We love being parents! Our daughter, Juliana, has been praying for "a little brother or sister" for as long as we can remember. She's very nurturing around her younger cousins and friends and makes sure that everyone is included in their games. She's a very popular playmate everywhere she goes! Juliana is brave and athletic —she loves the monkey bars and swimming in the pool. She loves trying new foods, painting, listening to audiobooks, and is a wonderful little helper (and even says she wants to change diapers!). She can't wait to share her favorite books and toys and be a big sister!

During the years after our daughter Juliana was born, we discovered we were unable to conceive again. After several years of visiting fertility specialists and asking our community for prayer, we accepted our doctor's assessment that our first pregnancy was a miracle, and that part of our journey ended. Yet we still felt called to be parents again. We consider this opportunity to adopt, a miracle as well! At first, we explored becoming a foster family but realized that the right choice for us was to embrace a child permanently into our home. Not long after meeting an adoptive family in our church community and witnessing the blessing of adoption firsthand, a modest family inheritance suddenly materialized and opened the door for us as well. This unexpected gift felt like a sign from above. We feel incredibly blessed to make adoption part of our family's story.

Choosing to homeschool was the most important educational decision we made. We've been homeschooling Juliana for 4 years, and it's been a joyful experience. We're able to slow down and tend to our child's specific needs and interests, with plenty of time for playing at the park and doing extracurriculars like swim, art, music, and horseback riding, to name a few. Homeschooling has given us more time to connect with other homeschool families and take local and out-of-state field trips since we're not constricted by time. As homeschoolers, everything becomes an opportunity for learning! Our favorite part about homeschooling is reading books together. Not only do we read books to widen our lens of the world, we read together to build family connections and culture. We can't wait to share our favorite books with your child!

Matthew About Jena: Jena is selfless, serving, and affectionate. She pours her love and energy into our family to make sure that we have a comfortable and well-running home. We've been married for over a decade, best friends since years before. She is still the one I get excited to talk with for hours into the night and the one who laughs at all my goofiness. I love her so much. My desire to be worthy of such a wonderful woman makes me work hard to be a better husband and father and to grow stronger in my relationship with our Lord. As a mother, Jena is patient and persistent, doing whatever she can to give our family love and attention.

Jena About Mtthew: Ever since Matthew and I started dating 17 years ago, he's been my best friend. I can always count on him. I admire his kindness, selflessness, and devotion to giving our family a happy and loving life and home. I'm so proud of his accomplishments of becoming a doctor and practice owner, but I'm most proud of the father he is. He is always there to teach, play with, and support our daughter and is a wonderful role model in his unconditional love, work ethic, and faith. Witnessing his close relationship with our daughter has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and I can't wait to see his relationship with your child.

Our city is in a perfect location: Close to freeways that give us access to endless activities like the zoo, the beach, concerts, fairs, and museums, while our city and neighborhood are safe and quiet. We like to be outside when we can, enjoying the beautiful sunny weather on family walks. From the front window of our house, we can see the community park: complete with castle and pirate-themed jungle gyms and large playing fields, where a child can race down the slides or fly a kite. At the same park, we take advantage of Summer movies on the grass and Easter egg hunts put on by the city. The large community clubhouse has been great for swimming and Christmas concerts by the local high school orchestra. While our 3 bedroom house is in a great location to be out & about, it's very cozy and inviting to be at home as well. Our large homeschool room/ playroom is full of toys and a play kitchen, the shelves are lined with books, and the windows overlooking the garden invite many birds and butterflies to observe. The kitchen, connected to the living room, might be our favorite. It has a large island countertop and is great for hanging out with family and friends and for cooking family meals and tasty treats.

Spending time with our extended families is a high priority for us. With Jena's parents and her brother's family living nearby, we get together on weekends for dinner at "Nani and Papa's" (Jena's parents) to enjoy a homecooked meal and let the cousins play. Nani is a nurse, so she fixes any "boo-boos". Since Papa retired his biggest joy is watching the grandkids and getting to use the many car seats he bought. Everyone is excited to have another child to adore.

Matthew's mom (Grandma) and his two brothers moved to Alabama but we visit each other often. When Grandma (a retired school teacher) and Uncle Nathan visit we play board games, go shopping, and visit museums. The last time we visited Alabama, we explored a Civil War battlefield and the US Space & Rocket Center, plus we played with Juliana's many little cousins.

As our extended family has grown, so have our holiday and birthday celebrations. For example, our big Thanksgiving tradition is a feast combining extended families and in-laws (almost 40 people!). Nani and Papa make the traditional ham, stuffing, and turkeys (two, since there are so many of us!), aunts and uncles bring mashed potatoes, veggie sides, and appetizers; Jena's grandmother brings Korean fruits and treats, and Argentine in-laws bring empanadas. Jena makes all the pies (Matthew says her Pumpkin Cheesecake is irresistible). We're excited to share this family tradition (& many more) with your child!

Thank you so much for taking time to consider our family for your little one. We know this is a difficult decision but we promise to give your child a safe, stable, and loving home.

We met 17 years ago while we were group leaders in the high school ministry at our Catholic parish. We became best friends and couldn't imagine life without each other. Since we were so young when we met, much of our life experiences and goals became intertwined. We married in 2012, while Jena was a research analyst for a television network and Matthew had finished his first year of optometry school. When it came to kids, we agreed to be open to life and whatever God plans for us, to share our faith, and to be close to our family community. We committed to giving our children more opportunities and experiences than our parents could for us when we were growing up.

Just before Matthew graduated in 2015, our daughter, Juliana, was born. She brings so much joy and purpose to our lives. We always planned to have more children but we were unable to conceive again. For as long as we can remember, Juliana has included in our nightly prayers, "for a brother or a sister," echoing our sincerest desire. It's easy for us to see that she would be a wonderful big sister: Around other children, she is always patient and helpful and loves to include everyone in playtime. She especially tells us that she wants to help change diapers. Through this opportunity to adopt, we believe God has answered her prayers as we wait for a child to complete our family.

Before getting married, we agreed that one of us would be a full-time stay-at-home parent so that our children would always have a stable and loving environment. When Juliana was in preschool, Jena left the corporate world to focus on raising our daughter at home. Since then, we began homeschooling, and it's deepened our family bonds. These have been the best decisions we've made for our family. We're committed to continuing this lifestyle choice as our family grows.

We are blessed to have loving and supportive families. All the aunts, uncles, and grandparents are ecstatic about our decision to adopt and are eager to love and nurture this child. The little cousins will gain a treasured playmate. Your child will be surrounded with love and attention.

It is important to us that your child knows where they came from, so we will always be open and honest with your child about their adoption story. We will make sure they know how much you love them and how brave you are. You will always be viewed and spoken of with love and respect in our home. As the years pass, we are happy to share photos, letters, and emails of your child's growth and milestones. We are open to additional contact and we are open to arranging a visit when the time is right for both of us. You are a courageous person, and we will always be grateful for your selfless action.

Thank you again for considering our family.

Matthew & Jena