Dear Birthmother,

It seems to me that these letters are all the same; maybe some words are changed here or there, but they’re mostly the same. I can only try to understand the heartache you are going through as you make the decision of what is right for you and your child, so I’m going to take this opportunity to make some promises to you, should you choose me as part of your adoption plan.

I promise to love your child more than I’ve ever loved before. I promise to raise your child to be a good person with morals and a sense of right and wrong. I promise to set boundaries and teach him or her how to face challenges head on. I promise to let him or her fly but to always know they have a safe home to return to. I promise to let them be who they are without judgment.

If you’ve learned only one thing about me, I hope it’s knowing I feel family is forever. I have four tattoos, and each of them holds great meaning to me. One of them says, “Teaghlach go Siorai”; it means “Family Forever” in Gaelic. I hope you will want to remain a part of your child’s life and that together we can define what that means, but either way, he or she will know who you are. You are giving the wonderful gift of life, and you are making decisions from a place of unconditional love. Whatever you decide, I wish you the very best.