Dear Birthmom

Dear Expectant Mother,

We can’t imagine what you’re experiencing. We want to acknowledge the strength it takes to navigate this path. Know that your love for this child shines through, and your willingness to consider what is best for them is heroic. You’re not alone on this path. Support is there, and we would like to be a part of that support for you and this child.
We’re immensely grateful to you for considering us. We feel passionate about becoming parents, but a medical condition makes pregnancy risky for Alana and the potential child. We have never limited our definition of family to blood relatives, so becoming parents through adoption feels as natural as becoming biological parents. We are lucky to have dear friends who adopted our beautiful niece and share how meaningful it was to grow their family to include both their daughter and her birth mother. We are deeply excited for the experience of being parents and expanding our own family, with you as a part of it if you would like to be. We promise that if you choose us, from that moment on, your child will never know a day they are not loved and cherished, and will live a life full of family, friends, adventure, and fun.

In the end, whatever path you choose, know that you are making the best decision you can and are doing so with love. And that is the best any of us can ever do.

Our Story

Alana has been an animal lover her whole life and has spent her adult life working to support living her dream of owning a horse. Her horse, Oz, lives less than three miles away. Together, they do horse shows, trails, and even camping. The “barn family” includes some of our closest friends, and even two children under 4.

Chris has always loved technology, teaching himself to put together a computer at 8 years old. Chris loves playing video games with friends and built his own PC for it. Through gaming, he has made friends, kept in touch with childhood friends, and created space to bond with coworkers.

Together, we love all forms of solving puzzles. We love a good escape room, we often complete the NYT puzzle games together, we have a cabinet full of jigsaw puzzles, and we love assembling Lego sets. We also host several board game nights with our friends and neighbors each year and attend a local trivia game every Wednesday.

 Our Extended Family

We come from close families, immediate and extended. Alana’s parents and sister live in Maryland, her brother and his wife in Indianapolis. Most of Alana’s extended family lives nearby and gets together for holidays, birthdays, or just because. Every August, Alana’s mother’s family of 20+ grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins goes to the beach together. Every Hanukkah, Chris and Alana host a party for her father’s family.

Chris’ extended family is spread across the country, including his father in Texas and his sister and brother-in-law in Denver. His mom, brother, and sister-in-law live nearby in Virginia. We love to meet them at their family friends’ beautiful winery. It isn’t unusual for us to call with Chris’ mom weekly to catch up and share some good laughs. Chris’ family loves to celebrate Christmas Eve with brunch, laughs guaranteed!

We’re blessed to have our families blend well. Alana’s parents live between Chris’ mom and us, so we often celebrate things like Mother’s Day at their house with both moms and their kids. Because Chris’ extended family is spread out across the country, his mom, brother, and sister-in-law join Alana’s family for Thanksgiving and holiday parties on years they are not traveling.

 Our Home

We have a three-bedroom/three-bathroom house with an open basement and fenced-in backyard in the suburbs of Maryland. We bought it in 2018, knowing this was where we wanted to grow our family. Our family includes our two dogs at home and a horse who lives down the street. Our neighborhood sits on a beautiful river and is home to many families with children. It is a wonderful and safe place to walk, ride bikes, and meet new people. We are in the premier school district in our county, and the town reflects that with many kid-friendly activities available and a sprawling park filled with sports fields, playgrounds, and even farm animals and a 4-H club. We are a short drive from museums, history, and fun activities in nearby cities.

 Our Journey to Adoption

Adoption has been present in both of our lives in several different ways. Chris’ father was adopted at a young age by Chris’ adoptive grandfather. When Chris was 17, his sister became pregnant and was not in a position to parent but wanted a safe and loving home for her child. She chose adoption. Our dear friends faced unexplained infertility, but recently finalized their adoption roughly a year ago and have been wonderful parents to the child we lovingly consider our niece. Adoption has been a normalized thing amongst our family and friends, and we have seen the joy and love that follows it.

 Fun Facts

About Alana

Education
Master's in Social Work
Favorite Hobby
Reading
Favorite Sport
Horse Riding/Dressage
Favorite Music Group
Queen, The Static
Favorite TV Show
Psych, The West Wing
Favorite Subject in School
Science
Favorite Tradition
Annual beach trip

About Christopher

Education
High School and Technical
Favorite Hobby
Video games
Favorite Music Group
Classic rock
Favorite TV Show
Galavant
Favorite Subject in School
Math
Favorite Tradition
Christmas Eve brunch

Contact Alana & Christopher

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