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Ian & Debra are hopeful adoptive parents from Maryland waiting to adopt a baby.

If you are pregnant and considering placing your child for adoption, please read the following Dear Birthmother Letter.

Welcoming A Baby Into Our Lives We are so grateful you have taken the time to read about us and the life we share together. We hope that this opportunity to know us more intimately will help you to feel more safe and comfortable during this process.

The thought that you are considering placing your baby with a family that resonates with you is very brave, beautiful and selfless. My husband and I are very close with both a birth mother and adoptive parents and each of them have given us a greater perspective on the journey to adoption and the emotions for all involved. We realize this is such a huge and difficult time and we would love to be available to help you make the decision that feels right in your heart.

Whether we are or are not a part of this journey for you, we want you to know that we are thinking of you and sending you much love, gentleness, comfort and clarity at this time.

Our relationship began more than six years ago, while we were living on different coasts. Our companies were doing business with each other, and we both got assigned to the same project. We met over the phone! Even with all the work talk we managed to get to know each other enough to decide it we should meet in person. On our first date we had tea at an outdoor cafe and then went to a fun yoga class. We had such a strong immediate connection and fell in love. Since then we haven't looked back. Debra moved to the east coast (where both our families live) and four years ago we were married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony surrounded and supported by over 100 friends and family.

There is a framed picture of us in our family room that a friend gave us that says "Sweet Happy Life" and that is exactly what we have and want to share with our children. Our marriage is rooted in deep respect, love and compassion. We can still chat for hours like in those early phone calls, but we have a lot of other favorite activities like family picnics, walks to the farmers market, playing on the beach, camping, movies nights and cooking meals together for friends and family. And while we are active and social and love the outdoors, we also enjoy spending time just hanging out in our home.

Our home is a friendly refuge for our little family -- which right now includes two cuddly cats and a big loving dog. Our house is not too big, and not too small, and filled with color and comfort and coziness. There's music and books, but also silliness and friends. And lots of laughter. Our future nursery is on the 2nd floor right next to our bedroom. Recently redone, it is the brightest room in the house and has the best views of our garden. We live on a tree-lined street with lots of other families.

Our town has great schools and is a super place to grow up. There's a children's library, parks, museums and the best homemade ice cream. We'd like to be able to support our child's interests, whatever they may be. Whether sports or art or nature or who knows what, you can probably find it in our town.

After learning out about our fertility challenges, adoption was a natural choice for us as there are many adopted children in our lives through friends and family already. Our families are very close knit, and are giving us enthusiastic support for starting our family through adoption. With more than 30 of us at some holiday gatherings, there's plenty of love to share. The kids in the family - the "cousins" - range in age from 1 to 20, and love spending time together. They even have their own theme song they sing at every big gathering (something about mayhem and air mattresses and fun, fun, fun).

ABOUT DEBRA (written by Ian). (This photo was taken during a hike in Northern California's Big Sur!)

Debra's nature is warm and nurturing. Everyone is drawn to her sparkling eyes and kind smile. She is the kind of person you can turn to when you need support and always has great advice. She is super creative -- she loves to make crafts, dance, paint and bake. There is not a day that goes by where she doesn't make me laugh. One of her biggest strengths is that she has that great ability to inspire others to be their best.

Debra is also quite the entrepreneur! A few years ago, she opened a yoga studio, and today it's a thriving business! Her studio has classes in yoga, meditation, pilates, prenatal yoga, yoga for kids and even belly dance. These days Debra works part-time in preparation for being a stay at home mom -- she still teaches a few yoga classes each week to both children and adults and they are always sold out! She is a natural mother -- children adore her and she cherishes them. I know that being a mom is her deepest desire.

ABOUT IAN (written by Debra) (This picture of Ian with his mom was taken during a trip to Bermuda.)

One thing I know for certain is Ian is meant to be a father. The way he makes our nieces and nephews feel so special is a beautiful sight to see. He is patient and kind -- qualities he says he got from his father, who is a doctor that's loved deeply by his patients for his gentleness and compassion.

One of the things that attracted me so much to Ian was his intelligence and his passion for making the world a better place. Though he is modest, he has been educated at both Princeton and Yale and uses his talents to work for a non-profit organization that helps to improve our country's health-care and education systems.

When he is not working his favorite thing to do is to "play" outdoors. Whether it's playing at a beach, a park, our yard -- Ian is happy! His generosity is contagious. He is always looking out for others and making the people who surround him feel loved and valued. Oh, and he can play the drums and guitar!

LOVING FAMILY, FRIENDS AND HAPPY LIVES (In this picture we are visiting an alpaca farm!)

We both grew up in small towns -- coincidentally only an hour from each other. We are incredibly close with our families, who live nearby, and have a tight network of friends who have tons of fun loving children! Growing up, both of us lived in the house where all the neighborhood kids would come to play, and we continue that tradition today in our home. We so appreciate the great support network we have with our friends, some of whom we have known for more than 20 years.

Our families are a very important part of our lives. On Debra's side, family get-togethers are never less then 35 people -- and that's just her immediate family including her sisters and cousins, nieces and nephews! Ian's side of the family is smaller, but no less fun. We love to travel and take trips a few times a year including to our two annual family vacation spots where our extended families join us: Bermuda for the beautiful beaches and crystal clean water, and New Hampshire for the mountains, trees, fresh air and outdoor activities.

Holidays are always special times. Every Thanksgiving we have twice the fun with two long-standing family traditions. It starts at Ian's childhood home, where we join his family for the most amazing 8 course home-cooked meal, made by Ian's mom and dad (both who cook better then chefs at some top restaurants!). Then, we head up to New Hampshire to continue the festivities with Debra's huge and fun family -- singing and making s'mores around the bonfire, hiking to the lake, playing soccer, telling stories and playing board games by the fireplace. We all take turns making meals and Saturday nights we have an annual talent show. It probably all sounds a little corny, and it definitely has its chaotic moments, but it is always so much fun.

Christmas is spent at Ian's home in Pennsylvania. Each year, we get a huge tree from the farm of one of Ian's dad’s patients. There's tree decorating (with ornaments that have been around since Ian's childhood), baking, and the annual "Its a Wonderful Life" viewing. We also take time to give thanks for all the blessings we are so lucky to have. On Christmas morning, we all gather round the tree in our slippers to see what Santa brought. Holiday spirit is definitely alive and well in our family.

We've told you a lot about the fun times, but we want you to know that our families have also set a great example of how to raise and guide our children to become happy, responsible people who believe in themselves. We look forward to being able to nurture them with the same unconditional love, respect, support, and guidance that our families provided us. We are also blessed with financial security which will allow our child to have so many opportunities for education and to follow his/her dreams.

We've been lucky with so much love and kindness in our families, and feel so fortunate to have the all of their love and support. All of these amazing loving people are so excited that we're going to adopt a baby this year!

Thank You So Much!
We would be honored and humbled to be chosen as parents for your newborn. We promise to always love, cherish and care for your baby and provide him or her all the wonderful opportunities that have been offered to us, such as support, encouragement, education, a strong faith in God, and love that we are now blessed enough to be able to pass down.

Please know that we will cherish forever the gift of love that you are able to offer to us. We hope that you feel you know us better through this letter and photos. We would love to answer any questions that you have about us, and know that we can come up with an adoption plan that feels right for us all.

Thank you so much for your time in getting to know us.

We look forward to speaking with you and welcome the opportunity for you to get to know us better by calling us at 1-800-675-3407.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you.

Love,

Ian and Debra