Bradley and Amanda

Hello!

We are Bradley and Amanda, and we would like to introduce ourselves and our family to you. Hopefully, this letter will give you a little glimpse into our lives and will help you understand more about us.

We can’t even begin to imagine the enormous responsibility that you must feel in trying to choose the best possible situation for your baby. We can understand the love that you have for your child as we are parents ourselves. Whether you choose to parent or make an adoption plan, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Just the Facts:
We are each others’ best friend, and we will celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary this year. We love spending time together, whether it is something fun like walking along the beach while on vacation, or something ordinary like sitting downstairs in our favorite red chairs relaxing a bit before bed, we simply enjoy being near each other. We were high school sweethearts and dated for 4 ½ years before we married. Although we were young (Amanda was 19 and Bradley was 21), we decided to get married while we were in college. Our son, Noah, was born two years later, and our daughter, Olivia, was born three years after our son. Bradley works as a Lab Supervisor for a pharmaceutical company, and Amanda is a full-time, stay-at-home mom, who homeschools our two children. We have two pets - a big, beautiful, furry dog and a sweet and lazy cat. We live in central Virginia, in a city surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Our extended family all live in southwest Virginia, with the exception of Amanda’s brother who lives in northern California. We are both Christians and are active members in our local Baptist church. We love being parents, and look with joy and anticipation to the day when we will have more amazing and wonderful children to enjoy.

About Bradley (by Amanda):
Bradley is a fabulous husband and a wonderful father. He is patient and forgiving, and is truly my dearest friend. He is calm and level-headed, and is the one I count on to give me excellent advice. Bradley has a very strong work ethic, yet when he is home we are his priority, and he lets us know that by his very actions. Even after a rough day at work, he comes home in a good mood and always offers to help me with supper, and then sits and listens patiently as the children tell him all about their day. Bradley lets us know how important we are to him by the little things he does. When we are expecting company (and rushing around to finish cleaning before they arrive), he always jumps right in and helps me get the house ready - he doesn't even shy away from cleaning bathrooms! Bradley is a hands-on father, and will sit down with the children and help build Lego creations, bead a necklace, color a picture, or let them curl up in his lap for a cuddle.

Bradley is an amazing person. He lives his life with a three-tiered approach, putting God first, family second, and work third, and he proves this by his daily actions. He is a wonderful example to both Noah and Olivia - as a man, a husband, and a father. He teaches them by example, by his everyday behavior, by the way he treats each of us, and the way they see him treating others. He is someone our children can truly look up to, and I am so thankful to have him in our lives.

About Amanda (by Bradley):
Amanda is a wonderful wife, mother, and friend. I am daily amazed by the pure joy I see in her as she makes our house a home. Her faith in God is exhibited in her daily interactions with us and others. She truly has a caring heart and is always willing to give of herself in a moments notice. This is especially true in her daily interactions with our children. As a stay at home mom Amanda does not simply fix meals and clean. Instead her days are filled with training up our children, with creating a home of simplistic joy, she truly makes lasting memories with each passing day. Examples include how she fixes whatever the kids want to eat on their birthday (including dessert for breakfast), playing dolls and making crafts with Olivia, running around the house sword fighting Noah, or simply cuddling up on the couch and reading to them every night before bed (both Noah and Olivia’s favorite part of the day). You see, Amanda is so much more than a parent and a house keeper, she is a mother.

I must also speak to the other side of Amanda. Not only is she a wonderful and sincere mother, but she is my beautiful wife of almost 12 years. I cannot comprehend where I would be today if it were not for the friendship, love and support of Amanda. She has supported my every decision and remained by my side throughout this life’s joyous and sorrow filled moments. After a work day filled with stress, I can always come home to our children racing to let me in the door, and a wife awaiting our daily reunion with a gentle hug and a kiss followed by a family meal together around the dinner table. No one knows what tomorrow may bring, it could be happiness and joy, it could be sorrow and pain, but the one thing I do know is that there is no one I would rather laugh or cry with than my wife, Amanda.

Our Children:
Our son, Noah, is 9 and is a thoughtful child. He loves spending time outdoors or playing the Wii. Noah loves Legos and board games, is learning to play the piano, and enjoys playing soccer.

Our daughter, Olivia, is 6 and is a compassionate child. She is very crafty, and is happiest when her hands are busy. She loves playing with her stuffed animals and dolls, is also learning to play the piano, and is an avid reader.

Both children know about our desire to adopt, and both are so excited about having another brother or sister. Olivia can hardly wait to hold and feed the baby and to help take care of him or her, and she is thrilled about getting to be a Big Sister. Noah said he thought our house had gotten too quiet and that he thought it would be fun to have a baby around the house again. Noah and Olivia are used to playing with children of all ages, and many of their friends come from large families, so we think this has helped both of them see the fun of having little ones around.

 

Our Community:
We really enjoy the community in which we live. Our house is located in a quiet and diverse neighborhood. We live in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a fenced in back yard. Our children love playing with our next-door neighbors’ children and usually if they are outside they are all together, and can be found playing on the swing set in our backyard, or bouncing on the trampoline in the neighbors backyard. There are many beautiful parks within a short distance of our home. Our favorite is about 20 minutes from our house. It has an awesome paved track where the kids can ride their bikes, a great play set, and a sprinkler to help you cool off on those hot summer days.

Our Faith:
Our faith is very important to us, and we strive to teach our children about who God is and what He expects of each of us. Prayer is central in our lives, and any big decisions are made only after much time spent in prayer. Our faith is very real to us, and we try to live out our lives in a way that would please God.

Our Family:
Thankfully, both sets of our parents are still healthy and very active, and so our children have all of their grandparents around to help spoil them. There are also aunts, uncles and cousins to play with any time we get together. We recently found out that Bradley’s sister is expecting, and so we are excited that our newest little one will have a cousin close in age to play with.

In Closing:
We are so thrilled about the possibility of expanding our family. We hope that this letter has given you a sense of who we are and the life that we will give your baby. Your child will be raised in a home with strong Christian values. Your child will be surrounded with love, respect, and forgiveness, as those are central in our home. Dinners around the table every night where we all sit around and talk about our day. Cuddling with Mommy on the couch each night before bed while we read from one of our favorite books. Family game day each Sunday afternoon where we play board games either as a family or in pairs. Movie nights where we all curl up downstairs around the TV and watch a movie while eating “party popcorn” (popcorn with Nerds or Skittles mixed in it). Special evenings with Mom and Dad where one child gets to come downstairs after their sibling has fallen asleep and have “Special Time“, where they get to have our undivided attention for a few hours and choose what activities we do together that evening. Backyard camp-outs in the summer where we catch lightening bugs, play flashlight tag, and get sticky eating S’mores. Birthday celebrations where the birthday person gets to choose all the food and all the activities on their special day - always a big hit! Trips to D.C. to see the pandas and the museums, vacations to the beach, hikes in the mountains, and camping out with friends are just a few of the things we have done and plan on doing as often as we can.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. Our prayers are with you as you try to make the decision that lies ahead. If you choose to place your child for adoption, we hope that you will consider us as the family for your little one. We will always let your child know how much they are loved by you. Your child will always know how blessed they are to have the love of two mothers, and your child will always know what a blessing they are to us - as our child.

Sincerely,
Bradley and Amanda

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