Nikki is very organized and detail oriented. She is a motivated problem solver. When she's trying to do something, whether it is planning a vacation or completing a home project, she does her research, makes a plan, creates a timeline and divvies up the responsibilities. Besides just being good traits to role model for a child, we think these attributes will come in handy when we do things like search for a pediatrician or try to find the best pre-school.

Marshall is very inquisitive and good-natured. He is a good listener and because of that really gets to know and understand people on a deeper level. We hope he will be able to use those skills to nurture and understand our child as they develop during different stages of life. Marshall is also generally a people-person. He loves to be around friends and family and is always willing to lend a helping hand. Helping others makes him feel good. So we anticipate that he will be the one who helps with homework and teaches them how to ride a bike or play sports.

We believe that it is crucial for children to maintain a strong connection with their cultural heritage. Understanding your roots is important for everyone as they mature and begin to develop their sense of self-identity. So, if we raise a child whose background is different than our own, we're committed to facing the difficult challenges that lay ahead.

This will be a continuous process that evolves over time as we're presented with different challenges. Not only are we taking the advice provided by the adoption agency to take certain courses and read different materials, but we also try to embrace and support diversity in our everyday lives. In fact, Nikki's company has a big influence here. She is part of their diversity, equity, and inclusion group devoted to providing a supportive network where we frequently gather to discuss diversity, promote curiosity and develop awareness and respect for all people.

We also surround ourselves with diverse friends that we can lean on for advice and who can act as role models. One specific example is our best friends and chosen godparents - Adaeze (Dez) is African American on her mother's side and Nigerian American on her father's, and her husband BJ was adopted from Korea. Their shared life experience and perspective will always be an invaluable resource for us.

It's important for you to know that we will be proud and supportive of them no matter what. And you can trust that we will keep your child connected with their roots.

We found our forever home in a beautiful little neighborhood in Austin Texas. Nikki and Marshall fell in love with the property because of the giant backyard with tons of tall trees. It backs up to a creek, so it kind of feels like you live in the country. We envision our children and their friends having endless hours of fun outside. Even inside the house, you can enjoy the natural beauty from the large set of living room windows overlooking the backyard. There is a great view of the new pool and spa which has become the centerpiece of Nikki's landscaping projects.

The neighborhood is a mixture of retirees and young families. Everyone knows each other. The nearby public schools are some of the best in Austin. Neighbor kids can be heard playing outside and hopping from one house to another. Everyone on the street, young and old, is very connected. There is a community center within walking distance that has a large playscape, tennis courts, and access to several nature trails, which we frequently hike. We regularly go there for our Camp Gladiator workout group. Some group members bring their children along to play with each other while we work out. There are non-stop holiday events like Easter egg hunts, pumpkin carvings, parades, turkey trots and a trail of lights.

Most of Marshall's family live close by. We are always at their houses for family dinners and holidays. We're very close with our nieces and nephew. They are all very good at soccer, so we spend a lot of weekends out watching their games. The oldest is in middle school and might be starting to get a little "too cool" for us. But, the little ones still like showing off their toys and playing board games with us.

Marshall's oldest brother lives in New Mexico and we try to see each other at least twice per year. When we go to New Mexico, we try to go in the winter so we can go skiing with him and his girls.

Nikki's family lives up in rural Michigan. When her parents come to town, they usually drive down and stay for a couple weeks. They mostly hang out and help do projects around the house (Nikki's family LOVES DIY projects). When we go to Michigan, we have to scramble to get in time with her parents, sister, all twelve aunts and uncles and her cousins. It's out in the country, so we get to do a lot of fun things like going horseback riding, snowmobiling, and other great activities you just can't do in the city.

Both sets of grandparents are so excited about the possibility of a new grandkid.

You never know what comes next in life. Sometimes we get what you want and other times we are forced to deal with a difficult situation we never expected. As hard as we all try, some things are just out of our control. Even now, you are in a situation where you must deal with the uncertainty of what is best for you and for your child's future. What we hope you take away from this letter is a sense of who we are and a glimpse into what that future might look like with us.

Even before we tried having our own biological children, adoption was always in the back of our minds. We imagined that we might have one of our own and adopt another. After a few years of trying and two miscarriages, we are here, waiting for fate to take the lead.

We met on 11/11/11 and have always thought that was special. Why? We were never exactly sure. But, lately we've begun to think it may be a sign that we were meant to be an equal part of three - one 11 is Marshall, one 11 is Nikki and perhaps the third 11 is our future child. Maybe that sounds silly. But it's something we take comfort in and gives us meaning.

Neither of us are perfect. But, we make each other better as a couple. And our hope is to only grow stronger once we add a third member to our family.

We are down to earth people. We work hard. But we also make sure that we take time to create new memories so we can continue to enjoy and appreciate each other.

With us, your child will grow up in a home where honesty and openness are valued. One where we will encourage them to work hard and think for themselves. We will impress on them the importance of learning to empathize rather than judge and to treat others how they would like to be treated.

We love playing and watching sports, doing house projects and being outdoors. And we will share those passions with our child. But, we will also provide them the opportunity and support to pursue their own passions. Because for us it's not what they do that is important. It's that they find something they enjoy. Something that gets them excited and teaches them to work hard and learn new things. Something that gives them a sense of community.

Please trust that if you give us a chance, your child will be loved and they will be safe. We will always put their needs above our own. And while they will always feel secure that we are their family, they will never forget where they came from. They'll always know their origin story and we will take the time to put together thoughtful letters and exchange photos with you throughout their childhood.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little bit. We are grateful for the opportunity and hope that you consider us when choosing which family will provide the best future for your child. Regardless, we wish good health and happiness for you and your baby!

Sincerely,

Marshall & Nikki