Dear Expectant Mother,
We are Michael, Erica, and Elliott from Charlottesville, Virginia. We are all very excited about the opportunity to grow our family through adoption. Our son joined our family three years ago through open adoption and it has been a wonderful and loving experience. We look forward to welcoming another child into our family and to watching Elliott become a wonderful big brother! We want you to know that we have the utmost respect for you and want to be supportive to you as you consider adoption.
About Us
We have been married for nine years, but we've been together for over 20 years. We met each other when we were in 9th grade and were high school sweethearts. Our relationship is grounded by the love, respect and admiration that we hold for each other. Our strong family ties, which were nurturing and supportive growing up, are a major influence for us as parents.
We both grew up in loving environments with extended family support, and we spend as much time as we can with all of our family. Family and friends are important to us. We enjoy watching Elliott grow up with his numerous cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and great grand aunts. Several of our friends have adopted their children and we are excited to share the adoption experience with them. There are always big holiday dinners and birthday celebrations that help to bring family together. Every summer, we have a huge family gathering at the house built by Michael's grandparents over 50 years ago in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. Elliott loves going there because he can ride his bike on the dirt roads, swim at the town beach, and visit a nearby farm that has all kinds of animals. Another place we love is Denmark where Michael's mom grew up. Whenever we go, we have such a fun time building sand creatures on the beach, eating lots of ice cream, and of course visiting with our Danish relatives.
We are truly equal partners and share the same parenting philosophy. We both wish to provide a supportive, happy, and loving environment for our children to grow and develop. We are fortunate to be financially secure and able to provide a child with a solid education and opportunities to learn about other cultures through travel. Being parents has enriched our lives tremendously and we look forward to the joy of becoming parents again.
About Michael (by Erica)
Michael was born in Princeton, New Jersey, but moved at a young age to Washington, D.C. He grew up as the middle child to two sisters and had a very active childhood, he especially enjoyed going to the Berkshire Mountains in the summers. Michael is very close to his family; I admire the relationship he has with his family, he is always available to them and is very supportive. After attending college in Boston, Michael worked at the Environmental Protection Agency for five years, then continued his education and obtained an MBA at the University of Virginia. After working for several years in business, he realized his true passion was architecture. He is now in his last year of Architecture School at the University of Virginia and looking forward to his new career.
Michael is a gentle, bright, and creative man who is a wonderful husband and father. Elliott brings out the boy in Michael as they have fun swimming, playing games, or riding bikes with our dog Barney. Michael is a very patient and engaging father, whether he is teaching Elliott how to cook or is snuggled up in bed with him reading Curious George. He happily spends time at home building train tracks or spending time on the beach creating large sand creatures. Michael has always been good with his hands doing house projects and home improvements. He loves the outdoors and continues to be concerned about protecting the environment.
About Erica (by Michael)
Erica was born and raised in Washington, D.C. She is the youngest of three with an older brother and sister. Throughout her childhood, Erica was very involved with her friends always playing outside in the neighborhood, having overnights, or play dates. Erica is very kind and loving, and family is her priority. She is full of compassion for others and always very thoughtful and conscientious. I admire Erica's passion as a mother - she is energetic, creative and always up for anything. Erica and Elliott have fun together swimming, taking walks up to campus for bagels (Elliott rides his bike while Erica walks with our dog), spontaneously traveling to visit grandparents, or hanging out with friends in the neighborhood.
Erica went to college in Wisconsin and graduate school at the University of Michigan, receiving a Master's Degree in public health. She has always worked in the field of social services where she can best help and advocate for others. She worked at the United Way working on maternal and child health issues, and for a small non-profit that supported minority and under-represented youth interested in health careers. Erica is now a stay-at-home mom, which she thoroughly enjoys. When Elliott is at preschool, Erica volunteers for hospice where she spends mornings visiting with sick older adults and helping the staff with meals and other needs.
About Elliott
Elliott was born in October 2005 in Alabama. He is a happy, loving, curious and intelligent boy. He is full of laughter and we often marvel at his sense of humor. Elliott knows when he is being funny and enjoys entertaining us all. He is very good-natured and easy going, making it easy for him to play with children of all ages. He especially likes going to preschool and comes home telling us about his friends and daily activities. Elliott is very active and enjoys swimming, bike riding, reading, playing music, and going on "adventures" to see family and friends.
We have maintained a relationship with his birth parents. We email and talk on the phone, and believe that this open communication will be important to him and our family. Elliot's birthmother is happy that we are adopting again and has offered to speak with an expectant mother who may be considering us as adoptive parents and share her experiences. We would also hope to stay in touch with you if this if this is something you would like.
Our House and Neighborhood
Our home is located in a small university town within walking distance of campus and downtown. We have a fenced backyard and we often grill dinners with friends. Our neighborhood is filled with children and families, and there are great playgrounds and swimming pools nearby. Together we ride our bikes around the neighborhood to see friends. We live two hours from Washington, D.C. where our parents and extended family live, including Erica's 90-year-old great aunt. There are several parks in the area, excellent schools, and even an ice skating rink.
We are full of the joy of life and feel fortunate to have a wonderful family. More than anything, we are excited to share this happiness with another child. We appreciate that you have many decisions to make, and we sincerely hope that our letter has given you an impression of the life we hope to offer your child. We would love to speak with you. If would like to know more about please email us at michaelanderica1@gmail.com. You can also call our very friendly adoption attorney, Susan Romer at 1-800-U-ADOPT-US.(1-800-823-6788) or e-mail her at adamsromer@aol.com.
Erica and Michael
