Going through the adoption process four years ago has made us familiar and comfortable with adoption. We spent a lot of time thinking and educating ourselves about it, the role we would have to play in our child's understanding of his/her journey since we know it may shape a person profoundly and intimately through adulthood. While we can't decide in advance how everything will play out since it will depend partly on how the birthparents and eventually the child will want to establish their relationship, we are quite clear that we want to maintain the maximum amount of transparency and openness with our child right from the beginning.

That is how we have done it with Leo. We had a proud parent moment when Leo was asked by another toddler in the playground where his "mom" was. Leo naturally said, I have a "bio-mom," which we believe was because he was empowered by information.

We are planning to read to our child, even during infancy, stories about adoption and show him/her that families are diverse in many ways and that there is no single model of the perfect family. Above all, we want him/her to know that they were loved by their birthparents, which is why they decided on an adoption plan. It will be crucial for us to convey to our child the idea that they are not lacking, but instead surrounded by so much love.

We have a very balanced lifestyle. Each of us takes the lead on different fronts to make a more holistic home. With PJ being more of the homemaker and Amit being more sociable, we are able to complement and support each other at the same time. Keeping to a routine like planning our meals for the week ahead and regularly going to the gym or playing sports gives us stability and a healthy foundation for a happy life.

As the better cook, PJ makes most of our meals from scratch: he bakes bread once a week, cooks various soups from fresh ingredients, and regularly makes Amit's favorite meals from his traditional French recipes like squash quiche, ratatouille, and vegetarian blanquette.

Amit usually takes the lead on planning our social calendar and is often the house handyman, fixing broken things and letting Leo be his assistant. He also plans and hosts entertaining activities for our friends like a guacamole making contest and helps put together a pumpkin decorating station for the kids.

Our lives have a good mix of activities where we mainly enjoy our time together whether we are snuggling up near the fireplace to watch our favorite shows or enjoying outdoor excursions during our international travels. Overall, we really value being in the moment and try to enjoy what's right in front of us at that time. We believe doing that cultivates patience and grit so that when our children grow up, they'll have that special superpower.

Traditions are very important for us: it's our way to connect with the past, the past of our families, and with the future, that of our children.

Many of our traditions mark key times of the year, the most significant being Christmas. PJ bakes a chocolate yule log and sugar cookies, while Amit decorates the whole house. PJ also keeps French traditions alive from his family such as celebrating St. Nicolas, who leaves chocolates, nuts, and fruits outside your door if you have been a good kid. We can't wait to watch holiday movies with our child (Leo's favorite is Polar Express) and see more smiles and excitement with this time of the year!

Thanksgiving is also a time where we love to host friends and play games. We mainly try to provide a welcoming and cozy house for those who don't have a place to go because for some the holidays can be a difficult time.

We also host a block party every year for Leo's birthday where we have someone come to twist balloons and paint faces which has been a tradition for the neighborhood kids.

Amit is also keen on celebrating birthdays, coming of age events, and weddings, which comes from his Indian cultural heritage and sense of community. For us, these moments are all really about family and friends getting together and reconnecting to stay close throughout the years, which is really what tradition means to us.

We live in beautiful city in New Mexico where our spacious two story, four bedroom and two and half bathroom home is our happy place. We have a wonderful backyard where PJ loves to take care of roses and grows tomatoes and strawberries while Amit makes sure that the hummingbirds always have food. Every year we harvest fruit from our apple and nectarine trees as well as grapes growing on a trellis so that Amit can make fresh jam and applesauce for the whole year.

Our home is in a cul-de-sac in a quiet part of town where the neighbors' kids are often playing outside. There are several parks, playgrounds, and community centers within walking distance that provide interactive activities and enough space to run around and just be a kid.

New Mexico is a magnificent place with mild temperatures, fresh air and climates of all four seasons. We hike mountains in the fall, make snow angels in the winter, and enjoy clear skies and sunshine all year long. Our city also hosts the International Hot Air Balloon Festival every year for which family and friends often visit us with their kids to see the balloons up close and watch as they take off into the sky. We can't wait to include another kid to this event and continue our family tradition of waking up at 5 a.m. all bundled up with hot chocolate and breakfast burritos to watch a 120-ft cow hot air balloon fly through the sky!

Our extended family is an integral part of our lives. Given that we live away from our families (PJ's in France and Amit's in Chicago), we make a conscious effort to visit or host them multiple times a year. Our idea of a family is very much influenced by our own childhood spent with siblings, which is a big reason why we want to grow our family.

Getting together with family is always a source of fun. With three nieces/nephews on one side and four on the other, we are never short of games/explorations, birthday and holiday celebrations. PJ's family lives on the Mediterranean seashore, so we take full advantage of the beach as well.

It is very important to us that our children know that their extended family is very much a part of their life to provide a sense of community outside of where we live and our immediate family. This child will be fully welcomed into our extended family with both sets of our parents retired and ready to spoil him/her! Having gone through the adoption process already, everyone is aware of the process and fully supports us it as they did with our son Leo. Amit's mom has already committed to moving in for a few months to help us around the house while we bond with the child. As for Leo, he is eager to play and take care of his little sister or brother.

Writing to someone we don't know who could have one of the strongest impacts on our lives is not easy. We hope that once you get to know us a little and know what kind of parents we are, it will give you some comfort through your journey. We cannot imagine what you are going through, although we know it cannot be easy. But what we can assure you is that we commit to being your strong ally and will care for this child with all our hearts.

We are fully in favor of you maintaining a connection with the child through regular photos, videos, and even visits, because we are convinced that this would be beneficial for the child, but at the same time we want to respect whatever decision you make regarding what you think is best for you and the child. What you are doing is already courageous and we are just grateful that you are considering us. The decision you are making will change our lives, your own, and most importantly the life of the child.

When we met in 2010, we quickly realized that we had similar interests in finding someone we could build a life with. We moved in together, got married, and eventually adopted our son, Leo, who has been the center of our lives. We truly love being parents through all the ups and downs. Now we're ready to take the next step to expand our family and give Leo a sibling we think will bring so much joy in our home.

The way we see our role as parents is to provide a home where a child can grow up as a happy, thoughtful, and empowered individual who will enrich the world. We believe our couple is a strong unity rich with our respective differences. PJ lives and breathes through culture and education, which nurtures him deeply. Since early childhood, he has been curious about arts, history and more. Becoming a teacher was his way to pass his thirst for knowledge to others. Amit has always volunteered in various ways and having those social interactions feeds his soul. He has been involved in humanitarian work both in the United States and abroad and is constantly looking for ways to have impact in the communities he lives in.

Our families are models for us of what a supportive and loving family looks like. They were not well off, but they have helped us become who we are. Amit's family emigrated from India in 1980 and had to make some sacrifices to make it through tough times. And yet they were able to provide him with small gifts like a new bike which created his hardworking personality as an adult. PJ's family was a typical middle-class French family. His parents never went to high school, but they supported him through his entire academic career including getting his PhD, cementing PJ's dedication to education. We also both had siblings with whom we played with and fought with - because that's what siblings are for!

We want to pass down a family spirit to our children by keeping alive the family traditions we cherish, whether they are special holidays, home-cooked meals, or moments we share. Amit is always busy making up new games or creating interesting crafts. We also have mini dance parties and visit local parks where we can all expend our energy. We balance those with calm moments, such as reading stories, which is a daily activity at home. Dinner is an important moment when we recoup after a long day and enjoy fresh bread and a home-made meal.

Whether we are traveling to see our families in Chicago and France, or in a routine at home, we also believe that surrounding ourselves with joy and goofiness is essential. Loving, learning, and laughing are the very foundations of our home.

We firmly believe family is created through the bonds of love, not through genes. We want to grow this love by growing our family and make it even more a place where these moments are shared and enjoyed. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us.

Amit & PJ