Dear Expectant Mother,

Hello-my name is Julie and I would first like to thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

My dream has always been to be a mother, and knowing that this dream may be realized is exciting for me. At the same time, I can only imagine how difficult this process must be for you. My hope is that you will feel at peace with whatever you decide. I want you to know that I will provide your child with a wonderful life. I will love, nurture, guide and support your child every step along the way. I am very comfortable with an open adoption and will support your wishes as to what you feel comfortable with in the future.

My personal experience of adoption

Adoption is very close to my heart and I truly believe in open adoption. My mother placed my oldest sister for adoption when she was twenty-one and she had very little emotional support surrounding her placement. We were lucky enough to find her when she turned eighteen when she was looking for my mom as well. Having gone through this experience, there is no doubt in my mind that open adoption is the only option for me. The years and years that my mother and sister spent wondering were very difficult for them and I would not want anyone to have to experience that. My family is incredibly supportive and excited for me to adopt.

About me

I was born and raised in Sacramento. My parents have been together for forty-five years and I am the youngest of four. I have two older sisters and a brother. I feel fortunate to have had a wonderful childhood. I lived in a neighborhood that had a lot of outdoor space to play and I would swim, hang out in our tree house and play sports at the nearby park with kids from my neighborhood. I am still close to almost everyone I grew up with. As a child I was lucky enough to travel all over the world because my mother was a flight attendant, and she would take me with her on some of the flights that she was working. Our family was able to fly for free and one of my favorite memories of all is when my father and I went to Paris when I was fourteen.

I also come from a huge soccer family. I played soccer for fifteen years and it was a big part of my life. My dad was my coach and was a great one to say the least. My siblings also played and we were all so supportive of each other and would always make it a point to be at each other's games.

In school, I was just an average student and struggled from time to time. Although I may have spent a little too much time at community college, I finally made it to a university, where I majored in Sociology. I loved every second of college. I learned so much about myself and was able to see the world in a whole new light. College gave me confidence, and the belief that I could do anything that I wanted and at the same time allowed me to appreciate all the opportunities that were given to me. I continued on to earn a teaching credential soon after college.

My Family and Friends

My family is very close- knit and we share a ton of love and laughter. My brother and his family live just a few blocks away and my parents are just a couple miles down the road. I see them all the time and speak to them on an almost daily basis. Both my sisters live within one hour from me; one is a teacher and the other is a correctional officer. I am also a proud aunt of three nephews and a niece. My nephews are 18, 16 and 2 and my niece is 8 months. Holidays are big in my family and I love each and every one of them. My friends and family gather and the kids are always the guests of honor. We have a 4th of July Block Party every year with a kids parade, Halloween parties, Easter egg hunts and Christmas morning we eat homemade cinnamon rolls as my brother dresses as Santa.

I have a great group of friends. I grew up with many of them and feel lucky to still have them in my life. Most of them are parents and are extremely supportive in helping me with the process of adoption. We make a point to get together each month to do lots of laughing and share some great food. We always have the best time and love to watch their children's relationships grow each month.

Life as a Teacher

I love my job as a high school culinary arts teacher. My students are so special to me and are a huge part of my life. I basically cook all day long and there is always a lot of laughter. One of the main reasons that I became a teacher was because I knew the lifestyle that I would be able to have, particularly as a parent. I have always imagined picking my kids up from school, taking them to soccer practice or dance class (if they so desire), having dinner on the table, and taking vacations in the summer. I am lucky to be off work by 2:30 everyday and have fifteen weeks off a year. My mother is retired and my father works part time, and they have offered to babysit while I am at work. They are very excited to be part of this process, and even more excited to be grandparents.

Words from my parents

As grandparents, we are both eager to bring a new child into our family and assist Julie in any way possible. We believe any child will be truly fortunate to call Julie "mom." She is loving, caring, intelligent and resourceful. Julie has made us so proud to call her our daughter and as the grandparents, we are excited about our role and will

always be there when Julie is working or needs our help or support. We look forward to joining Julie in offering a child as many memorable experiences as possible throughout his or her childhood.

I have a great group of friends. I grew up with many of them and feel lucky to still have them in my life. Most of them are parents and are extremely supportive in helping me with the process of adoption. We make a point to get together each month to do lots of laughing and share some great food. We always have the best time and love to watch their children's relationships grow each month.

My home

I live in a small neighborhood just outside of downtown Sacramento. I have a charming brick house that was built in 1926. It still has many of the original fixtures and I absolutely love living in this house. My neighborhood is a perfect place to raise a child. I live near great schools and two amazing parks. One park that is just blocks from my home has special events and concerts for kids in the summer. On any given day, no matter what the weather may be, you will always find kids playing in their yards, skateboarding or riding their bikes. This is a very active neighborhood and I love being a part of it.

Our Cabin

Our family owns a cabin in Lake Tahoe, which is only two hours from my home. It has been in our family for over twenty years. The lake is just a couple blocks away and it's absolutely beautiful. Taking the dogs on walks and barbecuing on the deck are just a few things I love to do in the summer. In the winter, there is nothing better than sledding with my nephews and finish off the day with a little hot cocoa and chicken and dumplings.

My Dogs

I have two dogs, Soda and Mona. Soda is twelve and a little mixture of everything. Mona is three and a proud pug. My dogs add so much warmth to my house. They always greet me when I come home with a huge welcome and accompany me on walks around the park and weekend trips. They love kids and are gentle loving dogs.

Thank You!

Thank you again for reading my letter. Families created by adoption are so special, and my child will always know his or her adoption story and the wonderful way we became a family. I look forward to meeting you, getting to know you and building a relationship so your child will always have you in his or her life. I wish you the best in making this important decision.

If you would like to contact me directly, please call 1-877-697-2744 or email me at julieadoptions@gmail.com. You can also contact my adoption attorney, Susan Romer, at 1.800.U.ADOPT.US (1.800.823.6788).