Hello from Matt and Julie!

Thank you for allowing us to introduce ourselves. We are hoping you see in us what you see in yourself or want for your child. We pray that your selfless love and inner strength will guide you through this important time in your life. May God bless you for working so hard to determine the best path for your child and for you!

Who are we? We are 38 years old and are still laughing and enjoying each other's company like when we were dating 11 years ago. We both have very good educations and careers. We just built a new home near St. Paul, where we are neighbors with family and life-long friends. We have three great kids (one adopted and two by birth) who have changed our lives forever. Yet, something is missing. We both feel another child would complete our family, and adoption is the path we feel called to take.

About Julie... When you meet Julie, one of the first things you will notice is her smile. She is always cheerful and makes the best of whatever life has to offer. Julie is at her best when she is being a mom. It has been a joy for me to watch her grow into motherhood. She is always looking out for the children's best interests, from activities to sports, scouts and school. It sometimes amazes me how perceptive Julie is of their needs.

Julie has the good fortune to work on a part-time basis just a few miles from home. She is a software developer and project manager, but she will tell you that she is a mom first! For her formal education, Julie has an engineering degree from the University of Minnesota, just like her older brother. She enjoys the outdoors, including running and gardening. Julie is also an avid baker, and usually keeps the kitchen filled with cookies.

About Matt... The thing I love most about Matt is his attitude. He is an absolute optimist, always pointing out the bright side of things. He is also very gentle and is a great communicator and listener. As you can probably see from his smile, Matt is a kind man and a wonderful father. He truly wants what is best for his children. He goes the extra mile to provide a good opportunity for them, and he works with them to teach them patience and kindness. He balances silliness and responsibility in the most wonderful way.

Matt is a very intelligent man. He has an engineering degree from the Naval Academy, and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. He works as an IT manager at a large company here in the Twin Cities. For fun, Matt enjoys running, being outdoors, playing with our children, working on projects (he can fix almost anything), hiking, camping, and skiing. Matt comes from a great family with five siblings, and there are lots of cousins to play with.

Why adoption? You might wonder why we would pursue adoption when we already have two sons and a daughter. The answer is very clear for us: We want more children to love for a lifetime. We have a terrific environment in which to raise children, and our hearts tell us that we are not finished yet. We want to adopt another child, and hope s/he will have a special bond with our adopted son, Daniel, and within our family.

Values and Integrity... With hard work, honesty and integrity we have arrived at a very good place in our lives. We strive to make good choices and teach our children to do the same. We believe we provide a good example for others in kindness, charity and faith.

Time with family and friends... We feel very blessed to be surrounded by many of our siblings, parents, nieces, nephews and family friends who live nearby. We share in many celebrations and have a wonderful network of support close at hand.

We love to travel and go camping! We take a big family vacation every year, often flying to a beach to spend time with Julie's family. We also take ski trips, and camping and canoe trips with friends and family. What wonderful memories we share together!

Our Faith... Our Catholic faith is very important to us, in both the hard times and the good. We are mindful every day of the blessings in our lives, and have a solid place to turn in time of need. Faith is the foundation upon which our values and family structure are built.

Where we live... We live on three wooded acres of land in a close suburb of St. Paul. We recently built a new home, returning to the town where we were raised. We are now neighbors with Matt's parents and one of his brothers. Julie's parents are 10-minutes away, along with many other relatives and life-long friends. This home is a dream come true for us, and we can't wait to share it with more children!

It is a joy to watch Katie, Joe and Daniel run outside, find their cousins and play, play, play. They swing, pick berries, enjoy bonfires, and go sledding in the winter. There are lots of toads to catch and acres of space for them to ride bikes and explore.

If you would like to talk to someone about your hopes and dreams for your child, please call us at 866-303-3207 or send an email to . We would love to talk with you!

Yours truly, Matt and Julie