Letter to Birth Mother

Dear Friend,

Though we don’t know you, we feel a special connection to you—a bond like old friends. We think about you, pray for you, and love you. Your consideration for adoption suggests to us that you are a courageous, selfless and strong person. We know that adoption stems from pure love and unselfishness. We offer you our support as you make a decision that will impact not only yourself, but also someone infinitely precious to you. We hope to someday hear your story. Until then, we’d like to share ours:

We met in our singles ward in college. Eight months later we were married in the Los Angeles LDS Temple. Shortly after, it was apparent that having children would be a struggle, but we enjoyed our time together as we worked and finished school. We were miraculously blessed to become pregnant with our son, Dane, who was born just before our four-year anniversary. He has been our joy, and we know that as we bring more children into our home, our love will only multiply.

As individuals, we are very different, but together, our goal is happiness and we find delight in simple things. We crack each other up when we mix metaphors, we race to see who gets to build the fire during the winter, and we love to snuggle up when we watch Andy Griffith episodes.  Most importantly, we share a love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We cherish the opportunities we have through church service. We love to work with our hands; yard work and household projects are fun for us! Thrift and zero debt are important as we are saving up in hopes of owning a house with land where we can garden, beautify our home and raise our family.

-From Brandi-

I was raised on a horse ranch in Southern California as the ninth of eleven children. My best memories are of the beach, silly dancing and singing in the kitchen, dressing up until I was unrecognizable, and playing with my siblings, nieces, and nephews. I learned to be innovative and frugal from my dad, which has brought about my resourcefulness and creativity. My mom instilled in me the value of being prepared; I love emergency preparedness and food preservation. I enjoy the homemaking skills and wanted to teach them to others, which motivated me to earn my degree in Family & Consumer Sciences Education from BYU-Idaho. I love family time, being a stay-at-home mom, sewing, gardening, taking pictures, and being a goofball with friends.

I fell in love with Alan right off. He had a killer smile and kissable cheeks, but what attracted me to him most was his genuine love for people. To him, strangers are friends. People are drawn to him because he is so friendly! He is a great athlete, but an even better sportsman. Alan’s love for the Savior is what inspires his daily living; his motives are pure and sincere. Alan is a producer. He is disciplined and hard working. I knew he’d be an amazing husband and father because he is worthy of respect, trust and emulation. He is so patient, gentle, and affectionate with Dane. He shows us every day that he loves us, and he tells us all of the time. He is the BEST! He shows me who I really am and gives me the confidence I need to better myself so I can develop into the person I want to be. I love this man!

-From Alan-

I was born in Georgia but raised in Kentucky. I’m the seventh of eight children. I was heavily involved in sports. My family always supported me and came to my games. Family time was the best whether it was watching lightning storms, playing wiffle-ball or camping. My mom is only four feet and ten inches, and I love picking her up to give her well-deserved hugs. My dad is my best friend (besides Brandi) and I love golfing or working on the farm with him. I served a full-time LDS mission in Tijuana, Mexico. I received my BS degree from BYU-Idaho in Construction Management and my MS degree from the University of Louisville in Sport Administration. My degrees are well suited for my career in managing sporting-venue construction. Woodworking, reading, and going to sports events are some of my hobbies.

I fell for Brandi in point-two seconds. She was unavoidably likeable and funny. I loved how she was vivacious and beautiful, but also down-to-earth. Now, years later, she amazes me with how she perseveres through trials with patience and faith as she seeks to understand our Father’s will. She is easy to talk to and hard to offend. Brandi is strong willed but very teachable. With her, family comes first and she would never miss out on a bonding experience if she could help it. She is quick to drop anything or rearrange her schedule to help others. She gives much yet makes others feel needed and appreciated. Brandi is spunky and does the best impersonations! She is passionate about her role as a wife and mother because she learns from the examples of her fifteen sisters and sisters-in-law. Motherhood came naturally to her; she was a very relaxed and confident new mom to Dane. I am so grateful to have her as my bride and eternal companion.

-From Both of Us-

Dane is Mr. Personality! He gets his love for music and dancing from Brandi and has inherited his social butterfly traits from his daddy. He is a pro at fake crying and dishes out the cheesiest smiles. He loves animals and lives for visits to Grandma and Papa’s farm. Dane is a cuddle bug, a busy bee and a little monkey. He keeps us on our toes and laughing all of the time. He can’t wait to have a sibling to be best buds with! He has brought a new level of happiness to our lives, and we are so grateful for the blessing he is to our family.

Adoption is our first choice. We have never felt that fertility treatments were for us. The opportunity to adopt is something we are thrilled about and our families and friends are just as excited! Any child that comes into our family will be cherished and adored, and his or her first family will have our highest respect and sincerest appreciation. We want this child to know that he or she will always be loved by more than just two parents.

We are comfortable with correspondence through letters, email, and pictures and are ready to explore an open relationship with you if you desire.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us. Please feel free to contact us through this blog or by calling our adoption agent, Sam Scott at 816-678-6428.

With love,

Alan and Brandi