Hi! We are Jaime and Matt from Fife, Washington. Hello and thank you for considering making this lifelong journey beside us! We have been together for almost 8 years, and married for just over 1. Matt's 16 year old, Felix, spends every other weekend with us. You will usually find us hanging out with our 2 dogs, a golden retriever named Rusty and an adorable mix named Timme. We love taking them to the beach, on trail walks, to wander the farmers market, or just playing catch in the yard. Having friends and family over for a home cooked meal and cards is our idea of a good time. We also enjoy an occasional concert or live theater performance, sprinkled in with some travel. We value honest communication, laughter, education, and family.

Raising a child together is our greatest dream, and we can’t wait to share our love and build a family through adoption. Matt has two adult children and one 16 year old that is with us every other weekend. Unfortunately, we are unable to expand our family on our own, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to adopt and raise a child together. Being a mom has been a dream of Jaime's since she was a little girl, and raising a child together is our dream as a couple. We have a lot of love to share, and are looking forward to all of the joys that this experience will bring.

We met online and the banter between us was fun and easy from the start, which was exciting enough after so many crazy online dates. Our first date was dinner at a Thai restaurant and then a walk through a nature preserve. We didn't consider ourselves an official couple until Jaime met Matt's kids when we all went to a concert together. Now we celebrate the concert date as our family anniversary. Above all else we are best friends who can count on each other for anything. Over the years, our values have deepened, our humor has only gotten sharper, and our passions have grown in harmony. We believe in the goodness of humanity and the strength of community. We also believe that we are stronger together, and we can overcome great obstacles when we work together and are kind.

I grew up in the NW suburbs of Chicago with my mom and dad. I am an only child, but my 2 first cousins were down the street. We are still very close. I took dance classes since I was a little girl and then started drama classes. That was where I found ME. I loved the stage and the community theater gave me. After high school I went to Arizona State University where I earned a degree in Theater Education and English. I taught theater for a year, but being 22 years old I felt an itch for adventure. I did some acting, and then realized that I missed working with kids more than I loved being on stage. I moved to Seattle with my best friend and within a year began teaching high school theater and English. I stayed in that position for 16 years. I was drawn to helping kids understand their successes and challenges, and helping them find what was next for them. I went back to school and received my master's in school counseling. I love what I do, and I believe it has shaped my world view on what kids are capable of and what opportunities they deserve. I advocate for all children, and I am excited to advocate for my future child. I will make sure they have every opportunity.

I think what made me fall in love with Jaime was how much fun I had with her. Every second Jaime and I spend together is so much fun, and she is such a hilarious person! It also helps that she is beautiful, intelligent, and a highly empathetic and caring person. We took our first trip together over to the Washington coast, just to hang out and spend some time at the beach. We played a lot of cards, got some sun, and otherwise enjoyed the setting. This kind of became an annual tradition- going to the beach and playing Phase 10. Jaime is one of the most generally competent people I know. She is an amazing, out-of-the-box problem solver, she has an incredibly accurate memory, and she is highly organized in all things she does. She literally goes to sleep making lists. I especially appreciate Jaime's relationship with my kids, and how helpful she's been in navigating the education process for all three of them. She is a great step-mom, and I cannot wait to raise a child with her.

Although I was born in Florida, I consider Spokane, WA as my hometown. As a child, I had a range of interests, from sports to reading and art. Life was idyllic then. I married in my early 20s and instantly became a parent to my then partner's small child, Alison, who I would raise into adulthood. Two siblings would join her in the coming years- Jade in 2001 and Felix in 2008. Jade was born with a condition called biliary atresia. To treat this, a liver transplant was warranted, so we relocated to Southern California for a five-year period. After Jade recovered from this successful procedure, I finished up my BA in psychology at CSULA. Upon returning to Spokane, I took a job with the State of Washington, who remains my employer to this day. Raising my kids was and is, without question, the most important and most rewarding thing I've done. I love children, and I am eager to have another opportunity to put my heart and soul into helping a child become a happy adult.

Matt has a gentle kindness that makes you feel safe, loved, and cherished. Matt's sense of humor is top notch and I can always count on him to make me roar with laughter. Watching him play with little kids really showed me how youthful and full of life he is. Matt has always been an athlete and I know he is excited to share his love of baseball and basketball with his future kiddo. Matt also loves music and was in a band. He will bring out his guitar sometimes and play, or I will sneak by and watch him play his drums. One thing about Matt: he is passionate. When he does something, he does it 100%. Matt puts his kids first. Everything he does for them is rooted in how much he loves them. He puts their needs and wellness at the top of his priority list, and that is part of what I love the most about him. Even though they are older and take care of themselves, he is always available for them and tries to see them as often as possible. Matt really is the most wonderful man, and being able to raise a child together with him is a dream come true.

Felix, 16, stays with us every other weekend, school breaks, and a month in the summer. A sophomore living an hour away with his mom, he loves animals and is considering a career in zoology. Excited to be a big brother, he looks forward to sharing his experiences as the youngest. In his free time, he enjoys drama club and hanging out with friends.

We feel so lucky to live in the Northwest. We get the mountains, the ocean, and all four seasons that come with amazing summers that stay light until 9pm. Our single family home is located in a new neighborhood next to the Puyallup River where we have an amazing view of Mt. Rainier. Technically our city is called Fife, but we are right next to Tacoma, and about 30 minutes away from Seattle. We enjoy the benefits of a small community where we know our neighbors and have familiar faces at the store, but we also can get to the city and all the culture it has to offer in a matter of 15 minutes. There are so many families with kids in our community and we are looking forward to joining in on the biking and basketball outside with the neighbors. We take Timme and Rusty on walks through the neighborhood often, and there are parks and playgrounds easily accessible for us. Diversity and inclusion were important to us when we chose our home, and we are proud of the diverse neighborhood we live in.

Our two dogs and two cats are part of our family. Rusty, our lovable golden retriever, turns one in March, while Timme, soulful and affectionate, just turned one in November. Jasper, our cat who thinks he’s a dog, is always with the pups, while Trudy, the true queen of the house, prefers to lounge. They’ve all been around young children, making for endless cuteness!

Our family is beyond excited to welcome a new baby! Every Sunday, we host brunch for Jaime’s parents, who are thrilled to become grandparents. Matt’s family in Spokane fills our summers with swimming and BBQs, and our close friends with young kids can’t wait to welcome a new “cousin.” Family, to us, is about love and support. While we aren’t religious, we value kindness and standing up for what’s right. Jaime, who is Jewish, cherishes her traditions and looks forward to sharing them with her future child. We celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, blending traditions while creating our own.

We believe in nurturing children to become thoughtful and engaged members of the world, starting in their own communities. Our parenting philosophy centers around celebrating individuality and embracing the rich tapestry of human diversity. We encourage exploration, seeing mistakes not as failures, but as valuable growth opportunities on the path to success. We champion education and cultural experiences, believing they ignite curiosity and open minds to a world of possibilities. There is also a lot of room for physical activity and fun. Above all, we strive to cultivate kindness and compassion, empowering our future child to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact on the lives of others. We are very open to an open adoption. We want our future child to have answers to their questions and develop a strong sense of self. We would like to partner with you to make sure they have every opportunity to be successful.

Thank you for considering walking this journey with us. We know you are making challenging decisions, and we won't pretend to understand. What we can promise you is that we will give your baby a lifetime of unconditional love, support, opportunity, adventure, self-expression and anything else they need to grow into a compassionate, self-sufficient, contributing member of society. There really aren't words to express how excited and ready we are for this. Thank you again for considering us, and whichever decision and path you make, we wish you the very best.