We waited a long time before hearing that our son's birth mother had chosen us. That day was the best day of our lives (so far). Henry came into the world two months later. We met him at 14 hours old. The nurse placed him in Courtney's arms and she hasn't let go since.

Happy Henry talks. All. The. Time. He learns new words like it's his job, which it is, because he's a baby. He wants to hug people and things every chance he gets, including trees, his favorite toys and books, and of course, his family and friends (and the dog!). From an early age you could tell how much he cares about how other people are feeling. Always offering a hug or a kiss, a snuggle or laugh. On a daily basis he does something that makes us stop, look at each other, and shake our heads in awe of him, and the fact that he's ours. He's only two-years-old right now but he already loves to be a helper. Throwing dirty (and clean) clothes in the machine, getting his own bib and plate to the table, he beams with pride.

Recently we started talking to him about getting a baby brother or sister and in true Henry fashion his response is simple ..."hug?" That's one of the many ways we know your baby will be in very good arms.

We like spending time in our home and in our neighborhood, but we also like going out of our comfort zone and taking advantage of the world we live in. When Graham graduated from college he biked from Courtney's apartment in Brooklyn to her parents' house in the Great Northwest. It was a three-month long adventure that he'd thought about doing for years and was lucky to have the opportunity to do with a couple of like-minded friends. Eight years later we packed up our bikes and flew to Europe. We biked from Brussels to Amsterdam in two weeks, planning our route along the way. Graham was able to share his love of long distance biking with Courtney, and Courtney got to see a part of the world she'd always wanted to see. Traveling spontaneously like that, by bike, not knowing where we'd end up the next day, was a freeing and amazing experience for both of us. While we love bike trips, we equally love tossing our son and dog in the car and driving around the coast exploring nearby towns. We look forward to the day we get to take this child adventuring with us too!

Since we first started dating we've always gone out of our way to make each other feel special. While Graham isn't exactly known for his writing skills, when he writes about Courtney he becomes a pro. He's been known to leave poems on her pillow, write messages on mirrors, and slip notes into her purse before a day at work. So many poems, love notes, and cards that she was able to make a book of them. Two years ago we celebrated our ten year dating anniversary. Courtney scanned every last note that she'd saved over the years and made a book called Ten Years of Graham. She hopes to be able to do the same thing in another ten years and has already started collecting Graham's words of love. Finding creative ways to make each other feel cherished and special is something we can't wait to do for this child.

We recently moved to a new neighborhood. We're now a short 10-minute drive away from Courtney's parents, and sister's family. We're so excited to be even closer to our family, for cousin play dates, game nights, and rotating weekly dinners.

Our house is warm and cozy, with light beaming in from every direction. We imagine walking around our new spaces, playing with Henry, carrying this new sleepy baby around everywhere and it just makes it feel even more like home.

Our new neighborhood is a close-knit group that we're excited to join. We've heard rumors of neighborhood Fourth of July parties, and that this block goes all out for Halloween. We can't wait to experience it all with social little Henry. Our house is 1.5 blocks away from one of the best parks in our city. It's 135 acres of forests, and paths, and playgrounds. Not to mention the pool and a wading pool right next to our entrance to the park. We're an all weather family, meaning we like to play outside rain or shine, and love knowing our kids get to grow up enjoying and appreciating nature and fresh air. And some dirt under their fingernails! We’re also one big hill away from the Puget Sound so that adds to our daily explorations and adventures.

Henry loves riding his bike in front of the house and to the park. We've already met so many little friends, we're eager to watch all of the friendships grow, young and old. And we're extra eager to add one more little friend to the crew.

We are both so grateful to have amazing, supportive, fun families. Courtney's parents and sister's family live about 30 minutes away. We try to see them a few times a month, with Sunday dinners, or boat trips around the lake. All of our kids are obsessed with each other and it's been so cool to see them grow closer in their friendships as they grow up. We can't wait for this new child to enter our lives, and be part of the circle of cousins.

Courtney's dad likes to celebrate everything, big and small, which keeps everyone in high spirits, and looking forward to the weeks ahead. We love traveling with them and try to do a big family trip every couple of years. Last year we went to Italy for her dads 70th birthday!

Graham's family lives across the country which is hard, but gives us lots of excuses to hop on a plane and visit for weeks during the summer and for holiday's. We love playing board games with them, sitting around the table by the fire, and swimming off the dock in their backyard.

We have a few friends who we've chosen to consider family. They keep us going, keep us laughing, keep us focused on life goals, and they simply keep our hearts happy.

Our hearts are wide open and aching to welcome this baby, and you, into our lives. While we know that we'll love your child with all of our hearts, we'll also love you. For the gift you're giving us, for the characteristics we'll cherish in them that come from you, for the positive effects that come from having you in their lives, and in ours. Our hearts have led us to you, and we hope you feel the same way.

We met in college, have been together for fourteen years (married for nine) and find ourselves saying that we're more "obsessed" with each other every year. We're surrounded by lifelong friends and devoted family, but we think that everything is more enjoyable when we're together. We know that raising children will be no exception.

We are grateful and humbled to share that, after a long wait, we adopted our son Henry two years ago. Being parents means committing our life to someone other than ourselves, and putting them first. To focus our energy on raising people who are kind, thoughtful, and well-rounded. We look forward to spending our time with such cool people. Within the first few years of adding another member to our family, we most look forward to getting to know them, their uniqueness and their quirks. We also can't wait to watch the relationships grow between us all. Courtney has fully embraced being a stay-at-home mom and is eager to settle into a new routine of being a family of four.

Courtney's family creates traditions and celebrates just about everything, big and small. It's a way to enjoy life a little more and appreciate things along the way. We want to remind this child that their adoption is a positive part of their lives. We look forward to creating a tradition around our communication with you. Of course, when they're younger we'll choose photos and milestones to share, but as soon as they're old enough to help we want to include them in the decisions and communications. We imagine all four of us huddling around the computer clicking through photos, letting them choose which ones to send you each time. Asking them what they'd like to tell you about. From the very beginning they'll know that you care about them and how they're doing. And that your decision to place them with us changed our lives and the gift of them is the best thing that ever happened to us.

The most important thing to us is that we raise a good person. Someone who cares about other people's feelings. It's also important to us that they learn how to work for the things they want out of life. And we want to teach them to persevere when it isn't as easy as they expected. We want them to go away to college and become independent people. And we want to raise them full of acceptance and comfort so that they always know they can come home, and more importantly want to.

We know that you'll always love your baby, and we respect you for loving them this much. We'll honor that respect by following through with our commitment to you. We believe that everything happens for a reason, and all of our struggles have happened in order for us to be among the many adoptive families in front of you today.

With sincere hope,

Graham & Courtney