Dear embryo donor parents,

We are writing this letter to you from the most honest and hopeful part of our hearts. Your time and consideration mean everything to us! Being parents is a dream we have deeply ached for more than anything on this earth. It has been our greatest shared passion and desire, dating back to long before we met. We have been together for 17 years (married for 12), and there has never been a time where having a family was not our end goal. Our relentless pursuit to become parents has been very challenging. As I'm sure you know, life often takes a different course than you had planned. It has been a grueling rollercoaster of emotions with hope on one end of the spectrum and immense heartache on the other, but we have remained steadfast in wanting a family, and ultimately knew we would never give up on our dream. Through no one's fault of their own, it's been a fragile experience watching other families have kids so "easily" over the years, which can be a heavy reminder that we may never have one. Remaing childless while trying to achieve a family can be crushing and isolating. Once we were certain that we would never have a biological child, it became our mission to work through our grief and come to a place of acceptance and healing. We felt this was crucial to fully give our hearts to something else.

If there's a silver lining in the heartache of our holdup, it's that it reinforced who we are, what we want, what we need, and what we can handle. It made us realize the capacity we have in our hearts to persevere through anything, which is essential in a successful marriage and parenting. Through the most difficult challenge of our lives, we have gained enormous growth and strength that has propelled us to this unique path we are on- a path that has delivered a beam of light to the outage in our hearts. The hope that has carried us through, is that one day, we would be holding our baby, feeling the evidence of God's plan that was bigger than ours could ever be. That would make every ounce of our heartache so worth it!

Once we came through the other side of our defeat, we redirected our focus on how to grow our family. Traditional adoption is something we had strongly considered; however, it came with high emotional stakes between the unknown health and safety of the baby during pregnancy, along with the unbearable potential of the mother changing her mind once we would love that child as our own. It wasn't until recently that we learned about embryo adoption- an option that finally filled us with clarity and confidence. Although this is not the traditional path towards building a family and certainly not what we had envisioned, we feel immense gratitude and excitement for the journey we are embarking on. We can't imagine a more profound honor than to be chosen to raise your embryo(s). We want you to know that there's no greater responsibility or more meaningful role to us than raising a child. We understand that becoming a parent would be a life-changing commitment that never ceases, through all the joys and hardships that life inevitably brings. We would strive to be the best role models with the intent of raising a respectable, responsible, and kind human being. We are a Christian couple and find it important to raise our child with the same values. This grounds us with a moral compass, and we try to make our decisions with God on our mind and in our hearts. It's our parental priority to make sure that our child always feels loved, safe, and cared for. One day when they are old enough to understand, we will share with them their special story, and make sure they feel heard and supported in their feelings. We want them to know they are an extension of both the family that created them and the family that adopted them, and the great measures we collectively went through to have them. It's important to us that they understand the infinite love and selflessness that came from you allowing them to be born into a loving home who desperately longed for them. Having a second child isn't off the table, however we would be ecstatic to end up with one!

A little more about "us"- We live in a safe suburban area on a lake that is a short walking distance from a charming town that prides themselves on family-friendly events year-round. We recently completed building a house with the sole intent of it being conducive for a family- this was at the forefront of our minds through the entire design process. We adore our families and are fortunate enough to live near each other. We both have parents that we've always looked up to. One set has been married for over 40 years and the other over 50. We each have siblings (all married), along with six nieces and nephews plus another due later this year. We greatly value raising our child with access to their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Our families would be overjoyed to gain an addition to our family!

The 4th of July is one of our favorite family traditions. We love cooking out, playing games, and watching fireworks over the lake together. Living a healthy lifestyle has always been ingrained in us- it helps us to feel our best and be our best. We love spending time outdoors year-round. Some of our shared interests are hiking, running, biking, boating, having campfires, going on road trips, and taking our adorable Labradoodle to the dog park. We are obsessed with her! We love to laugh and have fun, whether we are making memories with friends and family, or staying in. A typical "quiet" night for us could entail making a home-cooked meal, watching a movie, playing ping pong on our kitchen island, going for a walk, or sitting on our dock watching the boats pass by. We share the same perspective on life- that at the end of it, we are not going to care about how much money or "things" we had. The only thing that's going to matter is the impact we had on people's lives, how we lived, and the way we loved. This is something we root our intentions in daily and is a driving force towards building a family. There is nothing we have prayed for longer and harder than this!

A little more about my husband- he is a high energy, ambitious, goal-oriented, and successful entrepreneur which has made him an excellent provider. For all that he's accomplished, his down to earth and humble disposition never wavers- one of the things I love most about him. He handles everyday stress better than most and prides himself on a positive attitude. He is impeccably polite and has never, not opened my car door for me since our very first date, rain, or shine! He often leaves me sweet post-it notes to find in the house, which I'm a proud collector of! He makes dinner for me every Sunday night and is an excellent cook. I appreciate his habitual efforts in expressing his love not just through words, but thoughtful gestures. Most people that know him have been blessed by his generosity at some point in time- a gift that he reaps from just as much as they do. A recent recipient of this was his niece who was studying abroad in the Netherlands. She couldn't afford to fly home for Christmas, so he covered the cost for her to be with her family. Offering a helping hand to a neighbor, family member, or friend comes very naturally to him. He loves people and people love him, which makes him a magnet for friends. He has been selected as a groomsman or best man too many times to count! He was even asked to officiate a wedding this fall for his oldest nephew. Multiple friends have selected him to be the godfather to their kids. These are just a few examples of how universally respected and admired he is. He comes from an extremely tight-knit family who genuinely loves nothing more than being together- every single one of them! Being an uncle to his six nieces and nephews was one of the greatest joys of his life. Witnessing his goofy and affectionate interaction with them is something that attracted me to him instantly. He is an avid water skier and downhill skier, a lover of sports, and CrossFit. He has an MBA from a local university and continues to educate himself annually with online courses on finance, management, organizational development, etc. He also attends a weekly men's group through our church. These are all examples of things that he not only thoroughly enjoys, but uses to fuel his youthful spirit, sustain a sharp mind, and maintain excellent physique. He thrives on challenge and makes it his mission to excel in the things he's most passionate about. This is how I know he would be a class act dad!

A little more about me- Not becoming a mother has been the most heartbreaking experience of my life. I have felt a profound calling to be a mom from a very early age. I can't imagine any role in this world giving me greater fulfillment, joy, meaning, purpose, challenge, and growth. Though it has yet to happen, it's a major part of my identity. We fortunately have the financial stability that would allow me to be a very hand on, stay-at-home mom- something I've always dreamed of! When I love someone, I would do anything for them. I am protective of the people I love, have an empathic heart, a vivacious spirit, and a detail-oriented mind. I'm the type of person who would carefully consider the safest, healthiest, and most effective baby products, health care, nutrition, schools, etc. for our child. I find the greatest joy in the simple pleasures of life rather than material things. I have a strong intuition that I trust and rely on through life. I will always choose quality over quantity in the people I surround myself with. I'm passionate about nutrition, exercise, animals, nature, and photography. There's nothing that makes me feel more in my element than when I'm engaging with babies and kids. I have a craving for challenge in my life because I've learned how vital it is for growth. It has strengthened my emotional muscle and increased my threshold for hardship. I possess a grit that never fails me to rise to the occasion.

One of the greatest blessings of my life has been the profound bond I share with my mom. There is no person that has played a more influential role in my life. She's instilled a multitude of maternal traits in me that have long prepared me for motherhood. She's a remarkable role model who loves fiercely and selflessly. She emanates empathy and compassion whether it's to a close family member or a stranger. She has shown me the value in possessing those rare qualities and the deep connection that comes from that. We always say to each other "I carry your heart in mine" because every joy and every sadness we feel reflects off the other. She has taught me how to be thoughtful through random acts of kindness whether it's through a handwritten card, home-cooked meal, heartfelt words, or lending a helping hand. She has shown me how to care for those who need us and how to put one's needs above our own. She reminds me that everything we do should be done in love. She has taught me to arm myself with prayer, patience, and faithfulness when amid heartache. She has been a constant source of strength and comfort throughout my life. I can only dream of being to our future child what she is to me.

We hope this condensed letter gives you a glimpse into our lives, who we are, and our intentions as parents. We can only imagine the tremendous gravity of choosing a family to raise your embryo(s). We can assure you that we will take this decision just as seriously. Our stories may not be the same, but our struggle, persistence, and passion led us to this pivotal point. I know how much family is important to both of us because we each have taken desperate measures to have one. This journey has shaped us and left a permanent mark on our hearts. We will always be humbled by the emotional trenches we crawled through to (hopefully) gain this extraordinary blessing, one we would never take for granted! We have boundless, unconditional, and infinite love to give to a child. There is no greater purpose to us than this. We are bursting at the seams with hope and gratitude over your consideration.

Sincerely,

Intended parents.

From the husband about his wife-----

Hello,

I just wanted to give you a little more perspective on my incredible wife. I fell in love with her because she is the easiest person to talk to that I have ever encountered. On top of that she is undoubtedly the funniest person that I have ever met. It comes so easy to her, and she can always keep me in a good mood with her quick wit. These two things are fantastic, but she has yet to live out one of her goals where I know she would shine the brightest and that is being a wonderful mother. She has prepared herself for this responsibility by, first and foremost, being a great wife and secondly, by keeping herself extremely young and active. We run together a lot outside and over the years she has been so impressive with her physical endurance and stamina. There’s a state park down the road with very steep hills and she insists on running these hills two or three times during each outing. I try to keep up, but her effort and drive make it very tough to beat her to the top. Another great quality of hers is that she always puts others first. There are so many examples of this but a few that come to mind is when we were building our house in 2021 and living in an apartment. There was an elderly woman below us who lived alone. She was 93 years old. My wife lovingly befriended her and still to this day they talk on the phone regularly. She also visits her with our dog, as the woman became very fond of furry, little labradoodle. My wife would sometimes cook for her. The bond and friendship that they built was amazing to watch. It is so great to see my wife in her element where her confidence flows, and her heart was open to the love that was offered to her from a woman who needed support and a friend. Another example of her giving nature is how she has grown some amazing bonds at the local dog park. She takes our dog there regularly, and I call her the “mayor of the dog park” because when she’s there, she always makes everyone feel welcome and included. She has been going there for over ten years, and the bonds she builds with people of all ages and all walks of life is really something to see. Her laughter and her sense of humor is so infectious, and people are very drawn to her. This is evident when you go there with her. Another thing I love about her is that she offers a different viewpoint than I have. I feel that there’s no bigger blessing to be able to see things from a different perspective. We really balance each other out and keep each other grounded. She has an amazing gift for really analyzing details. She will research something until she is one hundred percent confident that it is the right thing for our family.

During 2023 we had to deal with the decline and death of my wife’s grandfather. He was over 100 when he passed. For the past four years, my wife had spent every week with him and when I say spent time, I mean really asking questions and listening to this amazing man. They built a very special bond with one another, and I know that she never taken those visits or conversations for granted. Also, for me, over the past many years, her grandfather was a hero and person that I looked up to. He was a man of God, was very disciplined in his life, gave and expected nothing in return, and made you feel like you were the only person in the room when you talked to him. I saw that same thing in Pam over the past several years when she spent time with him. They were so blessed to have each other. When he passed, it was a monumental loss, but I know that she was filled with gratitude for all the time they spent together. All in all, this is an amazing woman who will be an amazing mother. She will raise our child in the principals of God, put our child before herself, and will bring laughter and love (always) to every daily interaction.