Bob and Stephen
Hello,
Thank you for reading this letter and learning more about our family. We are Bob and Stephen and it’s pretty awesome to think that the person reading this letter could be connected to our family for the rest of our lives. Of course, right now is probably a very challenging time for you and so we are humbled to be sharing our story.
We have been together for over three years and since the beginning, our values towards family, children, and community have bonded us. Over time our relationship has transformed from an exciting romance to a steady and fulfilling lifelong commitment. Recently, we got married and bought a nice home in a lovely neighborhood. We feel blessed to have stability in our lives and jobs that can support us.
Bob (right) is a pharmacist specializing in HIV care and vaccine research and Stephen (left) is an interior designer specializing in modern imported furniture. The home we bought together is in a diverse and quiet neighborhood of a major city. It is close to parks, beaches, schools, and libraries. Within walking distance there is an adorable fruit stand. We enjoy sharing our home with family, friends, our giant black cat Gustov, and of course each other. Bob loves cooking and throwing parties. Stephen loves gardening and home projects. Together we host barbecues, celebrations, holidays, and visitors from afar. It is common for us to spend our free time preparing meals, working on the house, exercising, listening to music, or watching a movie or our favorite TV shows. When not around the house, we love to be outdoors on an adventure. We bike to work or go to the local climbing gym a couple times each week. In the last two summers we rode our bikes 200 miles in two days from Seattle to Portland, vacationed at Yosemite National Park, went whitewater rafting and took a road trip down the west coast for our honeymoon.
Below are thoughts on why and what we love about one another:
Stephen loves Bob: When I first met Bob, his kind eyes and generous smile drew me in. As I have developed a deeper relationship with him, I really appreciate that he is slow to speak, slow to anger, and an active listener. If I had to describe him in five words I would use: kind, funny, witty, faithful, and patient. Bob really balances me by helping me remember what is most important in life: friends, family, passion for life, and love. I feel Bob will be a good parent because I see the curiosity he inspires in others, and I look forward to seeing him foster the same in our child.
Bob loves Stephen: When I first met Stephen, I immediately noticed how easygoing he was and how he puts others at ease. I was drawn to his qualities of being kind-hearted, humble, gracious, and (well, since we’re being honest) – that he was so stinking handsome. As I’ve developed a life with Stephen, I have come to appreciate many more endearing qualities: that he is loyal to those around him, consistently follows through on his promises, and is able to be simultaneously hard-working while remaining easygoing. Stephen loves all things historic (nerd alert!), and he keeps physically healthy by rock climbing, biking, and skiing. I think he will be a great parent because he is very caring and patient, hard-working, open-minded, and he loves learning and sharing things with others.
We feel it is naturally our time to adopt a child. Just as we have come to care deeply for one another, we know that the love we have for our child will be astounding. In our hearts, we feel the open adoption process is best - with its commitment to honesty and focus on the child’s needs. We are interested to know what your hopes are for the future of both you and your child. This will surely be the biggest adventure of our lives. There will be highs and lows and many special moments in between and we look forward to the challenge and the chance to raise a child in this world. We would like to very sincerely thank you for your consideration, generosity, and bravery in considering blessing a couple with a child to love. Although no one besides you can understand the complexity of what you are going through, we understand you have a very difficult decision to make. We truly wish you peace and wellness.
Warmest Regards, Bob and Stephen