Andrew and Jeremy have a very close connection to adoption because Andrew's father, Than, was adopted during Operation Baby-lift from Vietnam when he was four years old. Andrew's Grandma and Grandpa picked Than up from the airport and brought him back to their small town in North Dakota to begin their new life together. Than's adoption has always been openly talked about while Andrew was growing up. The conversations surrounding this topic started early and continue today. Andrew and Jeremy were fortunate enough to visit the orphanage in Vietnam where Than was adopted. Andrew has been to this site located in Ho Chi Minh City twice- Once with Jeremy and another time with his 85-year-old Grandma Marcia. Visiting the place her son came from was a bucket list item for Marcia, and being there with her was an incredible experience for Andrew.

We are very on-the-go kind of people. We both have a lot going on, and that is the way we like it! Andrew owns his own marketing company that is only steps away from our downtown condo. He loves being able to walk to work every day and being in the heart of the downtown community. This business keeps Andrew very busy creating content for all kinds of clients around the country. Jeremy is a choir teacher at a public school located 30 miles away from our home. He has been teaching music to 5th-12th graders at this school for seven years and loves the work along with the community of students, staff and parents. Jeremy directs the school concerts and musicals that draw thousands of viewers annually.

We own quite a bit of property together and have turned many spaces into Airbnb's. Transforming these spaces into rental income is a hobby of ours and a fun side project to work on together. Despite both being busy, we always find time to spend together. Most evenings, we cook a meal and often host friends and family at our condo for gatherings. We are both very social people who enjoy sharing what we have with the people we love.

Raising a child in North Dakota inevitably means having more limited access to diversity than raising a child in other parts of the United States. However, where we live is an exception because of the many different cultures celebrated in our downtown community. Andrew knows first-hand what it is like growing up in North Dakota as a minority and learned that his Vietnamese heritage is something to be proud of and part of what makes him unique.

Jeremy was also raised in a home where different cultures are celebrated. Jeremy's father is from New Zealand and still has his entire family that lives on the South Island today. Some of his siblings have married indigenous Maori people, and they incorporate the Maori traditions and culture into their everyday lives.

We both have been extremely fortunate to travel all over the world and learn about/experience different cultures first-hand. Traveling offers many valuable experiences and has opened our eyes to the world. We look forward to experiencing the joys of travel with our children in the future.

We live together in a beautiful two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in North Dakota. Our home is in the heart of the downtown community, meaning there is always something fun to do or a new place to check out! Our neighborhood has many year-round events including, movie nights, live music performances, parades, and street fairs. We have spent the last nine years together in this space and have loved being part of the downtown scene because of the many friends and family that live within walking distance. Our home is only steps away from many restaurants, shops, and community areas.

We enjoy playing pickleball and swimming at the pool of a nearby park and ice-skating at the rink located across the street. We also enjoy running/biking trails near the river during the warmer months. There is a lot to love about our condo, but highlights include the tall ceilings, open floor plan, home office, and local art we have collected over the years. We both enjoy making spaces feel comfortable and inviting and know what a fantastic place our neighborhood and home would be to raise a child!

We are both very close with our families, both immediate and extended.

Jeremy grew up with two younger brothers and a wonderful mom and dad. His brothers, Tommy and Jack, both live in the same town as we do, and his parents come to visit frequently from their lake home. Jeremy's family enjoys time spent on the water, around the bonfire, and eating Dad's famous Thai food he prepares on their hibachi grill. His father is from New Zealand, and his mother's from Minnesota, so as a family, they have spent a lot of time in both places and enjoy traveling together. Jeremy's extended family is large (over 30 first cousins), and most of them are very musical, so when they get together, the guitars come out, and the party starts!

Andrew is the oldest of 4 younger sisters who grew up in a small town in North Dakota with their parents. They are soon-to-be all living in the same city again, and he cannot wait to spend even more time with them! Andrew also spends a lot of time with his grandma, Marcia, who luckily lives nearby. His family is very active, easy-going, and full of fun. They enjoy being outdoors, playing the card game Pinochle and experiencing new things/places together.

Both families are just as excited as Andrew and Jeremy about adding a child to their lives and absolutely cannot wait to surround them with love.

Let us start by saying that we know how hard this decision must be for you. We can only imagine what you must be feeling right now, so we hope that you can put your mind at ease about the decision ahead of you by reading our letter. Although many things are out of our control, if we are fortunate enough to be the chosen parents, we can promise you a few things without a doubt.

We promise to love your child. We are bursting at the seams to share our love and are surrounded by family and friends who feel the same way. Your child will be supported by us and a fantastic community of people who will always be in their corner. They will experience unconditional love their entire lives.

We promise to give your child a good life, and we mean good in every sense of the word. We are so fortunate to live in a beautiful home, in a beautiful town, with unforgettable experiences at our fingertips. We look forward to family vacations, days spent on the lake with loved ones and having family near us. Your child will want for nothing and have every opportunity to grow and become the best person that they can be.

We promise that we are ready for this step. Saying that we are prepared may be an understatement because, simply put, we cannot wait to become parents. We have been together for nine years and married for over four. We even talked about having kids and raising families the first week we met! This talk of growing our family has been constant throughout our relationship, and we are at the point where we are ready to make that step a reality. The thought that we may get the chance to raise a child together makes both of us excited, humbled, and emotional beyond words.

We hope that you can feel what this opportunity would mean for us through reading our letter. This next chapter would be life-changing for not only us but also for you. We know what a big decision this is for you, and that is why our final promise is to be here for your child and you as well.

We promise to be there for you in whatever capacity you may need. We are open to all types of communication, including letters, pictures, emails, phone calls, and future visits. We want this experience and decision to be what is best for you and your child because, ultimately, that is what will be best for us as well! We want you to rest easy knowing that you will have every support you may need during this entire process.

We are grateful to you for taking the time to read through our letter and are thankful for the opportunity to tell our story. We hope to connect with you soon.

Andrew & Jeremy