Hello! We’re Jess and Matt from Southern California! We love where we live, our careers as teachers, and our time with our family and friends. We can’t wait to become parents! Adoption has always been a path that we have had an open heart to. Both of us have experienced love and support from people in our lives who were not biologically related to us. These chosen family members have helped shape us to who we are today and have reinforced the concept that it takes a village to raise a child. So when we were told that we would not be able to conceive a child, the process of adoption felt like a natural next step in creating our family. We understand first hand that family is made with love and commitment and we feel that we have so much to give. We hope to have an adoption relationship that is open, honest and in the best interest for you and your baby. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us and our family.
Dear Birth Mother...
About Us
We began dating in 2016 after meeting online. Our relationship grew stronger when Jess had surgery on her knee and Matt was there to help her recover. He distracted her with coloring books, daily phone calls and “crutches approved” date nights. Two years later, we moved in together and Matt supported Jess as she got her teaching credential. Shortly after moving in together, Matt proposed at his annual holiday concert in front of all our friends, family and students. There wasn't a dry eye in the auditorium! We celebrated by going to Italy for Christmas and in August, 2019 we got married. What a wonderful ride it has been and continues to be. We can't wait for what the future brings!
We love walking our dog, Indy, around our neighborhood in Southern California. We frequently go to concerts in the park, the theater, and participate in our local school districts' music and community events. After a long day, we typically unwind by playing with Indy and talking about our day. While we enjoy spending time in our home, we love traveling both locally and internationally. From Big Bear, California to Wales in the UK, we have had so many different adventures with each other and with family and friends.
About Jess
Jess is a self-driven, loving, and family oriented woman. She is a supportive wife and I know she will be a great mother. I love how passionate she is about her students and how hard she works to have a positive impact on their lives. She has a great sense of humor, makes the best meatballs, and loves her family unconditionally.
Jess has her Bachelors of Science degree and started teaching in 2021. She is a Special Education teacher and works with high school students with moderate to severe disabilities. She teaches employment skills, life skills, functional math and art. Her students are hardworking, kind and always make her smile. She takes pride in her career and is proud of the progress her students make year after year. She always says she can't believe how lucky she is to have a job that she's so passionate about. Being a teacher also gives her summers off, to spend lots of time with our future child!
Fun Facts About Jess
- Some of Jess' hobbies include cooking, graphic design, making arts and crafts and gardening
- She loves traveling . She can't wait to share her traveling experiences with a child.
- Her favorite store is amazon!
- Her favorite smell is Jasmine. It reminds her of springtime!
- Jess played softball in High School and coached in college
- Jess was a special education advocate before getting her teaching credential in special education
- Her favorite season is Spring
- She loves iced coffee and sparkling water
About Matt
Matt is a honest, supportive, intelligent and honorable man. He is an incredible husband and will be the best dad. He is generous and kind to everyone he meets and is social with everyone! I love how dedicated he is to his family and career and admire how he is able to balance it all. He can always make me laugh, especially when he makes funny faces!
Matt got his Bachelors of Arts degree and started teaching music in 2012. Recently, he got his Masters Degree in Education. Matt is a band director for a local middle school. He teaches marching band, beginning band, choir and jazz band. His students are outstanding and rise to his high standards and work ethic in the band room. He takes his band on yearly trips to San Diego, Disneyland and to festival concerts. He feels very fortunate that he is able to have a career he loves.
Fun Facts About Matt
- Some of Matt's include playing golf, tuba and PS5
- He loves to travel. He's been on multiple road trips around the US and has traveled to Portugal, Italy and the UK!
- Matt loves and had many pets growing up, including a rabbit!
- Matt was in in High School and played the sousaphone and tuba
- His favorite shoes are sandals and he even wore them to our wedding!
- He loves to drink Diet Coke
Home Sweet Home
We live in beautiful Southern California which is known for its diverse population and vibrant culture. Our city is lively and culturally rich with a beautiful coastline, diverse communities, and a variety of attractions to explore.
We bought our condo in 2021. It's a single family home with 2 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms and is a five-minute drive to the beach, an aquarium, and multiple museums. Having the opportunity to experience the incredible festivals and community gatherings is one of our favorite parts of living in our city. The best part of our home is that its located in a complex that has kind neighbors, kiddos to play with and is walking distance to a beautiful lagoon with a park! We live in a great school district that serves students from various ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, creating a rich and multicultural learning environment. We are so proud and grateful for being able to purchase this home and start our family in it. We've poured our heart into creating a space that is safe and full of love and laughter.
All About Indy
Indy is our 4 year old lab mix rescue. He came into our lives from our city's animal shelter in August, 2021. Over the last 2 years he has grown into a sweet, well behaved companion and family member. Indy loves going to Starbucks to get a pupcup with Jess and hanging out with his friend Zsa Zsa (Jess' mom's Yorkie). Matt loves playing tug-of-war with Indy. Indy also enjoys going on car ride adventures, long walks where he can sniff everything, and chewing his bone at the end of the day. We are confident that Indy will welcome a new family member with open paws!
Our Family
We are honored to have supportive and extensive family and friends who make up our community. All of them plan to help us navigate parenthood. Many live close by and others are in Colorado, Japan, Texas, Maryland and Wisconsin.Both our families are comprised of blood relatives and chosen family members. Each of these individuals has cheered for us, supported our relationship and are thrilled for us to become parents. We often have family dinners with Jess' side of the family and get togethers for birthdays, holidays and just for fun! Matt's Aunt and Uncle often visit from Maryland and when they do we enjoy local museums and great restaurants. Jess' dad and step mom live in Colorado and we often visit to enjoy the snow and relaxation. No matter if they are a 10-minute drive or a plane ride away, our family and community are what ground us and give us strength.
On Parenting
We are so excited to become parents and to expand our family. We both have beautiful memories of going to baseball games and playing with friends. We can't wait to continue these traditions and start new ones like travel!
Our relationship is based on trust, communication, respect and love. We feel our role as parents is to provide a child with a home that is filled with love, support and encouragement so they may grow into a kind and generous person. We hope to provide this child with a life full of opportunities to explore their strengths, whatever that may be. Being teachers, we understand the importance of recognizing and celebrating a child's individuality. We know that we are ready for the next part of our adventure and will support your child and love them unconditionally.
5 Things We Look Forward to Doing With Our Future Child
- Dressing up in costumes for Christmas morning with Jess' family
- Bringing our future child to band performances and field show competitions
- Watching live sports together as family, especially baseball, football, soccer and basketball!
- Watching our future child play with their cousins and developing lifelong friendships
- Going to see the Municipal Band play in the park in the summer
Thank You!
Thank you for considering us! Our promise to you is that your child will always be cherished, protect, and loved in our home. We know that we will provide your child a home that is filled with love and laughter. We are committed to educating ourselves on their culture and will continue to learn about how to be the best adoptive parents possible. We hope to develop a relationship with you that is in everyone's best interest. Please know that our dream of expanding our family wouldn't be possible without you! Sending you all the best on your journey.