Dear Potential Donor Family,

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family and for considering the possibility of helping us grow our family. We do not take lightly the generosity and care that go into your decision, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share who we are and what life might look like for a child in our home.

 

We are [His name] and [Her name], and we’ve been together since our college years, when [His name] was 18 and [Her name] was 20. We met on the same dorm floor and quickly became close, becoming what you might call classic college sweethearts. We married in 2014 and have spent the years since building a life together, supporting each other through school, careers, and the many stages of adulthood. What has been most meaningful is that we’ve grown up together, learning to support, challenge, and care for one another along the way. Today, we live in a midsize city in a historic 120-year-old home that has been lovingly remodeled over time. Our house sits on a short, one-block street with a park and community center at the end, something that has become a big part of our daily lives. Our neighborhood is full of young families, and it has been especially fun watching our son form friendships with the kids nearby. We’ve lived here for over 10 years and truly feel rooted in our community.

 

Our home is active, cozy, and full of connection. On weekdays, you’ll often find us biking, sometimes with our son on a cargo bike to daycare or work, cooking dinner together, or winding down with books or a favorite movie. On weekends, we love getting outside: camping in our camper, going on bike rides, visiting parks or the zoo, or simply spending time with family. We also have two cats, Kevin and Nellie, who are littermates and very much part of the family. We are both deeply committed to education, not only professionally but as a core value in our lives. [His name] began his career teaching students who are deaf and hard of hearing and now works as an educational program evaluator for our city’s school district, with plans to return to the classroom. [Her name] spent over a decade as a high school English teacher and recently completed her PhD in educational leadership. She will soon begin a new role as a curriculum and instruction coach. [Her name] is also a first-generation college graduate, which has shaped her passion for learning.

 

Working in education allows us to maintain schedules that align well with family life, giving us meaningful time together and the flexibility to be present as parents. We welcomed our son N. in September 2021, and he has brought incredible joy to our lives. He is energetic, creative, and always curious, imagining new adventures or ways to play. He attends a Montessori preschool part-time and spends time with grandparents and cousins during the week. He already talks about what it might be like to have a sibling, often imagining the fun they would share.

 

Our journey toward embryo adoption has been shaped by both hope and loss. After having N., we expected that growing our family again would come naturally. Instead, we underwent multiple unsuccessful fertility treatments and experienced an early miscarriage. After careful conversations with doctors, we learned that IVF was not a viable path for us. We spent a great deal of time grieving the future we had envisioned.

 

Adoption has always been part of our broader family story, especially on [His name] side, where many relatives, including his sister, joined the family through adoption. Because of that, we feel both comfortable and prepared to embrace a path that may look different biologically but is just as deeply rooted in love and belonging. When we learned about embryo adoption, it felt like a hopeful and meaningful path forward, one that allows [Her name] to experience pregnancy again and gives us the opportunity to welcome another child into our family.

 

Family is central to who we are. We are fortunate to live near many of [His name] family members, including his brother and sister, in our neighborhood. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all close by and deeply involved in our lives. [Her name's] family lives farther away, but we make staying closely connected a priority. We are also surrounded by a strong community of friends, many of whom are raising young children. There is no shortage of love, support, and connection in our lives.

We value traditions and look forward to sharing them with our children. We were both raised Christian and practice Christian values and morals. We celebrate both Christian and American holidays together, often gathering with extended family. Some of our favorite traditions are influenced our Swedish heritage, such as homemade rye bread from a great-grandparent’s recipe, cardamom rolls, Swedish pancakes, and plenty of coffee. We also cherish our newer traditions, like an annual extended family camping trip, which has quickly become a highlight of the year.

 

Our home is ready to welcome another child. We have an extra bedroom that would become a nursery, and we have lovingly kept many of N's baby items, hoping they might be used again someday.

 

We know that adding another child will make life busier, but we welcome it wholeheartedly. Becoming parents expanded our understanding of love in ways we couldn’t have imagined, and we believe love only grows. We look forward to both the joys and the challenges of raising another child, including the sleepless nights, the milestones, the quiet moments, and everything in between.

 

Thank you again for considering us. We have deep respect for you, your story, and the care you are taking in making this decision. If chosen, we promise to provide a home filled with love, stability, curiosity, and belonging. It is reassuring to know that the families who will read this letter have also experienced the ups and downs of fertility challenges and the joy of growing their families.

 

With gratitude,