Samir and Sumreen share a South Asian heritage. Their cultures are similar and full of rich traditions centering on family, food, and festive rituals. Religious and cultural holidays involve large family gatherings and celebrations with special meals, new clothes, bright colors, recitation of poetry or song, and dance. Samir’s family has roots in India. He was raised in a progressive Hindu family and his beliefs are grounded in compassion, humanity, and acceptance. Sumreen’s family has roots in Pakistan. She was raised in a progressive Muslim family and her beliefs are closely aligned with Christianity and Judaism.

Sumreen and Samir’s families have come to appreciate the differences in culture and emphasize the common traditions of Indian and Pakistani cultures. Both Samir and Sumreen believe in God and the power of prayer and meditation. As an interfaith couple they recognize the importance of respecting all traditions, cultures and religions and maintain close friendships with people from many different faiths.

Samir and Sumreen met for the first time at a cute cafe during a very cold February afternoon where they got to know one another while enjoying a unique treat. While sipping delicious Mexican hot chocolate and sharing photos of their families and recent international travel adventures, they found they had a lot in common and easily made each other laugh with their jokes and stories. Sumreen admired Samir’s quiet confidence and intellectual curiosity. Samir was enchanted with Sumreen’s bright smile and kindness. Within a few hours they knew they wanted to spend more time together. They spent the next several months exploring the sights of the city and got to know one another better. They went on a series of fun dates including visiting the pandas at the zoo, going to a monster truck rally, biking around town, and eating at eclectic restaurants.

Our priority is our health, our family and friends, and contributing to our community. We exercise regularly and try to follow a healthy diet. We make time for relaxation and recreation to restore our energy and refresh our outlook on life’s challenges. We find that going out into nature for hikes, bike rides, or long walks helps us get perspective on the world and what matters most. It also helps us feel connected to a higher power.

We also enjoy spending time with family and friends, especially during the holiday season where we cook and eat together, exchange gifts, and share stories and advice. Large family gatherings with grandparents and grandkids are common and everyone has a chance to meet and mingle.

We also seek out ways to contribute to our community, donating time and resources to those less fortunate, helping to protect the environment, and advocating for a safe and beautiful neighborhood that is welcoming to all.

Our extended family and friends form a big circle of people who are incredibly supportive and excited about our adoption plans. Our friendships stretch across the country and around the world as we make a great effort to keep in touch with the people who have shared important times in our lives, from childhood days to college days and beyond. These friendships are important to us. Our niece and nephews are friendly, playful, and inquisitive and will follow a long tradition in our family where cousins are thought of and treated like siblings.

Our sisters, brother, sister and brothers-in-law share our hope for the joy this child will bring into our lives. Family reunions happen often throughout the year and are full of rich traditions, enchanting decorations, delicious feasts, and lots of laughter and happiness. When we all get together we eat and tell jokes and stories, play board games and watch movies, exchange gifts and share advice, and truly enjoy one another's company. Our gatherings are multi-generational and so there is much to learn from each other. It is this vibrant family life that we hope to share with your child.

We love our neighborhood in Virginia where there's always something to do or new to try. There are so many attractions in our city, including restaurants with cuisines from around the world, theaters that have classical and contemporary shows and concerts, museums and galleries with exhibits and art of all kinds, and the most beautiful sceneries and views of nature. We have hiking and biking trails within minutes of our home, making it fun and easy to get some fresh air and exercise.  We live across the street from an elementary school and a few blocks from several parks.  There are lots of families with young children nearby who we often see and meet when out walking with our foster dog or doing gardening in our front yard.  Our home has a large front and backyard and a nice patio where we enjoy barbecuing and hanging out.  We have three bedrooms and two bathrooms along with a den which is always filled with sunlight and is our favorite room.  Our home is a tranquil, comfortable, and beautiful place where we can entertain family and friends or have more cozy and quiet nights gathered around our fireplace reading a book or listening to music.  

We are writing to you with great hope and joy as we look forward to becoming parents one day soon. Thank you for considering us and taking the time to get to know us better. We have so much love for each other and so much love in our extended family and so we think we can become excellent parents. We have been married for more than five years and have known each other for six years. Our marriage is based upon kindness, honesty, respect, and a deep affection for one another. We pick each other up when we are feeling low, support each other through life's challenges, celebrate one another's successes, and make each other laugh with our jokes and stories. We are best friends who complement one another in our strengths and weaknesses and have a very strong bond of love and commitment. It is on this foundation that we hope to raise a child to become a kind, loving, and confident adult.

We plan to raise this child with love, patience, and affection. These are the same values our parents promoted in us when we were growing up and that our friends and siblings nurture with their children. We hope to give this child a strong sense of self-esteem, humility, and courage, so they can reach their potential, follow their passions, and find happiness in life. Education and travel will be important elements in our family life and we hope it will help the child be well-rounded and open-minded about different cultures, religions, and societies. Reading books, socializing with family and friends, and learning about the community will help us build a family that is grounded in tradition but also in touch with the changes in the world around us. Both of us enjoy spending time with our nieces and nephews. Whether we are playing board games, having a picnic on the beach, or running around outside playing sports, we take time to relax and have fun together. We value intellectual pursuits and material comforts as well as the simple pleasures in life and we hope to foster this sense of satisfaction, peace, and balance with a child as well.

Our goal as parents is to raise a kind and caring boy or girl who will become a thoughtful and good young man or young woman. We will build a family environment that is open-minded, tolerant and accepting of different views and we hope this child will never hesitate to ask a question or challenge a closely held belief. It is in this way we hope to build trust and respect. We want this child to feel safe in exploring their heritage and family background. For this reason, we are open to the child having contact with you after the adoption whether through email, exchange of photos and letters, and/or phone calls.

To have the opportunity to become parents and share our lives with a child as special as yours is truly a gift. We will always cherish and honor your sacrifice and will raise the child with a deep admiration and appreciation for this courageous decision that you are making today.

We wish you peace, good health, and strength and thank you again for considering us for this important responsibility and life-long joy.

Samir & Sumreen