In August of 2020 we welcomed our second child, Samantha Caroline, into the world. She had been diagnosed very early in pregnancy with non-survivable brain and skull abnormalities. We were blessed to be able to spend a little time with her after birth before she passed peacefully into Heaven. Unfortunately, Mary-Kathryn developed life-threatening complications after Samantha's delivery, which resulted in her being unable to carry any more children. We were saddened by these circumstances, but we are strengthened and fortified by our keen desire to continue growing our family.

While there were other medical options available to us (such as surrogacy), adoption is the only way that is right for us and the only option we've ever considered. We pray we will have the chance to adopt more than once!

We remain forever grateful for the time we had with Samantha and are so blessed to have her watching over our family from Heaven. We believe that God has a plan for everyone and that the suffering we have endured will lead us to the family we are meant to have, and the brothers and sisters that Hannah (and Samantha) so earnestly wishes for.

We are an active and athletic couple. We love to hike our beautiful state parks, especially in the cool fall weather. Andrew is an avid fisherman who patiently untangles Mary-Kathryn's fishing lines from various trees (she shares Andrew's love of fishing, if not his skills!) We enjoy throwing the frisbee in the yard and taking our Labradors on long walks. We have a membership at the local zoo and visit often. Our whole family especially enjoys feeding the giraffes, who at this point probably recognize us! Andrew is a keen historian and loves to walk the local battlefields and visit the museums. In the evenings, we relax by watching documentaries and movies (Alfred Hitchcock is our favorite!)

Andrew is loyal and hard-working with an engaging personality. He is an extremely successful Physician with a busy practice. His patients adore him. Andrew's friends and family would describe him as dependable, generous, and serious. He is a trustworthy friend and steadfast ally.

Mary-Kathryn has a gift for all things homemaking and a yen for organization. She keeps a beautiful, inviting home that everyone feels welcomed in. She is a skilled tennis player, a gifted puzzle enthusiast and a formidable opponent in trivia contests. She loves to read classic books and is involved with a few different local literary groups. Mary-Kathryn has a warm, upbeat personality. She listens to others' problems with genuine, heartfelt empathy. Her friends and family would say she is smart, thoughtful, and funny.

We will wholeheartedly love this child the way we love the children Mary-Kathryn gave birth to. We truly believe that joyful, loving families are built in different ways. One of Mary-Kathryn's dear friends - who has both biological and adopted children - perhaps said it best: "My heart knows no distinction in my love for them."

Your child, like every member of our family, will be loved and cherished beyond measure.

Your child will be protected and nurtured throughout every step of their life.

Your child will have every opportunity to grow and become the unique person they are meant to be.

Your child will know of the great love you have for them and will be reminded every day of the sacrifices you made to ensure they were placed in a loving, adoptive home.

We will send you photos and updates as frequently as you would like to receive them!

We live in a beautiful home on an idyllic 9-acre property that we purchased with children in mind. The property has plenty of space for children to explore, have adventures, play games, and just be kids! We have two fenced-off fishing ponds that have quickly become a popular destination for our friends of all ages. A creek meanders through the back of the property, where children can find turtles, salamanders, frogs, and other fun wildlife. Our home is graced with large windows that provide wonderful natural light, especially in the spacious family room which is the center of household activities. Mary-Kathryn loves teaching Hannah how to bake in the kitchen, and she can't wait to share this with more children! We have a huge unfinished space upstairs that we plan on turning into a kids' playroom. Andrew and his friends recently built a big children's playset in the backyard with swings, slides, and climbing ropes. Mary-Kathryn hopes to start a vegetable garden in the spring! This year, we hosted a children's Easter egg hunt on our property for over 20 families, which will be an ongoing community tradition.

We are very friendly with several of our wonderful neighbors, who live just up the driveway. We live in a very close-knit community where families look out for each other. We love spending time at our pool and tennis club in the summer months. Our community is blessed with numerous wonderful playgrounds, YMCA, and library with great children's programs.

Mary-Kathryn's parents and Andrew's parents are very involved in our lives and have been so supportive of our adoption plans. All of them cannot wait to love (and spoil!) a new grandchild!

Mary-Kathryn's parents (Nana and Grandpa) live 20 minutes from us. We enjoy seeing them frequently and get together for dinner most Sundays. Mary-Kathryn's mom is especially helpful to us by babysitting Hannah once a month or so so we can enjoy a date night together as a couple.

Andrew's parents (Grammie and Grampie) live two hours from us. They live in a house on the water, where we love to go kayaking, fishing, boating, and walking on the shore together. We also enjoy playing hours of the board game Parcheesi during our visits.

Something very unique about our family is that we spend holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter) with both Andrew and Mary-Kathryn's parents all together. It's been a wonderful tradition to create in our family, and we love that our children will have memories of holidays with all of their grandparents.

In addition to our immediate families' support of our adoption plans, we each have cousins who were adopted, and Mary-Kathryn has two cousins who are also adoptive parents. They have been immensely helpful to us on this journey, and we know they will continue to be a tremendous support as we welcome children into our family through adoption!

We hope this letter finds you healthy and well. We can only imagine what an extremely stressful and emotional time this is for you. We are praying for you and want to support and encourage you on this journey. We are humbled and grateful that you might choose us to be the adoptive parents of your beautiful and special child.

We'd like to tell you a little about ourselves. Our names are Andrew and Mary-Kathryn. We've been happily married for over six years, and we have two daughters. Hannah is a very precocious two-year-old who adores babies. Her little sister, Samantha Caroline, passed into Heaven shortly after her birth in August 2020, from fatal brain defects. Hannah is kind-hearted and has so much love and affection to give a sibling. We know she will love your child - her little brother or sister - with all her heart and soul. We have two sweet and gentle Labrador Retrievers, Brody and Findlay, who love children. They are such faithful and protective companions to Hannah and give lots of warm, sloppy kisses to her friends when they visit.

Andrew is an Army combat veteran who is now a Physician at an academic hospital. He is devoted to his work and medical practice but loves his family above all things and always puts them first. He thinks being a dad is the best job in the world and never complains as he baits Hannah's (and Mary-Kathryn's) hooks while fishing trip at the two ponds on our property. He can't wait to guide and teach our future children.

Mary-Kathryn is a stay-at-home mom (her favorite job ever!) who loves spending her days with Hannah and cannot wait to nurture and care for more children. Mary-Kathryn has created a beautiful home filled with warmth, love, and tasty meals! She leads the "Moms' Group" at our church and plans weekly get-togethers, playdates, and field trips for a multitude of young children. These gatherings resound with laughter, activity, and all the beautiful chaos kids create. Mary-Kathryn takes it in stride!

We first met in early 2014 - Mary-Kathryn thought Andrew was very handsome and admired his generosity, strong work ethic, and service to his country. Andrew was attracted to Mary-Kathryn's smile, faith, and kind heart. We always wanted to raise a family with several children. Andrew proposed to Mary-Kathryn in the fall of 2014 at the place where her grandparents honeymooned during WWII, and we were married in 2015. We were thrilled to welcome Hannah in the spring of 2019. We've watched her develop from a tiny baby in our arms to a very independent little girl who is very free with her opinions! This vocation - parenthood - has filled us with a greater joy and meaning than anything else we've done in our lives.

Mary-Kathryn suffered complications after Samantha's delivery that prevent her from being able to carry more children, and therefore we have turned our hearts towards adoption to grow our family. The thought of being adoptive parents to your precious child fills us with indescribable hope and joy!

We fully realize that such a blessing flows from extraordinary sacrifice on your part. We promise that your child will always know of your deep love and selflessness and that you gave them the greatest gift of all: life itself. We will be open with this child about their adoption story and their birth family's story, and we promise to celebrate the wonderful traits and talents they inherited from you. We're happy to exchange email addresses and share updates and photographs of your child as frequently as you desire.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us and considering us as the adoptive parents of your precious child. We pray for God's peace and blessings to be upon you during this time. You and your child are in our thoughts and prayers.

With our gratitude and admiration,

Andrew & Mary-Kathryn