During our free time, we volunteer at our church or with a local acting company and also enjoy many hobbies. One of the interests we share is cooking and although Matt takes the lead on many of the meals we make, Courtney can be found in the kitchen helping (and sampling!).

Together, we also spend time with Penny, our Dachshund. Penny is incredibly playful but also loves to snuggle. Courtney teaches her new tricks, like jumping through a hoop or ‘dancing’ and when Penny feels playful, Matt is her favorite tug-of-war buddy.

Courtney also enjoys quilting, a skill she learned in high school. She has continued her passion ever since. She has made over 10 quilts for family and friends, and she is looking forward to making special quilts for future children.

Matt is great at finding new things for us to try – thanks to his endeavors we have gotten to go camping, hiking, indoor rock climbing, and experience some of the specialties of the nearby metropolitan city. He’s also led us to find hidden apple orchards, explore antique shops, and refurbish our kitchen table. We are even thinking about trying kayaking sometime soon.

Knowing your history and where you come from is essential in everyone’s life. An adoption story is an integral portion of an adoptee’s life and should never be withheld. We plan on sharing your child’s whole adoption story, lovingly and often. We know as adoptive parents, we would be the caretakers of your reputation with your child. Realizing the importance of this trust, we would never do or say anything to make the child think that you abandoned them or did not love them. We would emphasize the fact that they are blessed to have even more people in their life who love them – you and us. We know over the years there will probably be many questions, which we will answer honestly and positively.

Our neighborhood is full of active families with children. The echoes of laughter and children playing consistently ring throughout the neighborhood. We initially chose to move to our community because the schools here are among the best in Wisconsin. Both the elementary and junior high schools are within walking distance of our home and we look forward to being able to walk our future child to school every day.

Our three-story home is also within walking distance of the downtown, parks, grocery stores, and restaurants. We have four bedrooms, three baths, and an area in our lower level that is ready to be a playroom. We love to spend winter months in front of our fireplace, reading and snuggling with our sweet dog, Penny. Our backyard is large enough to run, play, build a swing set, and have a campfire. Our neighbors to the north have a bright red barn; we love this view as it changes throughout the seasons. There is a park and playground within a block of our home; it’s great for picnics and on the 4th of July they set off a fireworks display. We like to watch the fireworks from the comfort of our backyard.

We were both brought up in close-knit families. Both sets of our parents have been married for more than 30 years. We each have one younger sibling - Matt’s brother is newly married and Courtney’s sister has just earned her post-graduate degree. We no longer live in the areas where we grew up, but we are centrally located between each family. We enjoy traveling to see them as much as we are able. Skype and the internet have allowed us to maintain greater communication when we are not able to be there in person.

Our family’s holiday traditions are also important to us. Some of these include dinners with extended family, decorating the Christmas tree, winter picnics by the fireplace, finding the best Christmas-light display, and attending Christmas Eve church service. Every year, Courtney’s dad makes beef stroganoff, the ‘secret’ family recipe, and we have continued this tradition. The 4th of July is also special to Courtney’s family because her dad helps with the fireworks. We try to visit the lake with her family whenever possible. We have continued these traditions but also look forward to creating more of our own.

When we shared our plans for adoption with our parents, Courtney’s mom was so excited she squealed, telling us to let her know when we would become parents and she would come to our home immediately to help. Our family has been incredibly supportive and is excited to share their love with you and your child.

Thank you for taking the time to look more closely at our family and consider us as possible adoptive parents for your child. We know your journey has not necessarily been easy and we want to help lay your worries to rest. We hope the following will help you get to know us, and we look forward to getting to know you and your wishes for your child.

We, Courtney and Matt, have been in love for thirteen years and happily married for eight years. Our journey began in college when Courtney asked Matt about a strange math notation in her homework. We had met before, but this was the first time we had actually spoken. Our conversation led to friendship, and before long we had our first date at a local pizzeria. The most awkward part of our date was deciding whether to eat the pizza with our hands or utensils! This minor embarrassment didn’t prevent us from bonding with each other and staying up until 4 AM talking. Soon enough, we were married, starting our first jobs, and purchasing our home in the Greater Milwaukee area. 

Matt works as a lead software developer at a small company in the suburbs of Milwaukee. Matt’s career allows for great flexibility and he is able to work from home quite often. During his leisure, Matt enjoys cooking, reading, and working out. Courtney is a pharmacist at a local hospital. Even though her schedule is more structured, her coworkers are very family oriented and frequently adjust schedules to accommodate family activities. When she isn’t working, Courtney enjoys reading, playing with our puppy, Penny, and quilting. Together we enjoy exploring Milwaukee, taking long walks around our community, and traveling.

Our warm, loving home is located in a very child-friendly neighborhood and we have a spacious backyard that is perfect for playtime. A beautiful park is located just a few blocks from our home and has a playground for children of all ages. This park is also the heart of the annual summer festival and Fourth of July fireworks celebration. We are able to watch the fireworks from the comfort our own backyard. The local middle school is next to the park and the elementary school is only a few blocks south of our home. The school system in our community is among the best in the state of Wisconsin!

Even before we were married and living in Wisconsin, we shared our dreams for our future family. Our early plan included a biological child and adopting another child to complete our family of four. You know what they say about the ‘best laid plans’. After trying for a child for a few years, we realized our plan was backwards - we were supposed to begin our family with adoption!

We look forward to walking our future child to and from school and hearing about their day. We are excited about helping with school assignments and being involved in after-school activities. We eagerly anticipate sharing Christmas joys of decorating trees and cookies, making and opening gifts along with building snowmen, and enjoying hot chocolate by the fireplace. When it’s warmer, we look forward to making Valentines, exploring Milwaukee, taking family vacations, playing at the park, making s’mores, and carving pumpkins. 

We know adoption is not something to be considered lightly and many difficult decisions have to be made. We hope to ease some of your concerns by assuring you that we are willing to support any relationship you desire with your child, not only through letters and photos but email, phone calls, and video chats. Establishing a respectful connection with you is important to us and provides a better foundation for your child, helping them to understand their adoption. Our promise for your child is simple ?" we will love them unconditionally, provide for them generously, guide them through life’s hardships, and be joyful in their accomplishments. Our goal as parents is to raise a child who has many opportunities to explore and learn and to provide a complete education.

Thank you for your consideration and feel free to contact us with any questions. We can’t wait to share in laughter, hugs, cuddles, and bedtime stories.

Matt & Courtney