We have been blessed with two sets of wonderful parents and sisters who will always support us. Because we had such a wonderful childhood, we not only want to emulate it, but also try and give our child an even better life than what we had. One way we would like to do that is by traveling more. We try to go on many trips a year, including quick weekend getaways as well as bigger international trips. We want our children to experience as much of the world as possible. When we aren't traveling, we enjoy spending time with family. We currently live 10 minutes from both Taylor's parents and Taylor's twin sister and about 25 minutes from Austin's parents. We want our parents to have the opportunity to witness the big and small milestones our children go through. Additionally, we believe a healthy relationship between the mother and father is key for families. We have weekly date nights where we do things such as, go on walks, go out to dinner or make homemade popcorn and watch a movie. Although quality time with family is the most important thing for us, we also enjoy spending time with our friends. Austin is currently in a weekly indoor sand volleyball league and Taylor is in a book club. We are extremely grateful for our family and friends. They bring us immense peace and happiness and have been extremely supportive in our adoption journey.

In 2019, we got married and both had a strong desire to have children but wanted to take time to strengthen and enjoy our marriage first. We spent two years enjoying married life, traveling together and growing in our faith as we prepared to bring a child into the world. In 2021, we began trying for a child naturally and decided to pursue IVF after a year without success. After two years of going through seven rounds of IVF, and three miscarriages later, we quickly felt like we were running out of options to have the family we've always wanted. During the Summer of 2024, we were at our nephew's first birthday when Taylor's cousin suggested adoption. As soon as she mentioned adoption, it felt like an answered prayer. After three years of trying to grow our family, pursuing adoption was the first time it felt like we were on the right path. One of Taylor's favorite quotes is, "Everything happens for a reason," and we believe that our trials and tribulations were meant to lead us to this child. We can't think of a better way to raise a child than with two parents who love this child more than they could ever imagine. We have prayed endlessly for our miracle baby, and we can't wait to hold this child in our arms.

We believe that everyone was made in God's image. Although our child may not look like us, we will love that baby more than life itself. It is important to know where you come from, but also where you are going. If our child is a different race, we will make it a priority to merge the culture from our child's ethnic background with our family culture. Taylor's dad would always remind her to resist peer pressure, stick to your morals and treat others the way you would like to be treated. By combining these values with traditions of different cultures, we believe that our child will have the tools necessary to be confident in who they are and where they come from. In addition to instilling values of self worth and determination, we plan to immerse our child in his or her heritage. Living in an area with many different ethnicities provides us with the resources to learn and implement traditions from our child's ethnicity. There are many programs through our church and library that will allow us to include important traditions and values in our child's ethnic background. It is our responsibility as parents to listen to our child's needs and instill the confidence to understand where they come from and who they are because of it.

We are extremely grateful to live in the Naperville area. For the last seven years, Naperville was named the city with the best public schools and the best city to raise a family in the country. It was also named one of the safest cities to raise a child. We live in a newly developed community that is perfect for families and kids of all ages. In the Summer, you can hear the kids in the neighborhood playing with each other at all hours of the day. Our townhouse is next to two large walking trails that are full of mothers pushing strollers, dads walking their dogs, and young kids riding the bikes. Downtown Naperville has many parks and walking trails where we see families spend their Sundays swinging on the swings and racing down the hill. When we aren't exploring the wonderful amenities Naperville has to offer, we are at our townhouse about 15 minutes from Downtown Naperville. Our townhouse is three stories high. When you walk through the front door, you will see Austin's man cave, that will turn into the kid's playroom. On the second floor, we have our kitchen and family room. We spend most of our time on the second floor, cooking dinner together and watching our favorite TV shows. On the third floor, we have the primary bedroom, guest room and future nursery. We know this child will make this house feel even more like a home!

When the child we adopt joins the family, he or she will immediately be immersed in two tight-knit families. We currently live 10 minutes from both Taylor's parents and Taylor's twin sister and about 20 minutes from Austin's parents. Although our families have different traditions, both encompass a lot of laughter, excellent food and lifelong memories. When we visit Austin's parents, we are welcomed with delicious snacks and dips made by Austin's mom while we talk outside on the patio. Austin's mom is the best cook and baker we know! She will make many homemade appetizers, large dinners and multiple desserts each time we are at the house. We usually end the night around the fire, listening to music and spending quality time together. On Sunday's, we regularly go to mass and breakfast with Taylor's parents. We also enjoy traveling with Taylor's parents because they have a goal to visit all 50 states as well. We spend most of these trips laughing, eating and talking our way through each city we visit. Taylor's family is unique because of how often they communicate. Taylor will call her sisters and mom on the phone multiple times throughout week, sharing funny stories, giving updates on the day and making plans for the weekend. We love our wonderful family!

We want to begin by saying how much we admire your strength and courage in considering adoption for this child. We are filled with gratitude and awe for the selfless decision you made - choice rooted in love and courage. We want you to know how profoundly your decision has impacted our lives and how deeply we would love this child if chosen. We are honored to share a little about ourselves and why we believe we can provide a safe, loving, and nurturing home.

Our journey to parenthood began in August of 2011 when we first started dating. From the beginning, we agreed on three important things: Faith in God is the key to an everlasting relationship, laughter is the best medicine, and children are the heart and soul of families. Throughout our high school and college years, we compiled a list of our favorite baby names to use once we had children. When we got married in 2019, we wanted to enjoy our marriage and build a solid foundation before growing our family. After three years of infertility and three miscarriages, we prayed on the next step to get our miracle baby. We quickly came to the decision to adopt because although our life has not unfolded exactly as we imagined, adoption felt like the answer we've been waiting for. We have fought extremely hard to become parents, and because of that, it has strengthened our desire to be the best parents for this child. God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. You are one of God's bravest warriors, and because of your selfless decision, we have created the "Dream Team" for this child.

We wouldn't be who we are today without our parents and sisters. Family is at the heart of everything we do. We are fortunate to have a close-knit family who we see regularly. Taylor's parents and Taylor's sister both live 10 minutes away and Austin's parents live about 20 minutes away. When we told our family about adoption, we were flooded with happy tears, hugs and overwhelming support. Taylor's family is unique in how frequently they communicate. Taylor will call her sisters and mom on the phone multiple times throughout the week, sharing funny stories, giving updates on adoption, and making endless plans on things to do once this baby is home. We want to raise this child to always feel safe, valued, loved and encouraged to explore their dreams-the same way we were.

We also believe in honoring this child's heritage and their connection to you. We want them to grow up understanding their story, knowing about the brave and loving woman who brought them into this world. As the years pass, we are more than happy to be in written contact via American Adoptions to share milestones, toys the baby enjoys and activities we've done as a family. We would also love to exchange pictures regularly in the same manner. We believe that every child benefits from knowing how many people love and want to know them, and we hope these updates give you a sense of peace.

We don't take the responsibility of parenthood lightly, and we understand the trust you would be placing in us. If you choose us, we promise to honor that trust every single day. This child will grow up in a home filled with love, encouragement, and unwavering support. We will celebrate their successes, comfort them in their struggles, and always remind them of the incredible love that brought them to us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and to consider us as adoptive parents for this child. We know that adoption is more than simply welcoming a child into our lives; it's about honoring their story, their roots, and the incredible love that brought them into the world. We respect and admire the strength it takes to make this decision, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share a little about who we are. Whatever you decide, please know that this child is already loved and that we are praying for you.

With love and gratitude,

Austin & Taylor