We are Rebecca & Matt from Memphis, Tennessee. Thank you for taking the time to consider us as possible adoptive parents for your child. We are thrilled for the opportunity to grow our family! It has always been our dream to share the wonderful love we have and our fascination of this world with a child. We are excited to learn about you and what your hopes and dreams are for your child’s future. We want you to know that your well-being during this process is very important to us. As you get to know us better, we hope it provides comfort in your decision. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us, as we hope to learn more about you.

We first met in 2007 after multiple close friends tried setting us up, as they thought we would be perfect for each other. Well, our friends were right! We immediately bonded over our favorite bands that most people have never heard of. We also realized we had similar interests in social justice and in making the world a better place.

After 7 years of making each other laugh and sharing our lives, it was time to make it official. Matt proposed on a quiet beach in California using our favorite song for inspiration. We then got married in Matt’s parent’s backyard at a small ceremony followed by a fun celebration with close family and friends. We have so much love for each other and are ready to grow our family and share this love with a child. We have always considered adoption as a choice in growing our family, and after learning that Rebecca has a medical condition that would make it dangerous for her to carry a child, it only reinforced that adopting a child was the right path for us.

While we are a solid super couple, we can be considered complete opposites in many ways. Matt is an early bird, while Rebecca is a night owl. Matt is super energetic and outgoing, and Rebecca can be more introverted and analytic. Matt keeps us in the present, while Rebecca is always looking ahead. Since being together, we have realized that these opposite personality traits are core strengths in our marriage. We thrive off of each other and try to be more like the other, and that mesh of different characteristics brings out the best in both of us.

I grew up in the suburbs of Memphis. My parents instilled a strong work and study ethic in my siblings and me. Although we didn’t have much, my parents always had creative ways to provide family entertainment and fun. We enjoyed things like daily craft activities, do it yourself projects and small family camping trips every year. I am so excited to do the same special family activities with our child.

I was inspired to study psychology and work with children and youth at a young age, and I began working at 15 in order to put myself through college (the first person in my family to go to college). I pursued a social work/counseling career, and after working in that field for over 10 years, I went back to school to earn a Master’s degree focusing on youth justice. I work for myself and serve various nonprofits in and around Memphis. I am also a board member of several youth serving organizations and have local political ambitions. I get to work with youth in our community to empower them to be the change they want to see in the world. I am so lucky that I make my own work schedule which will allow me to spend time with our child.

I cannot wait to become a mother and focus my unconditional love on our growing family.

Rebecca makes everything better. Whether it is special art projects for friends and family or adding a dash of sugar to an exotic meal, she always strives to make the ordinary special. Both personally and professionally Rebecca has given the world all her compassion and heart. Since we met, I have watched her kindness for people and animals make those people become better; I know it has made me better. When Rebecca’s teenage niece moved in with us, I got to see firsthand her compassion and commitment to parenting a child. Our niece is now a successful college graduate that is even following in Rebecca’s footsteps by spending a year volunteering with at-risk children. That’s why I know she would make the world’s best mom. I have no doubt that any child in her care would be shown a world of possibilities and the love to achieve them.

I grew up in Memphis, a city surrounded in culture, music and history. I played music in high school along with sports. From my father, I learned a love of land and the outdoors. From my mother, I learned kindness and compassion. I moved to Charleston for college and began to understand that the world was not what it could be, and that people needed help. Which is why I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for people. I can usually be found on a walk listening to a book, or in my garden trying to grow a tomato or two.

I can’t wait to help a child see the beauty and possibility in this world. We live just a few blocks from our city’s children’s museum, and I can’t wait to help him, her, or them explore it. And while we live in the city, we also have a cabin on a lake where I will teach our child to ski and swim and all the things that families do. We plan to enjoy hot air balloon rides and enjoy tasty new foods when visiting our vacation home in Mexico that was built in the 1500’s, which is located in a World Heritage Site!

I often travel for work, so Rebecca and I hope to take our child to all the great places this world has to offer.

Matt is the most generous and genuine person I have ever known. He is a fun-loving, natural leader and teacher, and I can’t wait to see him bond with and teach our child. He has a natural curiosity for all things, and I know this will inspire our child to explore and discover anything they want. From the first moment he met my niece and nephew when they were in grade school, he immediately began to love and support them like family. Even now as adults, they both regularly call him for advice and support. Matt would truly do anything for anyone, and he has so much love to give to a child.

Our home is located in a wonderful, historic neighborhood that is covered with big trees and filled with good people. Within our house you can find collections of books and punk rock records, as well as cool retro and vintage knickknacks and unique art. We love spending time on our front porch and the deck out back and are thrilled our child will be able to enjoy a half-acre of backyard space which includes visitors such as chipmunks, and a variety of birds even owls. Our neighborhood is made up of a close-knit group of diverse families who host community events throughout the year, such as an Art Walk and outdoor family movie nights. We are nearby several colleges and parks and a short walk away from the children’s museum and planetarium. We look forward to walking our child to the top-rated Montessori school which is located right in our neighborhood! We are also zoned for one of the best elementary schools in the city.

Meet Izzy- aka Bubs: Izzy is almost a year old and is fascinated by people, especially children. She goes everywhere with us and loves hiking and playing in water. She is a silly girl and loving companion.

Meet Ninja- aka Little Buddy: Ninja is about four years old and thinks she runs the household. Whether coming home from work or from a walk you can catch Ninja in a window watching for you to come in the door.

We are lucky enough to live a few minutes away from both sets of our parents, who have always been a huge support in everything we do. We visit with them regularly, and they are beyond thrilled to welcome a new addition to our family. You’ll often find us all fishing together or taking a boat out to ski at Matt’s family cabin. We are grateful to spend a week each year in a different vacation spot with Matt’s family. Recently, we shared an adventurous vacation in Yellowstone!

Christmas & Thanksgiving traditions revolve around Rebecca and her mom cooking traditional family recipes, as well as family celebrations with Rebecca’s extended family (12 aunts and uncles plus too many cousins to count!). Rebecca’s brother also lives nearby and is always down to have dinner, watch a game together, and to help us with small handyman projects around the house.

Matt recently discovered his grandmother was adopted, and two of Rebecca’s most beloved cousins are also adopted!

Your child will be welcomed and surrounded by unconditional love, adventure, family traditions, and fun. Several of our friends are the same we’ve had since middle school and also to live in town. We love to go on group bike rides, camping trips, video game and trivia tournaments, and on all sorts of adventures. They have all mentioned how excited they are to babysit and provide any other support.

We want to welcome you to be a part of your child’s life as much as you wish to be. We want to honor your child’s culture, ancestry, and their birth story, and we plan to celebrate “adoption day” every year.