Dear Birthmother:

Hello! We are Steve and Sarah. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little better and, especially, for considering the plan of adoption. Although we cannot know what your thoughts and feelings are right now, we do know that adoption is based on great love and great trust; loving your baby so much that you want to give it the most fulfilling life possible, and if you choose adoption, trusting us to do that. And for us - having so much love to give, and trusting God will bring a baby into our lives to love, and kiss, and raise, knowing how much he or she is loved by you.

ABOUT US
I want to tell you a little bit about how we met. (Steve is reading this over my shoulder as I type!) We met at work in the spring of 1999. I had just hired in and was going through a training class when I saw a cute boy walk through the hallway (Steve, of course!) I decided to change shifts so I could flirt with him a little bit. Thankfully, Steve flirted back, and we soon began dating. We were married three years later in June, 2002. We just celebrated our five year anniversary, taking a cruise with my brother, his fiancée, and several of our close friends.

ABOUT STEVE by Sarah
Steve is an amazing man, full of humor, honesty, and a passion for helping others. When I first met him, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. At a young age, he knew he wanted to be a paramedic. He loves the excitement, the civic duty, and the friendships he has created sharing 24 hour shifts with his partners. But on a more personal note, I am amazed at his patience, his wisdom, and his strength. He knows exactly how to cheer me up - sometimes by singing (badly!) along with the radio. And he always supports my decisions - whether it was going back to school, or changing plans to be with family and friends. I am so lucky to have found him.

ABOUT SARAH by Steve
Sarah is practically a mother already, taking care of me, family, and friends. She spends her days serving others as a nurse at a major hospital and going to school. She also served as a combat medic in the US Army, and I am very proud of her for that. Education is very important to her, and she is somewhat of a career student, always trying to improve herself. We are both looking forward to the end of the year (December 2007) when she will be finished with school, and we can concentrate on building our family. We have so much fun together. She has a great attitude about life. I love the way she laughs. She can always find the lighter side no matter how dark things get. She is my support system and I can't imagine life without her.

Bodi and Apollo in the backyard.

OUR LIFE TOGETHER
Steve and I are very close with our families. Both of our parents live only 10-15 minutes away and are eagerly awaiting babysitting duty! Between the two of us, we have 5 nieces and nephews, and enjoy the family vacations and frequent long weekends we spend with them. Steve is so good with the little ones. It is a standing joke among our friends and family that if kids are around, we don't see him anymore. They have him doing magic tricks, jumping on a trampoline, or playing tag in the back yard!

We live in a very kid friendly neighborhood with sidewalks, and a park close by. We have two dogs, Apollo and Bodi, that run around the backyard, and often play with the neighbor kids when they are outside, too.

We travel quite a bit, and have recently been to family reunions or weddings in Texas, Mexico, North Carolina, and are planning a trip to Denmark to visit with family soon. We also enjoy camping very much and get away two or three times each summer with friends or family to enjoy the Great Outdoors. We were both lucky enough to have parents and grandparents who liked to travel. I spent summers fishing in Michigan and swimming in Florida. Steve grew up in Colorado, and he and his sister love to retell stories of their trip to the Grand Canyon, and vacations to the ocean in California. We are both looking forward to sharing all of these adventures with our child, and starting our own vacation traditions.

Our home

Although we both like to get our hands dirty and go on hikes, Steve is the real outdoorsman. He loves to go trail riding and kayaking. He also finds time to work on the 1971 Volkswagon sitting in the garage. (It doesn't go far, though, because the engine is currently sitting on the floor next to it!) He grew up helping his dad work on an old car in the garage, and he is so excited to share that experience with our child. Whether we have a son or a daughter, he is determined that he or she will know how to replace a flat tire and change their own oil! My free time is spent either around the house, or with friends and family. Several of our close friends have children, or are expecting soon, and we are eager to start "playdates" for our little ones. When it's just the two of us and we aren't feeling as energetic, we like to spend a quiet weekend at home, ordering a pizza and watching movies, just relaxing.

IN CLOSING
Steve's schedule requires him to work only two or three days each week, and my schedule as a nurse can be very flexible, only working on days that Steve will be home. Although we feel that the socialization of day care is very important for a toddler, the security of family is the most important thing for an infant, and we plan to have one of us or a grandparent with him or her during those first years.

The beaches of St. Maarten, Virgin Islands

When Steve and his sister were adopted (his sister as a newborn, Steve was 2 years old), the entire family welcomed them with open arms. Both of our families know of our plans to adopt and are very excited about it. We have experienced the heartbreak of miscarriages, and the doctors, lab tests, and medications associated with infertility. We have chosen not to pursue that any longer, and have embraced the miracle of adoption with our whole hearts. Your baby will grow up knowing how much he or she is loved by you, and we would be happy to exchange pictures and letters to share the growth of your child. However, we do realize that receiving future updates is a very personal decision, and we will honor your wishes in this matter.

We hope this letter has given you a sense of who we are. If you decide that we are the family that you are looking for, please know that your baby will be placed in a home full of love, and lots of laughter. If you would like to learn more about us, please contact us through our attorneys, Steve or Joel Kirsh, at (800) 333-5736. This will not obligate you to proceed with the adoption process. Instead, they can provide you with the information you need to make a decision you are comfortable with.

Again, thank you for taking the time to learn a little about us,
Steve and Sarah