at different ages, we will always portray our children's birth parents in a positive light and express appreciation for her gift. Should you choose adoption for your child and choose us as adoptive parents, we would gladly send you letters and pictures as your child grows. We would be open to communicating with you prior to placement so that you could gain a better sense of who we are and what your child's life might be like in our family.

So who are we…really? In many ways we are just a regular family, with regular lives. We both have careers: Randy is in the field of computers and information management; Nora is in the field of mental health and substance abuse services. Our jobs, while full-time, afford us much flexibility and support family as a priority. We are both close to our families: Randy's is small; Nora's is large - all live close by and are very involved in our lives. Like many we live in a close-knit rural town: one where everyone knows everyone else and there is a common pride in our community. We have the emotional and financial abilities to provide many opportunities to a child: in education, activities, interests. However, there are things that we believe set us apart: we have common interests, but have different personalities and approaches to life. We feel this complementary relationship fosters individuality in our children-- encourages different ways of looking at the world. Randy is very logical, sensible, laid-back, and has a great sense of humor. Nora is the more outgoing of the two, is sensitive, enthusiastic, and independent. But we are both good people, with strong moral values, and we both put God and family first. Our daughter Ava is bright, energetic, bubbly, active and independent. She will make a great big sister and is very excited about us bringing a baby brother or sister home!

Should we be chosen as adoptive parents, be assured that we will commit the rest of our lives to loving your child! As parents we try to offer appropriate structure and sound guidance. We believe in being consistent with discipline, not overindulging children with material things, instilling good values, and making sure our kids know how much we love and value them every day. We will encourage our children to strive for their life goals and be there to support them every step of the way. While we wish a lifetime of successes for our daughter and her future sibling, more than anything we just want them to love life and seek happiness in the simple things.

We hope that you will trust in your decision, whatever that may be, and that you have peace in your heart. May God bless you and keep you.

Sincerely,

Randy & Nora