Do you mind if we’re completely honest with you? This is a strange letter to write to someone we’ve never met about a baby who may or may not be ours one day. It’s probably strange for you too. We imagine (and we hope) you’ve read quite a few letters from strangers telling you how brave and amazing you are. These things are absolutely true, but you may not feel brave or amazing right now. You may think these letters are totally weird. You don’t know us, but we hope one day we can know each other so we can tell you what an amazing, selfless, courageous mother you are in a less awkward and much more genuine way. We think this is the part where we are supposed to tell you about ourselves.

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We are Jerod and Laura. We met volunteering in our church’s high school ministry in 2017. We ended up on the same mission trip to Ethiopia that year, and the running joke is our first date was a 10-day trip to Africa. Jerod is a commercial real estate broker. Laura works part-time from home as a writer. Food is a very big deal to us. Laura makes from-scratch meals about a million and eleven times a week. We spend a lot of time outside—from farmers’ markets and art festivals to botanical gardens and the zoo. When the broiling Florida heat hits, we aim to make our way to the mountains for reprieve. We were married in 2018. Adoption was always part of our plan. Two of the couples who mentored us since before we got married have big, happy families with a blend of biological and adopted children. There is an open-heartedness in their families that we knew we wanted to cultivate in ours. Growing this wild little bunch of ours fills us with a gazillion times more joy than a toddler in a bubble bath (which is to say, A LOT). We respect whatever level of openness you want, and we can be flexible as life changes. Whatever you decide, we want you to know you are welcome into this open-minded, open-hearted family we’re building. We hope this book gives you a little insight into the life we’re creating. As awkward and hard to believe as it may sound, we pray in the midst of these complicated circumstances, you know we already love and appreciate you. We can't wait to meet you.