Dear Expectant Mother,

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to read our letter. We are Christy and Michael, and we hope this is the beginning of our getting to know one another. We imagine that choosing to make an adoption plan has been a difficult decision for you.

We honor and appreciate your courage, as well as the love and devotion you are showing for your child. After nearly ten years of marriage, we still find ourselves sharing laughter, love, and funny stories, along with the mundane tasks like laundry. We are so blessed to be parents to our now 4 year old daughter who we adopted in 2008. With joy and love, we are ready to expand our family once again through adoption!

"What I love about Christy" by Michael
I love how she intuitively and deeply cares for all. She is a sweethearted person who is accepting, giving, and continually puts the needs and feelings of others ahead of her own desires and needs. But this is not to say she is a pushover. She may listen first, and be quiet at times, but she is not afraid to tell me how she feels! She also laughs at most of my jokes. I love that she is a talented preschool teacher with passion for her 'kids'. Also, I know she is happy spending time in the garden with our daughter. She's the one that knows me best, and she still stands by me day after day. When we do hit those rough patches in our lives, Christy remains dependable, kind and loving. She is my precious angel.

"What I love about Michael" by Christy
I love his sensitivity and sweetness, and his silliness. He loves to laugh, and to make us laugh. He has such a great way with our daughter, and just makes her light up when he comes into the room. He brings out the child in us all. I also love his dedication: to his family, to his students, to the things that he finds truly important in his life. He enjoys being a husband and a father, and it shows in his attitude and generosity in our lives. Also he is a great teacher. He wants his students to be successful. He is very supportive and encouraging, and he's my rock.

Above all, we're best friends. We have known each other since we were young. We are partners in life, and we hold each other up during hard times. We also find it good to catch ourselves from time-to-time and remember not to take daily concerns too seriously. We are truly blessed.

Family and Parenthood

We both grew up in Sonoma County, California. We were very close as teens. Then, a decade after college, we met up again. We live in an historic neighborhood near downtown Santa Rosa, California. Our small, happy home was built in 1925. We like to walk downtown and go to the library, and sometimes grab dinner. There are great parks nearby where we like to ride our bikes.

Christy says: "I've learned that family is most important." Holiday gatherings with both her Puerto Rican and Irish sides of the family are celebrated with many people, lots of love, traditional meals and fun. Michael's heritage is Irish, German and Swiss. He's from Virginia, and grew up in Northern California, where he was raised by his loving mom. Michael says: "We want to raise our children to be loving and resilient, and to count on family."

Four years ago we adopted our daughter from Ethiopia. Our choice to adopt again is because we love parenting. It is important that our children share a common African heritage and cultural identity. Our daughter is very social and loving, and is so excited about having a sister or brother. All of our family has welcomed our daughter with open arms, and are now thrilled with our decision to adopt a second time. We are excited to grow our family. We look forward to cuddling our new addition!

Our daughter loves to read, draw and paint, dance, ride her bike and climb. We appreciate the richness of life through friends, foods, music, and experiences from different cultures. We strive for our daughter to grow up with a fondness for her birth family and culture, and for all people. Of course, this will be true for our second child.

Gratitude and Love

Practicing gratitude and love are important to us and play a part in our daily lives. We both grew up in Christian homes, and we appreciate this faith. Also, Christy brings a deep reverence for the natural world, and Michael practices Zen meditation. We see how these spiritual traditions complement each other. From the dinner table blessing to our deepest decisions, these values help inform how we see ourselves and raise our family.

We imagine this is a difficult decision for you. We appreciate your bravery and your love for your child. If you choose us to parent your child, we would want to keep in touch with you and maintain an open relationship. You'll always hold a special place in our lives and the life of this precious child.

Please contact us anytime by calling our friendly adoption attorney

Susan Romer at 1-800-U-ADOPT-US (1-800-823-6788) or emailing us at 2christyandmike@gmail.com

We look forward to the possibility of meeting you.

Thank you for considering us.

Warm regards,

Christy & Michael