We both began our careers as Navy pilots. We met in Oklahoma where we were both assigned for our first phase of military flight training. We were "outsiders," Naval officers enrolled in an Air Force flight school as part of a joint training program. We worked together studying and preparing for tests, simulators and flights and enjoyed a healthy rivalry with our Air Force counterparts. The demands of flight school left little time for much else but in our free time we would discuss our families, hobbies, and dreams.

We soon became close friends, supporting each other during this high stress time in our lives. After completing our fixed wing training in Oklahoma, we both selected to fly helicopters and moved to Pensacola, FL. After a couple of months, we went on our first real date, which, is still an area of much debate. Ron recalls the first real date as taking Anne to dinner at a nice sit-down restaurant and a movie, but in Anne's recollection the first thing they did after having "the dating talk" was go through a Burger King drive through.

Now that we are out of the Navy, Anne is a stay-at-home mom who works part time as a strategic advisor and Ron is an engineer who builds jets for the military. One thing is certain and has been a consistent part of our story ever since ­— it doesn't matter where we are, or what we are doing, we are just happy to be together.

We love getting outside and enjoying the world around us. Walking or biking gives our family a chance to catch up, laugh and experience new things at a slower pace. On nice weekends at home, we go down to the river to watch the boats and feed the ducks. We are also passionate golfers, college sports fans and skiers. We are known to sneak out for nine holes on a weekday, love cheering our teams to victory and our annual ski trips to Vermont are one of our favorite excursions of the year.

Our extended family has a tradition of starting a complex puzzle on every vacation. Even the most reluctant participant can't help but get involved and this ends up being a favorite activity that brings us all together, old and young, even when the littlest helpers run off with, or try to eat the pieces.

While we don't fly for the military anymore, we are both enthusiastic pilots that share a love of flying. Whether touring our neighborhood from the air, or flying ourselves for a weekend retreat with friends, we try to get a flight in at least one time a month.

We love to travel and try to take vacations overseas each year. This year, we plan to take Connor with us to London and Rome to visit friends and celebrate a wedding. We are so excited to share all of these adventures and experiences with our children.

We have always wanted a big family and have always been called to adopt a child to build our family. Most of our fondest childhood memories involve our brothers and sisters and we know that this child and Connor will benefit so much from having a lifelong companion, confidant and partner in crime.

Adoption has also impacted our family on a personal level. Anne's sister placed her daughter with an adoptive family when she became pregnant during college. She watched her daughter grow over the years, cherishing monthly pictures and letters. When she turned 18, Anne's sister's daughter asked to meet her birth mother, who is now a successful lawyer, and they have since enjoyed a close relationship with occasional lunch dates and visits. Her daughter is now a happily married finance professional with a large fluffy dog.

Anne's sister's positive experience with placing her daughter has deeply impacted our decision to adopt. Based on her experience, we are very interested in facilitating a close relationship and open communication between birthparents and their child at an early age. We want your child to know that they are not only an important part of our family, but also an important part of yours.

Our house is a unique craftsman nestled into a small neighborhood just outside of a big city. We have a yard that provides plenty of space to play and explore. We have a slide, sandbox and a large patio where we enjoy grilling and eating dinner with friends and family. Inside, we have a large living room where we spend most of our indoor time, sharing stories from our day, playing games, listening to music, or building puzzles. We have three bedrooms upstairs, one extra with space for a cozy nursery and plenty of room for play. Our basement is currently a combination guest bedroom, art studio and pretend restaurant where Connor enjoys playing with his family, friends and stuffed animals.

Our neighborhood consists of houses similar to ours and most of the neighbors are families with young children. We have three playgrounds within a ten-minute walk where we enjoy play and picnics with our friends. The neighborhood puts on several community events to include a Halloween block party. The city closes the road to traffic and we work with our neighbors to hang lights and coordinate a potluck where the whole group can snack, chat and watch the children trick or treat in a safe environment.

Although we are close to the city, our neighborhood has a small-town feel. With tall trees, a farmers' market and our close connection with the neighbors, we have a safe, welcoming community that also provides all the cultural opportunities of a big city.

We are blessed to have a large, loving and welcoming extended family. With five sisters on Anne's side and Ron with a brother, we now have a total of 11 nieces and nephews ranging in age from 1 to 19. We are very close with all of them and both Anne and Ron's sides of the family celebrate birthdays, holidays and special occasions together.

We always spend a week each summer at the beach with Anne's sisters and their families and her parents. Although we now have to split up into several houses, we still make it a point to be together for dinners, beach time and swimming. The holidays are also a time when the whole extended family gathers. Each family rotates hosting and we always include some sort of fun outside event. For example, we host an Easter brunch at our home. We always precede the egg hunt and brunch with a family 5k fun run. The teenagers typically out run the adults and the younger children enjoy cheering on the runners and distributing chocolate Easter bunny prizes to the winners.

We truly love our extended family and the closeness we share.

We are Anne and Ron. Thank you for taking the time to learn about our family and for considering us as potential parents. This must be an incredibly challenging decision and we hope that sharing a little bit about our family, home and our dreams will help you get to know us a little bit better. We would be honored to be selected for the opportunity to provide a loving home for your child.

We met almost 16 years ago as newly commissioned military officers training to become Navy helicopter pilots. We have been married for 12 years and have a three year old son named, Connor. We both come from big families and grew up in busy homes filled with laughter. We have been blessed with a large home and we are seeking adoption to grow our family. We are partners in life and love and are determined to provide our children with every opportunity.

We live just outside a big city in northern Virginia. Although close to the city, our neighborhood has a small-town feel. We have three different parks within walking distance and a backyard with a patio for outdoor dining, a slide, sandbox and a lawn for the occasional summer sprinkler splash party. We belong to a local pool and also spend a lot of time at our vacation home on an island off the coast of South Carolina. Whether we are hiking local parks, traveling abroad, enjoying the museums and access to art and culture provided in the city or relaxing in the small island oasis of our vacation home, we cherish spending time with our family and friends.

We come from warm loving families that have always prioritized time together, unconditional love and acceptance. Our entire close-knit extended family gets together monthly for big family trips or holiday festivities. We have 11 nieces and nephews, each with their unique personalities and talents that they are excited to share with your child. Whether art, dance, language, skiing or lacrosse, we have an "expert coach" in house within the family network. If you choose us, we will love and cherish your child, support them through any challenge, celebrate their victories and help them achieve their goals.

The necessity of time apart travelling the globe while we were in the military has reinforced the view of family first and we are excited that our new careers allow us to eat dinner together every night. We cherish the strong bonds we have built with our "chosen" military family and understand that sometimes family is more than the people we are related to. If you select us, your child will know their birth story from the beginning and we look forward to the role that you will play in your child's life, whatever you choose that to be. If you are comfortable, we would love to share email, letters and pictures with you. We are also open to visits when the time is right. We are committed to show you that your child is well loved and cared for.

Thank you for your consideration,

Ron & Anne