We have both always loved animals, therefore we have adopted a lot of them. We have 2 German Shepherds, Pippa and Dodger, and two cats, Isabelle and Finnegan. Pippa is obsessed with children. She squeals and wiggles anytime a stroller is nearby because she loves greeting small kids. Dodger loves toddlers more and he loves herding them away from any danger, which currently includes any plant and bicycles. It is a work in progress. We love having all the personalities and adventures that come with having all these pets and couldn't imagine our lives without them in it. We take them on adventures hiking and even just around town. We also take them to the local dog park to play and get energy out. There is a playground right next to the dog park so we can bring a child and play with them as well.

We have quite the long story of how we finally started dating. We met in 2007 at a mutual friend's New Year's Eve party. Bri remembers seeing Matt for the first time and knowing something was different. Matt remembers thinking Bri was very pretty and funny. We started talking and didn't stop all night, but Bri never mentioned that her family had moved away from our hometown, so she didn't actually live there.

Matt had to leave because of a huge snowstorm, but not before throwing a stuffed purple hippo (now named Hippy the Hippo) at her. Bri immediately stalked Matt on Facebook and they became close friends. Serendipity stepped in and apparently, Matt had just finished, on New Year's Eve, applying to college in the town Bri's parents had actually moved to. He even ended up attending that college. Over the next 3.5 years, we obsessively talked to each other over instant messenger and even saw each other from time to time.

It wasn't until March of 2011 that we finally kissed. We were engaged in 2017 and married in 2019.

We have many things that we like to do in our free time that we look forward to sharing with a child. Los Angeles has concerts all the time and we especially enjoy ones at the Hollywood Bowl. We are members at the LA Zoo and go a few times each year. Bri used to want to be a zookeeper and especially loves giraffes. Honestly, one of the things we're most excited about is taking a child to the zoo for the first time.

Bri is the musical one out of the two of us. She has played piano for years and it's still one of her favorite ways to relax and unwind. Bri is also an avid photographer. Matt is an outdoors lover and enjoys hiking in the National Forest nearby with a somewhat willing Bri and the two dogs.

We also love to travel and explore new places. In 2023 we went to Italy on our delayed honeymoon. We loved experiencing the architecture, history, and amazing food. We like to explore closer to home with trips to San Diego, the Central Coast, and Northern California. We have a long list of national parks and cities to go to as well. Travel that we both did as children created lasting memories and interests that continue to this day, and we look forward to creating similar memories with a child of our own in the future.

We actually have a pretty small extended family. Bri has one brother, Cam, and Matt has 2 sisters. Though it is small, everyone is so excited for our adoption journey and ready to spoil another child! Cam has 3 children, 2 girls and 1 boy. They're so energetic and it is fun to just run around in the backyard with them. They love playing soccer, which Bri and Cam grew up playing, so that can be hours of activity!

When the family gets together, generally there is just a lot of chatting and laughing, but the annual activity has become scattergories. This has become vicious and hysterical at the same time!

Matt's family traditions all revolve around golf. Every family reunion, or conversation, revolves around golf. Where you've played, how well you did, or the most recent tournament.

Bri's family is very Scottish. Her dad plays bagpipes and has since she was a baby. A life filled with music and weekend festivals was exciting. Even our holiday food involves Scottish food, though no haggis. Introducing Matt, and a child eventually, to this world has been very fun.

We live in southern California, in the high desert. It is a very unique place to live, but we have grown to love it after moving here 5 years ago. Our town is family-friendly, with a weekly farmer's market and parades throughout the year. We are surrounded as well by national parks to explore on the weekend. We are also very close to Los Angeles, so there are a lot of museums, concerts and of course the ocean. Many families near us go to the beach on the weekends to get away from the heat in the summer.

Our home is full of constant excitement because we have two German Shepherds and two cats. A lot of walks around the neighborhood and lots of playing in our backyard. Our house has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a grass backyard for playing. We have many neighbors with young kids and they're always playing in each other's yards. Not far from our house are a few big parks with swimming pools and play sets. A lot of kids play there after school, so that is definitely a plan with our child!

Our names are Matt and Bri and we are humbled and thankful that you are looking into adoption and taking the time to learn more about us. We know you have many families to look over, so thank you in advance for considering us as the adoptive parents for your baby.

We have been together for over twelve years and married for almost four and a half. We are an easy-going couple with a life full of laughter and escapades. Bri loves to make jokes and Matt is always willing to join her on little adventures, whether to Europe or to a coffee shop down the street. Over the years we have talked about what our life together would look like with a child. The picture that always arose out of those conversations was one of joy, laughter, love, and adventure.

Adoption is an idea that came up at the very beginning of our conversations but became real when we learned that having a biological child would not be possible for us. For us this was less of a disappointment than it was confirmation that adoption was the right choice. This idea has grown over time and is now something that we are ready and excited for.

We promise to support any future child in all their endeavors. We value education and the pursuit of learning new things. We believe in encouraging a strong sense of empathy with regards to the world around them and promise to raise them as a responsible and caring individual. Having a sense of joy and fun is also an important value that we want to teach a child. Life is hard enough and you should enjoy the small things, especially while you are young. Building a community and life that encourages these values is important to us as well.

We can only imagine how difficult a decision this is for you. We hope that by giving some insight into the love, support, and nurture we plan on giving a child we can give you some comfort in knowing that your child will be loved regardless of the decision you make.

Thank you for considering us as potential parents for your child. The appreciation we feel cannot be overstated. We are excited about building a family and strongly believe we will provide all the love and support that anyone could ask for. We would be more than happy to send emails and pictures so that you can see the amazing person your child is growing up to be.

Thank you and good luck,

Matt & Bri