Thank you for considering us in your decision to place your child up for adoption. We hope this letter introduces you to our lives as a couple ready to adopt a child. We look forward to being able to share more with you in the near future.

     Doug and I met in college, 13 years ago, and were engaged a mere four months after our first date. I believe in fate, and we were definitely meant to meet at that point in our lives. We were both studying engineering at the time but had not met until my final semester. Getting married shortly after graduation was ideal, as we have had more than eleven years to grow together and plan for our family.

     In preparation for the start of our family, we bought a house and started furnishing a nursery. Our house has plenty of rooms, a large yard, and is in a neighborhood with nearby schools and parks. We also organized our finances and lifestyle so each of us can take some time off from work when we adopt a child. We both believe education is very important and have chosen a college savings plan for our children. We want our children to have the opportunity to learn about whatever things they are interested in.

     We love being outdoors and have been very active over the last few years. Doug comes from a family of summertime campers and camping is an activity that he has shared with me. We are both very excited about the various places we have camped and plan for where we will camp when we have children. Quite a few of our campouts the past few years have been with families including children of various ages, so we know we will enjoy this aspect of our lives with our children, right from their younger years.

     Doug and I have a tandem bicycle (bike for two), which we love to tour on. Doug was always an avid biker, and continues to use his bike as his preferred method of commuting to his office. We are fortunate to live in a climate where outdoor activity is relatively easy to participate in throughout the year.

     We both also love to cook, which allows us the freedom to 'play' with flavors and experiment while entertaining our friends. I am particularly fond of baking and jump at the chance to create cakes for special occasions. I am always involved in planning parties with friends or coworkers and see it as the perfect opportunity to use up some of my creative energy.

     Doug is the youngest of three boys and is somewhat of a 'big kid.' Most people realize Doug has a quirky sense of humor, but that seems to fit perfectly with children. He communicates with all children in a way where they know they are being heard. He is spontaneous and fun, but understands that children also need boundaries. He has been a tutor and instructor at various times in his life and finds great satisfaction in passing down knowledge to others. He is the most unbiased, fair person I know, which makes him an easy fit with any group of people.

     Doug works as a software consultant in an office just 10 minutes form home. He has the option to work from home, which will allow him to also enjoy some time at home with the baby. I work as a transportation engineer in a midsize firm 20 minutes from home. Because the staff is almost 50% young professional women, my company is looking at ways to accommodate motherhood, including job-sharing. This might allow me to work three days per week, after returning from my family leave. We have both talked at length about what we want for our children, and we feel confident that we will be able to provide a warm and supportive life for our family.

     Kam is the middle child in a three-girl family, and comes from a community where children of all ages are included in events throughout the year. So, Kam has always been around children of all ages, and I think that exposure somehow intensified her maternal drive. We are unable to biologically have children, but never doubted that we would have a family to love and cherish. So, one day in 1996 when Kam looked at me and said, "I want a baby", I knew that was really an announcement that it was time to figure out how to adopt. We've been on the journey since then.

     During the recent six years, or so, Kam and I have gradually updated more and more of our leisure activities to include children. This is in large because our friends and acquaintances have been adding children to their families, so when we get together we very often spend some time involving the kids before their bedtime. But there are other occasions where we take on our friends' children so that they can enjoy some 'alone' time, and so that we can have some time with kids. We really enjoy these times with the children and love having our house filled with the laughter and giggles associated with these fun times.

     Adopting a child will be a new experience for Kam and I, but adoption is something that our greater families are fully familiar with. Kam's sister and bother-in-law adopted a baby boy and then premature twin boys. Our families have always been aware of our plans and are eagerly anticipating the arrival of a baby into all of our lives.

     Kam's religious background fascinated me, because we are not the same religion, but she assured me that would be all right. And it has been all right, and that's part of my ongoing fascination. Because of this diversity, we believe our children will grow to be accepting and tolerant people and will have many interesting experiences in two cultures. We know our children will have the opportunity to learn a second language at home, which I am also learning at this time.

     Although Kam's family comes form a very different background, Kam has been raised in the west and her family continues to celebrate both their own religious holidays and traditional Christian holidays. This is the type of open-thinking atmosphere we are excited about raising our children in.

     We understand the desire that you might have for updates, and are willing to keep in touch via letters and photos through the years. Our children will know of their adoption and the choices that their birthmothers made for their wellbeing.

     We hope this helps you in making your decision. If you'd like to learn more about us or speak to us directly, please call Cindy Simonson at A Act of Caring 1-800-556-5635.