Roxanne was adopted as a newborn. We are fortunate that her family has always been very open about the process and are whole-heartedly supporting our journey with both encouragement and first-hand insights. Roxanne always knew she was adopted and talked openly with her parents while she was growing up. She can actually remember the time her parents had to explain that not everyone was adopted, it was just one way of growing a family. Roxanne's parents have also shared insights into how different their experience was in the 80s. We're glad to hear some things have changed, like how people are generally more comfortable talking about the process. But one thing clearly hasn't changed, the large number of committed people it takes for an adoption to be successful. And for Roxanne, that's how being adopted has affected her most; she knows that from day one there was a small army of people working together to give her the best life possible.

Brian's favorite way to unwind is using his flight simulator to practice flights he wants to complete in real life one day; right now it's a flight out to Catalina island off the coast of California. The computer is right next to Roxanne's sewing table, so we often spend part of our evenings working on our separate projects but still within talking distance of each other. Roxanne's last major sewing project was a quilt for her best friend's first baby. When Brian is working on a class for his Master's program, most of his free time is spent studying. These nights you'd find us both on the couch with books. Roxanne's is likely the next pick for the book club she joined with a high school friend.

When the weather is nice we will often use part of our weekend to take a scenic drive. These drives often include a stop for lunch somewhere new. If we're feeling more active, we'll bring the dogs with us and head to one of the many local parks with hiking trails. We might also find ourselves heading down to Roxanne's hometown to hike with her parents on their trails and work on fixing up a family lake house. This is the best possible combination: a nice drive into the country, good hiking where the dogs can be off leash and catching up with family over great food. Roxanne's dad can gill a delicious burger.

We have adopted two dogs together, Allie Mae and Jackson. Our dogs are very important to our family because we feel they represent the best of what a family is, people bonded by love and dedication. Allie and Jackson have two very different personalities, but they complement each other and us so well. We adopted Allie before we were married, while Roxanne was living in another city for graduate school. The plan was for Allie to be a companion to Roxanne, but from the moment we met her, it was clear she was Brian's dog. We were both amazed to discover just how much personality a miniature dachshund can have, but we were also surprised at how much we learned about each other as we worked together to care for her. It was the first time in our relationship that we had a shared mission, and we discovered that we made a really good team. A few years later, Jackson joined our family and added a whole new level of energy to our lives. We know the happiness we've felt raising our dogs is just a fraction of the joy we will feel at welcoming a child to our family.

We live in a wonderful community with neighbors that are new homeowners starting their own families as well as those who have lived in the area for decades. We have a neighborhood pool and playground. Although we are away from the main streets, it's an easy walk to the local grocery store and several restaurants. It's wonderful to be able to take a quick detour while walking the dogs and grab something for dinner.

Inside, our house is full of light. We fell in love with this home because of its open family spaces and cozy bedrooms. Our bedroom opens up to the deck and the guest room has doors to the fenced backyard, which is very handy when Brian's parents visit with their dog. The nursery will be just across the hall from our bedroom and looks out to the backyard.

The backyard is our favorite place to entertain. We built a patio and added a fire pit during the pandemic. When the trees have all their leaves, you can almost forget you're in the city. Roxanne also grows herbs and vegetables in summer in addition to the houseplants we have inside year round.

We are both fortunate to be part of close families. Roxanne's parents live about an hour away, in the home where she grew up, so we get to see them quite often. They are in a rural area, so we spend a lot of time outdoors when we visit. Everyone has a great time, but we think the dogs have the most fun since they get to be off-leash in the woods. We've enjoyed our time in the country so much we are helping her parents fix-up another house on the family property to use for extended weekend and holiday stays.

Although Roxanne is an only child, she and Brian's sister (Hilary) have grown close over the years. They share a love of frisbee and dogs. Hilary currently lives near Brian's parents in the Smoky Mountains, but we try to see each other several times a year. It's great that even though Hilary and Brian's parents a few states away, they are close enough to each other that we often get to see everyone when we go visit. Brian's parents retired to his mother's hometown, so they are surrounded by old friends, extended family and beautiful views. We love starting our day with a hot cup of coffee on their back porch when we visit.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for considering adoption as you weigh the choices ahead for you and your child. We hope you have seen something in us that makes this path more comforting and encouraging for you.

We both work from home, in a house we share with our two dogs. Brian is a Deputy Program Manager at an aerospace company, and Roxanne is a Project Manager in the transportation industry. Originally, we planned to work from home just until it was safe to return to the office, but it turned out to be a perfect fit for us. We always knew it, but the last two years have proven that we really do "work" well together.

We recently celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary and have shared many great adventures over the years. We enjoy traveling and have visited three countries and over a dozen states together. Roxanne creates photobooks of each trip to share with, and inspire, friends and family. Brian has his pilots license and enjoys flying with his friends or renting a plane for us to spend a few hours seeing the countryside near our home from a different perspective. Now we're ready to share our future adventures with a child.

Adoption is our first choice for growing our family. Roxanne was adopted as a newborn and learned at an early age that families are made of people who come together and commit to loving and supporting each other. When we decided to bring a child into our family, we learned more about the adoption process today and decided it was the right path for us. We will love and support your child in every way we can. If you would like, we will also make sure your child knows that you, as a part of their family, also love and support them. And we will always be open with your child about their adoption and speak about you with the utmost respect.

We will celebrate your child for who they are and learn about their cultural heritage with them as they grow up and grow curious. We hope that curiosity will inspire some great family adventures, or maybe new family traditions. Roxanne's curiosity about her heritage has inspired her to start learning a new language, and one of our trips took us to Brian's ancestral home. We live in a diverse neighborhood, so your child will find an inclusive and supportive environment outside our home as well as in.

Although, Roxanne had a childhood that she wouldn't trade for anything, we both agree that the openness of the process today is in the best interest of all involved. We would be happy to arrange a visit before the birth and will be there in whatever capacity you need during the delivery. As your child grows, we will send letters and photos to share their progress. We'd also be open to arranging a visit with all of us when the time is right.

We are grateful for the brave decisions you have made that have brought you to this point. Thank you for considering us as potential parents for your child.

Brian & Roxanne