Our promise to you is that your child will be loved by us (and our friends and family) with our whole hearts. We love kids and we have served as foster parents to several children throughout the years. Every time we welcomed a foster child into our home, we did everything we could to make them feel that love. We read books, played games, took trips, and went to the playground. Every night we held them close to us, told them that we loved them and that they were good kids. When we visited friends and family, all of the children in our care were treated the same as if they were our biological children.

One particular child named Ariel is still a very special part of our lives today. Ariel lived with us the first year of her life. Although she now lives with her biological grandparents, we remain close to Ariel and her family. Ariel is now nearly 4, and she is a happy and social girl who is comfortable wherever she goes. Her family has become our family and we see each other on a daily basis. Ariel would be a wonderful "big sister" to the child we adopt.

When we were foster parents, we maintained connections between each child's birth family and the benefits to the child was enormous. A child should know where they came from. We know a child won't love us any less if they know who their first mother is and what she looks like. We hope that we will be able to meet you and that we will stay in contact throughout your child's life.

We have unique personal histories and wide sets of interests. After college, Vicky was an AmeriCorps volunteer at a radio station and lived in Nome, Alaska. Nome, Alaska is so remote, you need to take a plane to visit there. Vicky then studied to become a teacher and taught English and history in Vermont, Seattle and New York City. She even taught in Rome for two years where she learned to speak Italian. When she wasn't working, she enjoyed playing ice hockey and working on standup comedy routines. More recently, she and Rich play tennis together. Her worldly experience has given her a deep sense of empathy for others. She is the first person to help an elderly person down the stairs or to offer to take a friend's child to the playground so they could have a break.

Rich went to a small college and studied art and engineering. While he was in school, he worked for both artists and engineers. He volunteered for many years at Meal-on-Wheels and served as the BINGO caller at a nursing home. Rich also volunteered overnight at a domestic violence women's shelter. Rich still has a strong artistic side and loves to draw. He volunteers as a lawyer to help artists.

We believe our unique life experiences make us ideal parents. We know we can learn fast and adapt to any situation.

We both work from home and are fortunate to have a lot of flexibility. Most days we work from about 7 am until 3 pm and then pick up Ariel from daycare. We bring Ariel home and play with her for a few hours. We play dress up, Barbies, color, read a few books, and watch TV. When there is good weather we may take a walk or go to a playground. We usually have dinner with her around 5:30 pm and will play with her until around 7:30 when we take her back to her grandmother's house. Vicky likes to play guitar and garden to unwind. Lately she's been reading fantasy novels. Rich relaxes by drawing or listening to podcasts about gadgets. We both enjoy playing tennis together, walking into town to explore new shops and restaurants, relaxing by our pool, and planning our next vacation.

We live in a two-bedroom condo near the downtown area of a diverse and historic city. We have a kitchen which is large enough for a family to eat comfortably. Aside from the outdoor pool, our favorite parts of the condo are our patio and the sunroom. Vicky has turned the patio into a beautiful garden with a slide, a swing and a sandbox.

Our sunroom is where our two rabbits spend most of their time. One of the rabbits is named Karsuzlyn, which is a combination of the names of some of Vicky's sisters. The other rabbit is named Bunny Wonder. Rich named her that for fun. We are lucky to have very friendly and understanding neighbors. Our foster children were always greeted by our neighbors with smiles and many gifts.

We wanted to live in a historic and diverse city because we wanted to be part of a community. Our community has a few historic Black churches that we can walk to and we are very close to several state parks and playgrounds. There is also a local theater. The city puts on numerous cultural celebrations throughout the year.

The most important reason why we love our home is because of how we have been able to share it with the ones we love. It has been the home to a newborn, two infants, and two three-year olds. It is a second home to our first foster daughter who we still watch. We have hosted many family members and their children.

Rich has one sister and Vicky is one of ten children. Between us, we have many nieces and nephews. We enjoy visiting with them over the holidays and traveling with them on vacation. Rich's sister puts on a big Christmas Eve dinner just like the one their grandmother put on for them when they were kids. Rich's parents visit every month or two. When we vacation together, Rich's sister likes to organize a family game of cards. They love Ariel as deeply as their other grandchildren and would be overjoyed if we welcomed another child into our home.

Vicky is the heart of her very large family. All of the times they have all gotten together in the past few years is because of Vicky's efforts. Vicky's family enjoys playing games like Hedbanz, charades and Family Feud together. Vicky is the closest with two of her older sisters and her one younger sister. They chat daily over coffee, exercise together over zoom, and have joined us on vacation in Scotland and Aruba. Vicky is also close with one of her older brothers who lives a short car ride away and has two young children. We see them often for birthdays and just to hang out. We also see one of her older sisters around once a month.

We also consider Ariel's extended family a part of our family. All of the families have gotten to know and love each other and are grateful that we are in each other's lives.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us and considering adoption for your baby. If you picked us as adoptive parents, we would give your baby all the love and attention in our hearts and the love and support of our entire extended family and friends. We will introduce them to everything in life that has brought us joy - family, going to church, learning, culture, nature, travel and more. We will read books, play games, go outside, and do everything a kid should do to have a happy childhood. Our biggest hope for your baby is that they will feel loved at all times and always feel like they belong. They will grow up thinking they can be anything they want to be, and it will be true.

As foster parents, we ensured each child knew where they came from and honored the requests of each child's family for connection. We plan on introducing your baby's story of adoption early in life. It will be apparent to your baby and everyone around them that they are adopted, so we will prepare them for that as early as they can understand it. They will learn that they had a first mother who gave birth to them with the help of their first father. They would see any pictures of you (and your family) that you sent us around the house in places of honor so they would know your face. If you are open to it, at some point in the future we could visit with you (or other members of your family) in person or have regular video calls. We are open to any level of contact you would be comfortable with.

We know we will be good parents because we love kids and have already raised multiple Black children. We understand what we can provide for Black children and what we will need help with. Since we live in a diverse area, are close friends with several Black families, have Black friends as a part of our family, and attend a historical Black church, we have a strong support system to meet the needs of your baby. We will also speak openly and honestly about race. We will validate your child's feelings with an understanding that they experience situations in a way that we do not. We will ensure that any school or activity your baby attends, people of color will be represented. Our home will have posters, books, movies and toys which reflect your baby's heritage. Your baby would have a sibling in Ariel who will understand what it is like to be African American, adopted, and have white parents. Any place that we go, your baby will see themselves reflected in the environment. We are often the only white people at gatherings and have no problem standing out, so your baby can fit in. Your baby will grow up knowing and loving who they are.

We wish you well as you decide what is right for you and your baby.

Sincerely,

Rich & Vicky