Dear Birthmother, Rachel and Ray As you read this letter we would like you to know how much we admire you for considering adoption for your child. At this time when you are making such an important decision, we appreciate the opportunity to tell you a little bit about us and the love we have to share with your child. We met almost 20 years ago while we were both in high school. Ray and my brother were very good friends and my best friend happened to have grown up with Ray (who lived on Rachel Street!) in the same neighborhood. As fate would have it, we met again while Ray was in college rooming with my brother, and we’ve been together ever since. We even went to the high school prom together. We both thought finishing our education was important, so we dated for 8 years before we got married. We knew we someday wanted to have a family, so we searched until we found some land in a small New England town (which coincidentally, is where Ray’s great grandparents had settled and his grandparents grew up there) that had a community that would be enriching for raising a family. With the help of Ray’s Dad and Uncle, we built our own home, knowing that we would stay there and make wonderful memories over the years as a family. After a few years of marriage and a few more rooms were completed in our house, we decided it was time to start a family. We never thought we would have difficulties. After many years of doctor’s appointments, tests and infertility procedures, we understood that we would not be able to become parents on our own. It was then that we decided that our journey to having a family was meant to take another route. Our home that we built together Renewing our vows We have family members who have adopted and this has been a very positive experience for them and for the whole family. We also have met many other families along the way who have adopted and shared their good experiences with us as well. We are very excited to travel this journey to parenthood. Our commitment to each other has grown with each passing year. Last year we celebrated our 10th anniversary and decided to renew our vows. The reception house where we had our wedding ten years prior is also a restaurant, so we have been able to go there for a special dinner on our anniversary. It’s been a wonderful tradition we’ve been able to continue, each year, to celebrate our commitment to each other. G’s first day home We both cherish the closeness we have with our families. This was another one of the factors that helped determine where to settle down. It’s important to us to be able to spend holidays with our families, have the “just to visit” dinners, and to be able to stop over and say “Hi”. We wish for the child that is welcomed into our lives and hearts to know the love and support of family and to know laughter, as we feel these are an important part of life. We both grew up in families who are always having fun and going the extra mile to have a laugh. Ray’s Dad and Uncle even so much as had antics that went on from his home in California to the east coast here where we are! I, Ray, come from a very large family on both my parents’ sides. Most of my family continues to live nearby. My parents, younger brother, and sister live only a few miles away. My Dad is a retired Captain of the fire department and he always has great stories to tell about his adventures on fire calls. Growing up, family holidays were large gatherings with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and plenty of children running around at play. I am an avid football fan and have been Dressed up for Halloween in Dad’s going to the games firefighter uniform Celebrating a birthday with Ray’s family Ray, Emma and Rachel with my father, aunt, uncle and cousins for many years. We have a great time meeting up on Sundays for home games at the stadium along with the full pre-game tailgate spread. I’ve had season tickets for 14 years and would love to one day share these fun times with our daughter or son, as I have done for many years with my family. My sister has a baby girl, Emma, and we are honored to be her godparents. She is such a joy to be around and watch her develop and grow. The truth is she adores us and follows me around everywhere now that she can walk! I adore her also. I, Rachel, have a much smaller family by comparison. My parents, grandmother and older brother all continue to live close by. I grew up in a family that loved to cook. My great grandmother, who came to the United States from Sweden, learned to cook in Boston by Fannie Farmer herself. Growing up I’d spent many hours in the kitchen with my Grandmother and Mother learning the family recipes. Sharing the love of cooking has enabled my family many hours A family wedding with Rachel’s mom of spending time together, as well as sharing those cherished family recipes. I love when Christmas time comes and I get to take out the recipe cards that are titled “Mom’s Banana Bread” or “Gram’s Spritz Cookies”. Christmas has always been a big holiday in my family. My Mother and I each Having our Christmas danish put up a few Christmas trees each year and have such a good time decorating for the holidays. Christmas morning I still am not able to sleep in and I love to get up early and carry on the tradition of hot danish and cocoa while I open Christmas gifts. It will be so precious when I can share this Christmas holiday excitement as a parent. Paper hats on Christmas We are established in our careers and are fortunate to work in family friendly work environments. Ray has a home office, which affords him some flexibility with this schedule. Rachel works at a company that is rated in the 100 Best Companies by Working Mothers. The company is very flexible with its work schedules and has many benefits for families. This includes scholarships, children’s holiday parties, charitable events and discounts to many children’s shows when they come to town. We live in a New England town that affords many different opportunities and cultures. It’s a hill town Taking Emma to see Elmo Show where we frequent the state parks nearby to hike. We love to walk our dog in these parks on the weekends. Our dog, who we call “G,” loves to play with our niece and our neighbor’s children when they stop by with their parents. He is a very patient and loveable animal. Our home is on over an acre of land in a neighborhood situated across a mountain. It’s beautiful for taking walks and enjoying the outdoors. Over eight colleges of varied educational fields of study surround us. The town we live in is also convenient to a variety of destinations. We can take a jaunt to Tanglewood (which is a Cookies with Sydney beautiful outdoor center for music) for a concert or head to the shore for a day at the beach on a hot summer day. We are also in driving distance to Boston and can take a train into New York City. There is so much to do where we live and we look forward to providing our child with exposure Emma having fun with Uncle Ray’s cell phone to all the sights and recreation that our region has to offer. Rachel’s father reading to “G” Emma and her new God Parents We want our son or daughter to grow up knowing that their opportunities are limitless and provide them with nurturing so they can grow up to be whomever they aspire to be. We have a financial plan that will provide the funds necessary to allow our children to pursue the education that they want in the fields of their interests. Our families were supportive of our educational desires and interests, and we are committed to providing that same freedom and opportunity to the children welcomed into our home and family. We both come from such loving families and they can not wait to meet the child who will become part of our family, especially Rachel’s parents as this will be the first grandchild on her side of the family. We have grown up with the love and support from both our families. We look forward to sharing in these wonderful traits when we fulfill our dream to be parents. Cutty Hunk Island If we are fortunate to be the parents that you choose for your child, we would be happy to learn about what communication you would like during your child’s growing up years. We are more than happy to send photo/letter updates, speak on the phone and have visits. Friends who adopted their son have found that these ways of staying in connection have helped their family and their child’s birthparents have a warm relationship over the years. We want you to always feel assured that your son or daughter is happy and that he or she knows how much love and thought went into your plan. We’d like to know what you’d like in this regard. Thank you for letting us share a part of our lives with you. We know you have a very important decision to make, and we welcome the opportunity to talk with you and share more about us and answer any questions you may have, if that would be helpful for you. We are interested in learning what your hopes and wishes are for your child. Please contact Full Circle at 1-800-452-3678 if you would like to be able to ask questions about us or to arrange a time to talk, as we would be honored to speak with you. Respectfully yours, Ray and Rachel