Dear Expectant Mother

We are very excited to be starting the open adoption process again! Open adoption has been a very positive experience for us. We have not only been enriched by having a beautiful newborn come into our lives over three years ago but also in getting to know some very special people; our daughter’s birthparents and family. In fact, we met our daughter’s birthmother from this very web site! We called each other several times and then decided we had to meet. We have been a part of each other’s lives ever since.

Michael and I are a very close couple who value highly the bonds of family and marriage. We both grew up mostly on the west coast of Washington State though I spent some of my childhood in upstate New York. We met during our university years and married a year later. Our second year of marriage was spent living in Japan while working as English teachers for the Japanese government. Consequently we love to travel and experience other cultures! We are committed to our faith and attend a close-knit nondenominational church in which we both grew up attending. We participate in weekly Bible studies and gospel services. Our little daughter, Katrien, attends with us. We are both teachers; Michael of Japanese, and myself am 1st grade teacher.  Michael also runs an import/export business out of our home with a close family friend who lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Michael and I have grown especially close over the past 8 years as we have experienced unexpected infertility during our family planning. We spent a few years doing all the invasive clinical procedures and realized we were slowly losing our sanity when we could be adopting! What a cool opportunity! It was a huge relief to get off that track and step into a new and rewarding realm. Because parenting for us has come at such an emotional cost we have taken parenting very seriously. We think it is the greatest privilege in the world to be entrusted with the most precious gift there is; a little baby who has so much to learn and become. Because of our high interest in parenting we often read up on all kinds of the latest brain research, new information about emotional intelligence, and parenting in general. Some of this comes with our continuing education for our teaching certificates but we also want to be the best kind parent we can be. After all, parenting is a great responsibility!

Our little family is ready to grow again. We are eager to open our lives and hearts to another birthmother and birthfather who chooses us only because they think our home and who we are is the best place for their precious gift to grow up and become a happy adult. We so respect your right to choose because as we learned with our daughter and her birthmother, Emily, it settles many feelings and your unborn baby will certainly feel your settledness.

Our little daughter, Katrien, is ready for a sibling as she just turned three. We expect adjustment periods like most siblings have but she is a very emotionally secure child and is so looking forward to being a big sister. She may very well be even more protective of a new brother or sister than her mommy and daddy! Both of our extended families as well as Emily’s are eager to heartily welcome a new member to the family. You can be assured that the great-grandparents, four sets of grandparents and cousins take their roles very seriously!

Our daughter’s birthmother has generously offered to talk to you if have any questions about her experience with open adoption. She is a big advocate and supporter of anyone considering open adoption. She also happens to be the easiest person in the world to talk to and her enthusiasm is infectious! To respect her privacy she has asked that you contact her by an e-mail address: itigger10@hotmail.com.  Michael and I of course would love to talk with you too! We have recently completed our home-study which opens the door for us to legally start networking with couples. We would love to meet you in person if that would help you. We also would be glad to send you a more inclusive portfolio of our family if you so choose. You can let us know where to send it through our e-mail address.

We wish you and your baby the best and hope to hear from you if you are interested in our little familyl

Respectfully,

Michael, Julie and Katrien