Cultural diversity is very important for us. We intentionally chose to live in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago because we want to be surrounded by different kinds of people and cultures. Our community is less than 50% White, which means we have a wonderful mix of other races and cultures including Black, Latino, Asian, and Middle Eastern families, as well as communities of refugees from Africa and a large Orthodox Jewish neighborhood near us. Our streets are lined with Mexican restaurants, Black barbershops, and Indian clothing stores.

We plan to raise our child to be educated about their birth culture and to make every effort to connect them with that culture in a meaningful way in our community. In our personal life, we're friends with folks from all sorts of backgrounds and will be able to expose our adopted child to mentors and community members that look like them. It is extremely important to us that our adopted child have a strong connection to their birth culture and understand that they are a part of our family and our cultural heritage. They'll have access to both histories and will never have to choose between them.

Tom is a musician and plays the guitar and drums. He's been playing since he was a teenager and still makes time to play today. He's even in the process of building a guitar by hand - it's been a real challenge. Tom is also an avid runner and is training for the 2025 Chicago Marathon.

Beth likes to relax when she's not working. Beth and our dog, Loki, will curl up on the couch together to watch TV or read a magazine. Beth enjoys cooking and has taken a year long course to deepen her skills.

As a couple, we like to go to the beach, take walks in our neighborhood, and go to events around Chicago. We particularly like to go to the different film festivals that happen in Chicago like Doc 10, Chicago International Film Festival, and the Chicago Critics Film Festival. We have recently started going to cheer on the women's and the men's local university basketball teams.

We grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and met while working at a summer job. The library employed high school students to go to different library branches to read and play literacy games with younger kids. We would often pair up to read books at group story time. Our favorite book to perform was "How I Became A Pirate," where Beth would narrate and Tom would play the pirate characters.

Tom is a year older than Beth and went to college while Beth was a senior in high school. We spent that year apart talking on the phone every night for hours. Although it was hard to be apart, that year really helped us get to know each other. When Beth came to Indiana University, we were able to spend even more time together.

After dating for five years, we got married in 2013. Although we've been married for more than 10 years, we still think of ourselves as two high school sweethearts.

We live in a friendly, diverse, walkable neighborhood in Chicago. There are children all around us, including our immediate neighbors who have three little girls under 10. We have an annual festival to paint all the concrete seating near the beach with individual artwork and colorful designs. Fourth of July is a big deal, with a big official fireworks show and lots of folks cooking out near the beach. The parks near our house are well maintained and have lots of areas perfect for kids, like playgrounds, open space, and a pond with turtles, fish, and ducks.

We live in a three-bedroom house with a big back yard. Our backyard has a low fence, so we often hang out with our neighbors when they're out. The dogs love saying hi to the neighbor dogs and running around with them. For the past two years, baby bunnies have nested in our backyard, and we have protected them and watched them grow up; the neighbors and their kids love coming over and checking on the bunnies' progress. We have a finished basement that we've put a projector in to make a small movie theater. Our favorite part of the house is our sunroom. Beth's work desk is there, and Tom put his exercise equipment there. It gets full of natural light and our dogs love to lay in the sunbeams.

We are very close to our families. Most of our family members live in Fort Wayne, IN which is a few hours away from our home in Chicago. Since we're from the same hometown, our families spend time together when we go back to Fort Wayne. In the summers, our families will get together at Tom's parents lake cabin to cook out, swim, and hang out.

Almost every Sunday, Beth's Mom hosts a big family meal for anyone who is in town, including Beth's three sisters, and their families. At major holidays, the house is quite full with eight nieces and nephews. Beth's mom loves cooking big meals for the whole the family, so we look forward to big Midwestern dinners: baked ham, barbecue, broccoli cheddar casserole, and homemade bread. Three of our nieces and nephews have autism, and we've learned a lot as they've grown up. With supportive families and medical care, we've seen them blossom into happy preteens.

Tom is an only child, and his parents love to ride the train up to Chicago to see us. Tom's Dad is a big baseball fan, and we love to take him to see Chicago Cubs and White Sox games. Our dogs love to snuggle up to nap with their Grandma and Grandpa whenever they are together.

All of our family members are excited to welcome another grandkid!

We're writing to introduce ourselves in hopes you'll trust us to raise your child. What you're doing is an incredibly brave, selfless act of motherly love. As we've gone our own adoption journey, it has only deepened the respect we feel towards you. We hope after reading this letter, you'll see us as trustworthy partners in ensuring your baby has the best possible life ahead of them.

We were born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We met as teenagers working together at a summer job, where we read books and played literacy games with children at different library branches. We fell in love spending our summers together. We dated through college and got married right after we graduated. Now, we've been happily married for more than ten years, and next year we'll have been together longer than we were apart. We've been through ups and downs, sickness and health, sadness and joy - all the seasons of life. And through it, our love for each other has never wavered. We truly feel like we are soul mates.

Throughout our relationship we've supported each other. Beth left the world of corporate finance to find a job supporting a cause she believed in. For six years, she's worked in the finance department of a large nonprofit. The work she does helps ensure that people experiencing hunger have access to healthy food where they are. She goes to work every day knowing that she's using her skills and talents to help people around the country.

Tom built a videography business over the past decade and has done work for presidential clients, Fortune 50 corporations, and local nonprofits. When he was starting out, Beth helped keep the family afloat financially and gave Tom the space and time he needed to chase his dream. Now, Tom's business is successful and fulfilling. As his own boss, Tom is able to make his own schedule and balance work and home life.

Our families are very close, and very important to us. Everyone is excited about the prospect of a new grandchild. We have eight nieces and nephews who are spoiled by their grandparents and loved by all. Three of them have autism and everyone has rallied around them to make sure they have the resources, and love, that they need. Tom's cousin adopted both of her children, and the family welcomed them with open arms. Tom learned a lot about adoption, and having a good relationship with birth parents, by watching his cousin and her family. Their example was deeply inspiring to both of us.

As parents, we will raise our child to chase their dreams and think big. We'll make sure they have a strong foundation: a loving home, a great education, and a supportive community. Whatever their racial or cultural background, we'll make sure they grow up with role models who can help them navigate things we cannot. As a family, we'll treat their cultural heritage as a part of our own, and likewise, we'll ensure they know that our heritage is open to them as well.

As adoptive parents, we believe that a good relationship with you is critical to our child's success. As a birth mom, you are doing an amazing and courageous thing and that is something we will always celebrate in our house. We will always have photos, videos, and updates available for you as you'd like them, and we would love to have in-person visits as well. Without you, our dreams of raising a child would be impossible. As we adopt our child, we hope our relationship with you can be like family too.

We know this is a big decision for you, but we can promise you that if you choose us to raise your child, you will be sending your baby to a loving, stable couple with a big supportive family who are eager to give this child everything they need to have a good life and a bright future.

Thank you for considering us.

Tom & Beth