We have one adopted son, named JJ. He has been the biggest blessing in our lives. He is our first child and was a long awaited dream come true. We were able to be present, in Oklahoma, for his birth. We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 in the morning, expecting to be waiting for awhile. At 8:48, JJ was born and brought into meet us. Deanna held him first and did skin-to-skin time with him. After that, Matt fed him his first bottle. There was an overwhelming amount of emotion during this time and we instantly fell in love with JJ. This moment, the moment we became parents, has been the most memorable and cherished moment we've had.

JJ is going to be a great big brother who will love to play with his sibling and show them the world! JJ has such a fun and sweet personality. He is friendly with everyone he meets and is always greeting people when we pass by them. He has already established his own interests at such a young age, including: trains, buses, climbing, swimming and baby shark. We love to find experiences to help enrich his interests and see his face light up. JJ also loves seeing babies and playing with them. When one is sleeping, he will quietly say, "Shhh." Watching JJ learn and grow has brought us so much joy and we are eager to experience this again with another child.

Education is very important to us. It is the key to open many doors to the future. We both have graduated from college and envision our child receiving the highest degree they desire to earn. With Deanna being a teacher, she is always learning and teaching. Having her enthusiasm for education makes it fun to learn in our house. We will not expect a child to achieve all A's in school. We want them to do their best and give their best effort.

We believe that there is lots to learn in the world, and it doesn't all come from formal school. We will provide a child with many life experiences to learn from. They will visit museums, go on vacation, explore outside, go to performances, and sporting events. They will be encouraged to take classes to develop their interests or read books or magazines.

We are hopeful that our love of learning and experiencing life will be instilled within your child so they are lifelong learners.

We have a lot of different family traditions that we love to participate in each year. In the fall, we love to go apple picking at the local orchards. During Christmas time, Deanna loves to bake Christmas cookies and Matt and JJ are the official "taste testers." (She makes so many cookies that we can't possibly eat them all and Matt takes them into work to spread the holiday cheer.) On Christmas Eve night, we drive into Washington D.C. to see the National Christmas tree. It's been fun to take JJ and see his amazement and the beautiful lights and ornaments on the tree. On Christmas day, we love to exchange gifts one at a time so we can enjoy watching each other open their presents.

Another family tradition we have is going to "Police Week" in Washington D.C. This event is a time to gather and remember the officers who have died in the line of duty. It is a fun time to celebrate these courageous lives. We visit the Officer Memorial and chat with other police officers. Matt trades and collects special coins and police patches. We've loved bringing JJ to this with us and are eager to bring another child into this tradition.

We live in Northern Virginia, in a suburb about an hour away from Washington, D.C. Our community is extremely diverse and welcoming to families from many cultures and races. There are many family events and activities right in our neighborhood that we love to go to as a family, including the winter celebration. There are sleigh rides and a tree lighting with hot chocolate. We loved taking JJ and look forward to bring another child as well! In the summer time, we spend our time at the pools and playgrounds in our community and visit the library. We also spend a lot of time outside with JJ, playing with the neighborhood kids.

We own our three-story townhouse which is at the end of our dead end road. Our house has three bedrooms and 3½ bathrooms. We have an open living room/dining room/kitchen which JJ loves to run around and play. It's also perfect for hosting get togethers with families and friends. Our finished basement is also very spacious and has made the perfect playroom for JJ. He loves to go down there and play with all of his toys. Outside, there is a nice open field where we love to run and play with our dogs. There's a big hill right next to us that is perfect for sledding in the winters. We can't wait to see JJ sled down the hill with his sibling!

We are fortunate to have supportive family and friends. While both of our families live out of state, they have made it a priority to visit as often as they can so they can be a part of JJ's life. It has been fun to see our families interact with our son. We look forward to watching them with another child.

Deanna grew up in a small town in Michigan. She is very close with her family even though they are miles apart. Every summer we take a trip to Michigan to visit her family and friends. While in Michigan, we spend a lot of time on Deanna's parents' front porch, swinging on the swings and visiting. There is also lots of singing and laughter. JJ has three cousins that he loves to run around and play with.

Matt grew up in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. His family consists of his mom, stepdad, dad, stepmom, one brother and two stepsisters. Matt spent a lot of time with all four of his parents and is close with his siblings. While visiting his family we often watch the Phillies or the Eagles play. We also sit around the kitchen table, visit and laugh as Matt goofs around with his brother. JJ also has a younger cousin to play with on this side he likes to play with.

When we are not able to visit in person with our families, we make frequent phone calls to catch up and FaceTime regularly.

Hello, we are Matt and Deanna! We would like to take this time to thank you for considering our family for your child!! As we sit here and write this we know that we cannot fully understand the emotions you are feeling as you consider your options. We know in our hearts that we are ready to add another child to our family, and will love this child unconditionally. Thank you for taking the time to read more about us. We hope as you get to know us through our profile that you'll see we are fun, loving, caring, and thoughtful people, ready to welcome another child into our family.

We have known each other for eleven years. We met using an online dating website since our work schedules were so hectic. Shortly after meeting, a friendship blossomed into love and we both realized that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We dated for one year before getting married on what was one of the hottest July days in Virginia. Since being married nine years ago, we are blessed to have added our son, JJ, to our family through adoption. We believe that adoption is a wonderful opportunity for us to continue to grow our small family because conceiving our own was not possible.

We are excited to show your child unconditional love, and be there for them in every way. We want you to know that your child will be loved as if it were our own biological child from the second we see them. We are excited that we will be able to include your child in many of the fun activities we enjoy now such as: going for walks/hikes, playing with our puppies, going apple picking, and going to our community pool. We cannot wait to see the pure joy and entertainment on their face.

We are eager to share our interests and hobbies with your child. Deanna loves to be creative and has a variety of interests such as singing, dancing, baking, and crocheting. Matt is excited to share his passion for sports and outdoors. We know that your child will develop their own interests and we are excited to learn about them and help them pursue their own activities.

We are both established in our careers and are financially stable. We live in a young, diverse, family oriented community that will be great to raise a child in. We also have wonderful, supportive families who can't wait to welcome another child into the family. Your child will be spoiled with love and affection. We are looking forward to traveling to visit family and experience new things with your child.

We both feel that education is important. We will ensure that your child receives a great education and will be pushed to achieve their highest potential. They will be given opportunities outside of school to pursue their hobbies and passions.

Throughout all of this growth, we are looking forward to keeping you updated on your child's development and achievements. We promise to send pictures and letters so you can see your child and learn what they are accomplishing and who they are becoming in life. We are also open to sending e-mails and text messages to keep you informed of their progress. We hope to establish a relationship with you through all of this communication as well.

Thank you for taking a little bit of time to learn about us and considering adoption for your child. You truly are courageous and selfless.

Matt & Deanna