Dear Birth Mother,

We are Melissa and Henry. We are privileged to have the opportunity to write to you, and grateful that you are considering adoption for your child. Knowing that life does not always turn out as planned, we can only appreciate and be in awe of your courage and are hoping for the best for you. For us, we hope more than anything to have a family. Adopting a baby will fulfill a dream we have both had for a very long time.

We know our words can convey only part of what you need to know to make your decision. Please know that we greatly respect and are humbled by the path you have chosen. Should you choose us as your child's adoptive parents, we will be overjoyed to welcome him or her into our lives and will do everything we can to raise a happy, successful person. We want him or her to know that we regard you with the utmost respect and that you made a selfless choice in choosing adoption.

Since either of us can remember, we each assumed we would be parents. After trying everything under the sun to get pregnant, we realize how lucky we are to still have each other, our health, and the steady desire to have a family. Having hoped and tried for so long, our lives are set up for parenthood. We have a wonderful home, great relatives, steady incomes, and the means to enjoy and pursue our hobbies. Part of our desire to become a Mom and Dad is our commitment to providing a baby with all that we have to assure a full and meaningful life ahead.

We live in a modest yet adorable house in a friendly, suburban neighborhood near a small, coastal New England city. Our home has plenty of room for a child, with its wonderful porches, fenced-in backyard, and flower beds. We love our dog, Maude, and our cat named Fever. The neighborhood is safe, has plenty of kids, and it's a short walk to our excellent elementary school, playgrounds, and a public library. We enjoy daily walks on the town beach less than two miles away. The local area offers a great mix of cultural diversity and outdoor activities.

We are so fortunate that our parents and two of Henry's sisters and their kids live close by. We are especially close to Melissa's mom, whom we talk to or see nearly every day. The friends and family that surround us are giving us their love and emotional support as we attempt to become parents.

Henry is a management consultant. He has considerable entrepreneurial experience running his own business in product development, and now enjoys working in a management position in a growing consultancy. Melissa loves her job as an occupational therapist. Having years of experience treating both young and old patients, she looks forward to taking an extended break as a stay-home mom.

Melissa:I am fortunate to have a loving, adventurous family. Because my Dad was a college professor, my parents often took us away from the city for the entire summer. When I was very young, we went to a cabin in Montana where my Mom was raised, on the banks of a beautiful mountain stream. This is where I developed my love of nature and the outdoors. We spent all day playing outside, wading, swimming, fishing and hiking. We sat together after dinner and played games, and my parents made up bedtime stories about the critters that surrounded us in the fields and woods.

Later on, our family spent summers at a cottage in Maine. We did lots of swimming and boating, and my brothers and I made lifelong friends. As teenagers, we worked at local inns and restaurants. This community is still very much a part of all our lives, and we often gather there as a family during the summer and on weekends. Every 4th of July there is a kids' costume parade, and I can't tell you how much I have yearned over the years for my own son or daughter to dress up in some silly outfit and parade with friends while Henry and I and the people I have known and loved forever cheer them on.

I remember being fascinated by babies and children from the very beginning of my life. My little brother, Ken, was born with a heart condition, but he was full of spunk, and I had a great time taking care of him. Fortunately, he had successful life-saving surgery when I was a senior in high school, and he is now a healthy, successful adult. My Mom was a social worker in a city clinic. I learned through her that some kids need more support than others to grow up and be successful. These experiences influenced me as I studied psychology and occupational therapy in college and graduate school. Most of my career has focused on working with children aged from birth to five years old with developmental needs. I always hoped I would be a parent some day, and after all the encouragement I've received, I finally feel that Henry and I are close to realizing our dream of being parents.

I met Henry at a Halloween costume party. He looked adorable, and I was dressed in a grotesque disguise. He asked me out anyway, not knowing what I really looked like. He was utterly polite while we dated, always respectful and considerate. We did amusing things on our dates, like snowshoeing, skiing, bike riding, going to obscure museums and concerts, and gathering with friends. I am forever grateful that he taught me to sail.

Henry is an exceptional husband. Every night at dinner, he asks me how my day was, and he really listens. He helps me stay on schedule (I'm always late!) and gently reminds me to pick up after myself and to register my car. He supports my career and my individual social life. He is so friendly that we can't go anywhere that he doesn't bump into an acquaintance, and then they tell me what a great guy he is, as if I don't already know. Henry is very artistic, so he is the one who chooses which paint to buy and how to arrange the furniture. He dabbles in photography, drawing and computers. Henry is on the go most of the time, so when he finally sits down to relax, I usually find him snoring with his nose in a book.

Henry loves children, and they love him. He has no pride when it comes to being a goofball, and he can make the shyest child collapse in a heap of giggles. I recently watched a friend's daughter smile with delight as Henry carried on a conversation with her goldfish. He has patiently taught kids to sail and to ski. Henry also understands that life for children can sometimes be challenging. Every Tuesday evening, Henry volunteers his heart and soul as a group facilitator at a support center for grieving children, helping them cope with the loss of a loved one.

Henry:My parents raised my three sisters and me in a loving, engaging fashion. We were taught from early on the values of respect for your elders, hard work, family and friendship and the value of a healthy sense of humor. My mom was at home with my sisters and me. She always volunteered in the community. When not working, my father was an avid outdoorsman and he taught me to fish, hunt and thoroughly enjoy the outdoors. Growing up in a very creative, spontaneous and musical family (singing mostly), my Mom opened me up to the idea that anything was possible- to always be curious - and always with a humorous twist. Combining this with my Dad's love of the outdoors, sports, hard work and the simple things in life, I believe I've been given a good perspective on the need for a balance in life.

We moved from the suburbs of New York to a small, coastal town in New England when I was young. This move reinforced many of these values and taught me a lot of self-reliance. I was introduced to boating at an early age. I learned to sail and worked during the summers at the local boatyard. My sisters and I were always encouraged to pursue our interests. We participated in sports both in and out of school. Family and friends have always been central to my outlook on life. I am fortunate to have grown up knowing my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins through shared vacations and holiday gatherings. My Mom and sisters live near by with their families - we get together quite often; my Dad passed away a few years ago- I miss him a lot.

To say "I'm looking forward to being a Dad" doesn't come close. I'm very excited and I can't wait! I know it will be a challenge. The values I grew up with will be a good start and through my own experiences, patience and curiosity with new ideas will be very important. In my experience, I've always been amazed with children's curiosity and through my volunteer work, I continue to learn so much from them and with them through both happy and sad times. I suppose it's their curiosity that I've picked up, combined with good doses of love and humility that'll guide me as a parent.

Since I first met Melissa, and to this day, I love her free spirit and her caring for others. She has a unique mix: spontaneous little girl, a carefree teenager and a responsible, trusted friend. I think it was her laugh that I noticed first - as when we first met she was in a disguise. She's very adventurous and adaptable. She joined me on an overnight sailing trip to deliver a friend's boat and she stayed up through the night, asking questions and feeding us warm tea. One story tells a lot: I planned a surprise birthday party for her - had some friends take her hiking for the day - this particular day was very rainy and windy - oh well, off they went; meanwhile family and friends gathered together in the evening. Melissa arrived completely soaked, as if she'd been swimming. After the surprise and mayhem, she was "on" from the minute she realized what was happening and reveled in her muddy appearance. She cooks up great food, knits me hats that fit my fat head and beats me every time at Scrabble. She takes care of me and her family and friends with selfless abandon. We've been through a lot in the last couple of years, and she's always been here for me. I can assure you, her commitment and passion to be a Mom is unwavering.

Thank you. We want you to feel in your heart that we have compassion and respect for you. If you choose us as adoptive parents, we will raise your child to honor your decision and selflessness as part of his or her life story. We are committed to keeping you informed as you wish, with letters and pictures of his or her growth and development.

If you would like to know more about us, please contact our adoption attorneys, Steve and Joel Kirsh at (800) 333-5736. They are very helpful and easy to talk to, and they won't pressure you in any way. They will work with you to decide what is best for you and your child. If you call after business hours, their answering service will page them and they will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you so much for considering us.

Respectfully,

Henry and Melissa