We are Drew and Stephanie, and we thank you for taking the time to read this letter. We appreciate the courage, strength, and selflessness it takes to consider adoption.


About Us:
We met five years ago and fell in love instantly. Our mutual interest in snow skiing led to a wedding near a snow-filled ski resort in Central Oregon two years later. We live in the Portland metro area in the beautiful state of Oregon, where the mountains are under 2 hours to the East, and the beach is just over 1 hour to the West.  


More about Drew: 
Drew grew up in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. He finished high school and his undergraduate degree in Florida, and then returned to Georgia to pursue his Master’s degree in Engineering. Drew has one older brother who lives in California with his family, including our 6 year-old nephew. His parents live nearby in Washington. We see Drew’s parents regularly and often go camping with his brother’s family in Central Oregon.  Drew currently works as an Engineer for a local sportswear company. His work allows him to use his analytical skills to create innovative ways to solve problems. Drew’s employer has onsite daycare facilities and flexible work hours that will enable him to visit the daycare center during lunchtime and alter his work schedule when needed. Drew enjoys being very active. He has a passion for mountain biking and road biking, but also enjoys swimming and running. Last year he competed in his first Triathlon. Drew also enjoys watching sports, especially college football.   


More about Stephanie: 
Stephanie was adopted from South Korea when she was nine months old. She is the eldest of four children. They were all raised in a small city in Colorado. Her family relocated to Arizona when Stephanie was 15, where she finished high school and her undergraduate degree. Stephanie has a sister who is also adopted and lives just a couple hours away in Washington. Her parents and her brother live in Arizona.  Stephanie’s youngest sister is expecting her first child and lives in Atlanta with her husband. We are very excited about the cousins potentially being so close in age so they can grow up together. Every member of Stephanie’s family is an avid skier or snowboarder. We meet every other year for a family ski trip in Oregon or Colorado to enjoy the snow together!  Stephanie works in the Healthcare Industry as a Business Services Manager and has a Master’s in Management.  She loves that her work enables her to apply her project management and people skills in an environment that helps people get the medical treatment they need to feel better. Stephanie’s job has a flexible work environment, so she is able to alter her hours and work from home when needed.  Stephanie enjoys going to new places and doing new activities. She is often planning road trips to places we haven’t explored before, or events we have yet to experience. Stephanie enjoys a variety of activities, such as creating art, going to concerts and theater performances, reading, gardening, yoga, and trying to learn how to windsurf.  


Fun, Family & Friends: 
We lead active lives and enjoy spending time outdoors.  In the summer, we have fun hiking, biking, and camping. During the winter, hit the slopes, get together with friends for an evening of good food and conversation, or curl up on the sofa with some popcorn for a movie. Traveling is an activity we really enjoy throughout the year. We have several favorite locations around the Pacific Northwest for relaxing long weekends. However, we also love exploring new places and experiencing other cultures.  In addition to visiting several beautiful areas in the US, we have been lucky enough to travel to China, Peru and Italy.  We hope that eventually we will be able to share the joy of travel as a family. Spending time with family and friends is a very important part of our life. We have some very close friends whom we see regularly for dining, concerts, outdoor activities, and weekend getaways. We all enjoy barbequing and host an annual grilling event called “Meat-a-Palooza” with a different theme each year. Previous themes have included “Sausages of the World” and “Anything but Beef”.  We have close relationships with our immediate families, and are fortunate to see them and talk to them regularly. We often travel to Washington or Arizona to see family members for holidays and weekend visits. Thanksgiving and Christmas are special holidays we enjoy spending with family. We have favorite family recipes, festive holiday traditions, and funny family stories that we pass along to each family member from both sides of the family. We look forward to continuing these traditions, and starting some of our own as our family grows. Our family and friends are very excited about our decision to adopt. They are genuinely supportive and anxiously look forward to meeting their newest family member. 


About Adoption:
We look forward to starting a family through adoption. Adoption is a natural choice for us because it is already an integral part or our family. We hope, through this adoption, we can continue the chain that has brought so much joy and love to our lives.  We believe an open adoption can bring families together. We look forward to connecting with you regularly through pictures, letters, and visits. Your child will know that s/he is blessed with your love, and that you are loved and cherished by us and our extended family.  


In Closing: 
Thank you for considering us as you continue your adoption planning. If there is one thing we can leave you with, it is that your child will be well-cared for and loved with all of our hearts.  We are very excited to be part of this process and can’t wait to be parents.  We wish you peace and comfort throughout the decision-making process.
 


Best Wishes, 



Drew and Stephanie