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. We have been excited to reach the point in our lives, after Matt completed his medical training, where we could begin the journey to adoption! 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. We also loved watching our family expand when our nephew was adopted by Ashley's sister and brother-in-law. We have been close with our nephew from the moment we first laid eyes on him, nine Christmases ago! And now, we feel absolutely thrilled to expand our own immediate family in the same way!

When we were both 18 years old, we met through our brother-in-law Kevin, who was Matt's boss at the time. He set us up on a blind date that kind of fizzled out. By chance, we happened to meet again 5 years later when Matt was recruited to a new city by Kevin, and Ashley was in from out of state for a visit with family. We immediately hit it off at that time, bonding over our love of medical studies and music. We maintained a long-distance relationship while Ashley completed Speech Language Pathology studies 15 hours away and then moved to be closer to family and Matt. We continued dating 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 10 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 explored these new cities and made our own beloved memories with new friends! Our relationship is very stable and filled with many shared interests, friends, and traditions. We always put each other first and are excited to see where the next 10 years will lead us as we become parents!

There are so many wonderful things I could say about Matt, but I will try to keep it short! Matt is a deeply intellectual, easy-going, analytical thinker who enjoys traveling, teaching, and spending time with our friends and family. He is constantly learning new things, whether that involves researching financial investments, scuba diving, or how a specific kind of jet engine works. He is kind and generous, which I see every day by how he treats me, how he cares for his patients, and how passionate he is in providing medical care in underserved places like Kenya and Ethiopia.

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 golfing, biking, hiking, and working out.

Matt loves his family immensely, playing for hours with our nephew, catching up with his brothers any chance he gets, and checking in on our families to make sure they are doing okay. He has always been patient, thoughtful, and loving to me and adores our sweet, spoiled dachshund, Macy, boundlessly. If his devotion to our nephew and Macy is any indication, I know Matt will be an amazing, invested, joyful, and excited parent to our child.

I affectionately refer to Ashley as my fiery, red-headed Texan. She is a strong, intelligent, independent woman who is passionately loyal to her friends and family. Even a global pandemic could not constrain her desire to stay connected with her friends, as she has become an avid "Zoomer" while she eagerly awaits the time that we can all gather again in person.

Once we can travel again, you are most likely to find Ashley on a beach in a tropical location with her friends or family close by. We are both excited to have a new traveler join us for future adventures! Do not worry, Ashley is very health conscious and always packs extra sunscreen and hats.

Ashley loves to garden, cook, practice hot yoga, and spend time catching up with friends. She has a passion for caring for the elderly as a Speech Pathologist and enjoys advocating for human rights along our southern border. She and her sister are both active in assisting migrants seeking refuge in our state.

I have spent the last 12 years watching Ashley grow into the amazing woman she is today. We have known since we married 10 years ago that we would be seeking adoption. We both know that parenting is not an easy task but watching her persevere through 10 years of my medical training has proven to me that she is more than capable of being a loving, caring, supportive, and present parent to our future child(ren).

Our house is in a terrific neighborhood and city! We love this location, as the neighborhood is great for taking walks, often up to our local coffee shop, biking on nearby trails, and visiting with friends. Our home has plenty of room to grow our family and a yard in which our children and Macy can play! We especially love our proximity to many amazing things here, including restaurants, parks, and museums that we cannot wait to experience as a family. Here, we feel like our child will receive all of the amenities of a big city but with more of a small-town feel. We are excited for our children to join us in making memories with their playmates and our friends!

Macy is a playful long-hair dachshund, and we absolutely adore, dote on, and delight in her. She is 9 years old and is a DADDY'S girl! If Matt is home, Macy will always be found near him. Macy has a sweet personality and loves to "explore" in the yard. She loves snuggling in one of her many beds throughout the house if a warm lap or sunny spot is not available. She has been endless company to us both, but especially for Ashley when Matt was completing medical school, residency, and fellowship. Macy is a very big part of our family and we know our happy, playful, snuggly girl will one day be fiercely loyal to our child.

We want to thank you for taking the time to read our profile. You may have questions that were not covered here, and we encourage you to ask! We are always happy to give you further details and information so that you can make the best decision for you and for your baby. We will be unwavering advocates for this 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!

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