We have had the blessing of having our only nephew join our family through adoption. We have loved being his aunt and uncle from day one. Meeting our nephew and having the adoption world become more tangible to us through Alissa’s brother and Sister-in-law’s experience has really been amazing. It has given us a safe space to ask questions and truly see how beautiful a family can be without sharing DNA.

We are excited to now be on an adoption journey of our own! For as long as we each can remember, we wanted to become parents. Like many families, we wanted to become established in our personal and professional lives before trying. We were fortunate to become pregnant early in our attempts, and were so excited about the new journey with our “Baby Boy.” However, after fourteen weeks, we were devastated to learn that we had lost him. The medical process around the loss was traumatic, with multiple surgeries and procedures for Alissa, which would ultimately shape the future of our efforts. Throughout 2023 and the years to follow, we traveled to multiple states to meet with various specialists, trying procedure after procedure to conceive naturally. We were never successful in getting pregnant again and were told we’d have to take a different route to grow our family.

Something we have learned about life is you have to know how to pivot. And pivot we did! After extensive thought and reflection, the answer for us was clear: we have worked hard to build a beautiful life for ourselves, and are meant to raise a child in it. Like many things in life, our journey has not been without physical and emotional pain, fear, stress and great anxiety. It may not be the journey that we had planned or hoped for, but it uniquely ours. It is a journey that has prepared us, perhaps better than we could have otherwise imagined, for the challenges that come with the adoption process and parenthood. And it is our hope that by sharing the story of our journey, it may provide confidence and comfort to prospective birth mothers that we are a couple who perseveres through all adversities. No matter what may arise in the future, you can rest assured that we will do everything in our powers to provide the best, most loving, most supportive and most secure life for a child. We are prepared for this next chapter.

We are a dog loving family! Anyone who knows us knows that our dogs are our family and we do whatever we can to give them a wonderful life. When someone asks us how we are doing, the next question out of their mouths is, "How are the boys?" Our goldendoodles are our children. When Alissa met Ryan, she had the goodest of all good boys named Heinz (like the ketchup.) She was very clear with Ryan that if Heinz didn't like him, it wouldn't work out between them. Luckily, Ryan and Heinz became best friends and the rest is history. Towards the end of Heinz's life, he required a lot of physical therapy and medications. We did it all to make sure he was as comfortable as possible for as long as possible. When your dogs are your family, you'll do anything for them. We currently have 2 Goldendoodles named Kielbasa and Tzatziki, whom we lovingly call Kelby and Zeke. (There is a slight theme in our house. Ryan is 100% Polish and Alissa is 50% Syrian, hence the names of a Polish sausage and the Mediterranean dip.) Our dogs will always be our furry children. We include them in everything we do, sing songs about them around the house, make sure they have doggo insurance, and joke that in the next life, we want to come back as our dogs. They make us better people!

We reside in a family friendly, well established neighborhood in a Pennsylvania suburb. Our home is conveniently located in a town that is 15 minutes to the city and major highways. You will frequently find neighbors walking their pets and with their children year round. Our neighbors are the kind of people who look out for each other's homes when we are on vacations and mow each other's lawns when needed. We have a private community pool and country club a few blocks from us.

We have renovated just about every inch of our 1942 colonial home, while keeping the original charm and aesthetics. There are 3 bedrooms upstairs. Off one of our bedrooms is a quaint and cozy rooftop deck where we like to quietly relax and watch the sunset. We spend most of our time in our family room together, as it is the heart of our home where our dogs play and unwind from our day. We also have a dining room where we host holidays and have family meals where there is a seat for everyone. In the warmer months, we spend much of our time outside on our covered back deck and large fenced in yard that we built ourselves. In the summer, it's covered with flowers, plants, and full feeders for the birds and squirrels. In the fall, our patio is where we have bonfires and further enjoy our backyard oasis. It's a safe and peaceful family home.

We are extremely fortunate to have a loving and supportive extended family, who are involved in our lives. While we come together for major life moments such as birthdays and holidays, we are fortunate to have both sides of our family nearby to share everyday moments as well.

Ryan is of 100% Polish heritage, and Alissa is a mixture of Syrian and Italian. Both families come together and celebrate these blended, rich traditions. On Christmas, for example, we share homemade spinach balls, grape leaves, ravioli and wedding soup from Alissa's side. Her father offers a prayer before eating and we share moments that we are grateful for. Ryan's side provides pierogi, keilbasa and ham. Polish communion wafers called Oplatki are exchanged with a hug and kiss to each family member, reminding us of the love our family shares.

We are grateful that our families keep in contact with each other without our presence and get along as if we have known each other for a lifetime. We so much value the time we have together sitting around the table laughing, sharing stories, scanning photo albums or watching old family videos. Our families and friends have been extremely supportive of our adoption journey and they, like us, are anxious to welcome a baby to our traditions! They have supported us through large scale fundraisers, monetary donations, prayers, and never-ending support. Our family and friends who became family have done nothing but show up for us in every way.

First, we want to thank you for taking the time to read our letter. We know that you are in the midst of making an incredibly difficult and courageous decision. We can't fully imagine what you're feeling, but we want you to know that we see your strength, your love, and your bravery in considering adoption. This decision is yours, and we deeply respect you for exploring what is best for your child.

We are Alissa and Ryan, a married couple who have been together for 13 years and married for 10. Our relationship is rooted in love, mutual respect, trust, and the belief that we are better together. We laugh together every day, we support each other through life's ups and downs, and we've built a strong, stable, and joyful life that we are excited to share with a child.

For years, we have dreamed of becoming parents. While the journey to grow our family hasn't been what we originally envisioned, it has only made us more certain that we are ready to welcome a child into our lives with open hearts and open arms. Adoption is something we have thought deeply about, and we are committed to embracing this path with love, honesty, and lifelong dedication.

Our home is warm, full of music, books, home-cooked meals, and fluffy dogs. We live in a walkable neighborhood with a community who has come out in droves to support us on this journey to adoption. We both work in fields we love. Ryan is a small business owner and Alissa is a Kindergarten teacher, which allows us to have a good balance of work and family life. Our schedules are flexible, and we plan to be very hands-on parents. More than anything, we look forward to experiencing the world through a child's eyes ?" to share bedtime stories, birthday parties, first steps, and all the beautiful moments in between.

If you choose us, we want you to know that your child will grow up knowing how deeply they are loved ?" not just by us, but by you. We will honor your story and speak of you with respect and gratitude. Your child will have a deep sense of love and understanding around their adoption. They will see the love and strength behind your decision to choose adoption. You are giving us the most precious gift by choosing us. Without you, our family would not be what it is. We promise to send letters and pictures so you can be part of your child's story as they grow. We're also open to connecting through email and hope to build a relationship with you that feels respectful, natural, and based on mutual comfort.

Our promise is to provide a safe, nurturing, and loving home. We will raise this child to be kind, curious, and confident. We will support their dreams, nurture their talents, and guide them with patience and compassion. We are excited to create family traditions, to encourage big questions, and to offer a foundation of unconditional love every step of the way.

We may not know each other yet, but please know that we already hold a place in our hearts for you and your child. If you choose us, we will be forever grateful for the trust you place in us. Whatever you decide, we wish you peace, strength, and clarity as you continue this journey.

With love and deep respect,

Ryan & Alissa