We have always known that we would adopt, as Ashley has a genetic disorder which makes carrying a child dangerous to both her and the baby. Because we always knew that we would grow our family in this way, we have been fortunate not to suffer the losses of infertility or miscarriage and, instead, to eagerly anticipate adoption. When we got the call that we matched with Jack's biological parents and that he would be born any day, we were over the moon with happiness! From the moment we looked into Jack's sweet face, he had our entire hearts. Being chosen to be Jack's parents is the most wonderful gift we have ever received, and we take this honor very seriously. We want Jack to have the close bond with a sibling that we each have with our own, and we can't wait to welcome a new child into our family!

We are Matt and Ashley. When we were both 18 years old, we met on a blind date that kind of fizzled out. By chance, we happened to meet again several years later when we were moving to the same city. We immediately hit it off at that time, bonding over our love of medical studies and music. We dated for 2 years, after which we were married in a small, relaxed wedding, packed with friends, family, and joyous memories!

We have now been married over 15 years, and we have learned so much about ourselves and each other during that time. We grew closer and more patient with each other as Matt, who is now a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist, underwent medical school, residency, and fellowship, each involving a move to a new city. We then received the most wonderful gift when we officially adopted our son, Jack, in 2024! We absolutely adore Jack and feel extremely lucky that we get to be his parents. Our marriage is very stable and filled with many shared interests, friends, traditions, and love. We look forward to welcoming a new child into our family!

Matt is a deeply intellectual, easy-going, analytical thinker who enjoys traveling, teaching, and spending time with loved ones. He is an avid reader who loves learning new things as much as he loves teaching them. He is kind and generous, which I see every day by how he treats Jack, Macy, and me, how he cares for his patients, and how passionate he is in providing medical care in underserved places around the globe.

Matt has many interests, which range from hobbies to major career choices. As a physician, he has a passion for medicine that extends beyond his own practice, and both drives him to teach other doctors and to continue his work on medical missions around the world. Matt plays the guitar and appreciates a broad range of music. He also stays very physically active and enjoys working out, biking, hiking, and scuba diving.

Matt loves his family immensely. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch the man who I have loved for over 15 years become an attentive, present, patient, fun, and thoughtful parent! Matt is not the type of dad to sit idly by if Jack needs something. Whether it's changing a messy diaper, making a meal, or giving Jack his nightly bath, Matt jumps right in. I knew he would be an amazing father based on how he has always treated our dachshund, Macy, but nothing could have prepared me for just how phenomenal a father he would be! He loves Jack with his whole heart, and I know he will love another child just as completely.

I affectionately refer to Ashley as my fiery, red-haired Texan. She's strong, intelligent, and independent, with a passion and loyalty that shine in everything she does. Ashley is an empath at heart, which makes her an incredible mother to our spirited son and speech language pathologist to the elderly. She has an innate ability to understand and nurture, turning every moment into one filled with love, learning, and laughter. Watching her blossom into a patient, creative, and devoted mother to Jack has been one of the great privileges of my life.

Traveling is one of Ashley's greatest joys. If given the choice, she'd be on a sunny beach surrounded by family or close friends, watching our son play in the sand. She's our planner and caretaker, always packing extra sunscreen, snacks, and sunhats to ensure everyone is cared for. We can't wait to have a new little traveler join us on our next family adventure.

Over the past seventeen years, I've watched Ashley grow into the extraordinary woman she is today. From early in our marriage, fifteen years ago, we knew adoption would one day be part of our story. Ashley shares a close bond with her sibling, and the thought of our son sharing that same lifelong connection fills her heart with excitement. We feel humbled and grateful for the opportunity to expand our family and share our love, laughter, and adventures with another child.

Jack is our 2-year-old son, and he is our world! We met him on the night he was born, and he has had our hearts from the moment we first laid eyes on him. We truly cannot imagine life without our silly, social, energetic boy. It is an honor and the greatest gift we have ever received to be his parents.

We both grew up being close to our siblings, and we can't wait for Jack to share that special and loving bond with a sibling of his own. Jack stays busy, attending a Spanish-immersion preschool as well as swim classes several days a week. He loves anything with wheels, outdoor activities, and playing with other children. He is going to make a wonderful big brother someday!

Macy is our beloved long-haired dachshund, and we absolutely adore, dote on, and delight in her. She is 14 years old, and we could not ask for a better dog to be around babies! She loved Jack as soon as he came home, and she has immense patience with him as he learns to use "gentle hands". Macy has a sweet personality and loves to "explore" in the yard or snuggle in her bed. She has been endless company to us and is a very big part of our family.

Our house is in a terrific neighborhood and city! We love this location, as the neighborhood is great for taking walks, hiking or biking on nearby trails, and visiting with friends and family. Our home has plenty of room to grow our family and a yard in which Jack and our dog Macy like to play! We especially love our proximity to many amazing things here, including restaurants, parks, and museums that are very fun to experience as a family. Here, we feel like our children can receive all the amenities of a big city but with more of a small-town feel. Our neighborhood is full of children, walking distance to the local, top-rated elementary school, and is a local Halloween hotspot!

Travel is something that we think is important for ourselves and for our children. We believe traveling beyond our usual, day-to-day routines gives us a better understanding of how the world works, other cultures, and a deeper sense of empathy and appreciation. We have traveled abroad for vacations as well as for medical missions, with Ashley completing an Operation Smile mission in Peru and Matt completing a mission in Kenya in which he trained medical professionals in uses of anesthesia. Additionally, Matt has been instrumental in curriculum development for a training program in Ethiopia and will soon return to Kenya to help train Nurse Anesthetists. We have also enjoyed recreational traveling with friends and family members to places like Jamaica, Hawaii, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Bahamas, and we will soon travel with Jack to Ireland! Traveling with Jack has been gratifying, because it is so special to see his eyes fill with wonder at the world. We look forward to more adventures in the future with Jack and a sibling!

We realize that we may sound biased, but we have one of the best families! We are close with our parents and siblings, as well as extended family. We are fortunate to live in a city where we can easily travel to see them all, and they often travel to see us. It's not unusual for us to travel to see cousins and aunts or for grandparents to come visit for a weekend!

Our parents were actually friends before we met, as three of our parents taught elementary school together. Because they are friends who live in the same city, we have wonderful big Christmas celebrations, with both sides of our families coming together at one another's homes. It's so nice to be able to get the WHOLE family together several times a year. We even traveled as one big, happy family to Hawaii last year!

We are also close to Ashley's sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, who live an oft-traveled 15-minute drive away. We have the best times visiting with them, whether at our weekly family dinners or enjoying a cookout beside their pool. It has been a great pleasure for us to watch as our son Jack and our nephew have grown closer. Jack thinks his cousin hung the moon, and we are so thankful to see Jack becoming as close with his cousins as we are with our own!

Celebrating holiday traditions in our family is a big deal! We are fortunate to have wonderful traditions with both Matt's and Ashley's families as well as several of our own. We kick off the holiday season by delving into the spooky and macabre, with Ashley decorating the yard and house for Halloween. Jack and the other neighborhood kids especially seem to love the giant spider and web that cascade down from a large tree in our front yard.

Toward the end of October, we also have begun a new tradition to honor Jack's Latino heritage. Jack's birth mom is Latina, and we want Jack to grow up proud of his ancestry. We gladly incorporate as much of his heritage into our lives as we can! We love celebrating Dia de los Muertos with Jack, with our ofrenda providing a beautiful remembrance of our deceased family and friends.

In November, we travel to spend Thanksgiving with Ashley's extended and immediate family, who are all amazing cooks! Ashley's cousins, aunts, parents and many more gather for several days to feast, laugh, watch holiday movies, and play the infamous Saran Wrap Ball game!

We then travel a couple of weeks before Christmas to celebrate with both sets of parents in our hometown. Matt's family throws a Christmas party, where Ashley's parents, Matt's parents, grandmother, brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins are always present. We enjoy a wonderful evening where laughter is never in short supply. Jack loves playing with cousins and we love catching up with both sides of the family!

Since Jack was born, we have begun our own tradition of Christmas in our own home so that Santa can find Jack easily! It's a fun and relaxed morning filled with opening presents, cooking, and then heading over to Ashley's sister and brother-in-law's house for a big Christmas dinner!

We want to thank you for taking the time to read our profile. You may have questions that were not covered in our book, and we encourage you to ask! We are always happy to give you further details and information so that you may make the best decision for you and for your baby. We will be unwavering advocates for your child so that he or she may have a home filled with love, stability, compassion, family gatherings, new and old traditions, and joyful memories. If you believe we are the right choice, we look forward to beginning this journey with you!

Thank you!