Dear Expectant Mother,
We are Alicia and Robert from Los Angeles, California. We are excited that you are reading our letter and giving us the chance to introduce ourselves. We have been married for over 10 years and have always dreamed of becoming parents. Even though we have not yet met, are thoughts and love are with you during what must be a difficult and challenging time for you.
ABOUT US
We met twelve years ago as attendants at a mutual friend's wedding and soon after fell in love. From the first time we talked it felt as though we had always known each other forever. We had both lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, gone to the same college and had a similar outlook on life. We were both raised in families that valued books, education and passionate discussions around the dinner table.
A fun weekend for us involves taking a long walk, seeing a movie, going out for Chinese or Thai food, and then coming home to read or watch a movie while snuggling with our cat (Señor Gato). The only thing that makes it better is if one of our nieces or nephews joins us. We also love to entertain family and friends with lots of good food, music and fun.
Our favorite vacation is renting a home on the Northern California coast and walking on the bluffs, listening to the waves crash, cooking, and stargazing. We also have a family ranch in the California gold country. It is special place were we can hike, swim and cook with Robert's large extended family.
ROBERT ON ALICIA
Alicia has the biggest heart of anyone that I have ever met. Nothing makes her happier then spending time with her nieces and nephews. Love and laughter just pours out of her. She has many long time friends, many who live in other countries.
Alicia grew up in a close knit Jewish family in New York City, growing up with a stay at home mom and an older sister and brother (both currently living in California). She had a great time riding bikes by the East River and ice skating and sledding in Central Park during the winters. She was exposed to great theatre, old movies, concerts and museums by parents who passed down a love of the arts to her at a young age. They moved to San Francisco when she was 12.
Alicia studied both Art History and Psychology in college. She spent her last semester in Rome, studying art and architecture. I can't wait to go to Italy as a family and see Italy through her eyes. She then earned a graduate degree in business. After working in the business world for a while as a director of investor relations, she decided to pursue her interest in art and prepare to become a stay-at-home mom. Alicia has a magical imagination that is reflected in her art, and her style allows her to make a special connection with children and the child in everyone she meets. She is not afraid of challenges and is always available to help someone who is having a hard time.
ALICIA ON ROBERT
What I love most of all about Robert is his passions for music, his job, our families, and me. When I first met Robert he had over 2000 CDs, and his collection is still growing. He still gets an excited look in his eyes when he's going off to work or going to a concert by one of his favorite bands. But most of all I love that family is the most important thing of all to him, and he would rather come home to me and our cat, then go out after work to network. He is a thoughtful and generous life partner.
Robert grew up in Berkeley, California with a large and warm extended family that includes 3 older sisters and two older brothers. In college he majored in Psychology and Film. After finishing school he moved to Los Angeles to get into the movie business, and now works as an editor, creating movie trailers. He most recently worked on The Dark Knight, Iron Man, & the Terminator 4.
Robert has a gentle nature and a sensitive soul. He is also fiercely protective of those he loves and is an amazing caretaker. I love his patience when playing with our nieces and nephews. He is a master of reading children's books out loud, and he has an amazing library of voices and sound effects. Robert has always been the biggest fan of my art, and he is constantly encouraging me to take more classes and learn more skills. He is never too tired to give me feedback on whatever I am creating.
OUR HOME
We live in Culver City, California, in the Los Angeles area. We have the advantage of living in a small friendly town, while benefiting from all the attractions and cultural events that Los Angeles has to offer. We live in a comfortable 2-story, 4-bedroom house with three palm trees in front and a fenced back yard. In the spring our garden has many flowers, as well as a nice green lawn to play on. We turned a garage in our backyard into Alicia's craft cottage. We will dedicate a children's corner in the cottage so a child can paint, scrapbook, or play. Robert has assembled a home theatre in the family room with a large collection of children's movies. Our home is very comfortable and full of books, toys, art, music and movies.
OUR FAMILY
We are very close to our families. We both have family in Southern and Northern California and we frequently travel up to the Bay Area or to our family ranch to visit. We have a spare guest room that gets frequent use from visiting family. Everyone is very excited that we are starting our family through open adoption.
OUR VALUES
Although we do not practice any organized religion, the holidays are always a favorite time for us. Alicia loves decorating for all the holidays, and the garage is packed full of all our seasonal decorations. Each year Robert's mom has a large Christmas caroling party, and we throw a Hanukah party for family and friends. We enjoy celebrating all cultures and beliefs. Our wedding had a Chinese banquet with traditional lion dancers and a Mexican piñata.
We want you to know that we have waited our whole lives to have a child. We will love and cherish a child and believe that a child can never be spoiled with too much love. We will expose a child to things we love, but the most important thing we can do as parents is help a child find their own passions and nurture them. Education is extremely important to us and we feel fortunate to have the resources to provide whatever type of education will benefit our child the most. It will be our most important life's work to raise a child as a loving, compassionate, kind and happy person.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read our letter and for considering us as adoptive parents. If you have any questions we would love to hear from you. We are so excited about having an open adoption and having a relationship with you. We realize this is an intensely personal decision and we would honor whatever decision you make in regards to the amount of contact you would like with your birth child. We are looking forward to talking with you.
You can call us toll free at 1-877-ADOPT04 (1-877-236-7804) or email us at aliciarobert@earthlink.net. Our very friendly adoption attorney is Susan Romer at 1- 800-823-6788 or she can be emailed at adamsromer@aol.com.
Alicia and Robert
