Letters

Our story starts back in 2010. We met as lifeguards at the Ithaca College pool and immediately hit it off. We had similar interests - sports, travel, food - and soon began planning a life together. We moved from New York to California for Matt to begin medical shool, and loved exploring a new state. We lived for a couple years in San Franciso and then Los Angeles, exploring the beaches, parks and adopting our first fur-baby, Luna.

We always planned on having children, and knew we wanted to be closer to family when that happened. Chicago was an easy choice, and after a couple years...

I knew I wanted to be a doctor since I was in middle school. I remember watching my mother study to become a nurse, and I would frequently steal her textbooks, fascinated by how complex the human body is. A decade or so later, I became an emergency medicine physician and worked for hospitals in underserved areas and with people with limited access to healthcare. My job also includes training new doctors and arming them with the skills and knowledge they'll need as they continue their careers. I've learned the importance of compassion and patience in my career. It's one of the biggest...

One of my favorite days of the year happens in August. A somewhat new family tradition, the first Friday of August is reserved for Uncle Taylor and Uncle Matt to take our nieces and nephews to an amusement and water park. I look forward to it every year - I get to act like a kid, have fun with our family, and watch the young kids go on newer and scarier rides. It's one of my favorite ways to watch them grow, and now I'm so excited to add Harper to the mix.

Not only am I a thrill junkie, but I also love technology. I'm fortunate to work as a Public Relations Manager for a large...

Both of us grew up in big, loving, supportive families. Matt has two brothers and Taylor has three sisters. Nearly all of them now have their own children, making family gatherings and holidays busy and fun!

Matt grew up in New York and spent time camping on Lake George and skiing in Vermont with his family. His father was a train conductor based in New York City, so the family loved hopping on the train and visting the city for the Christmas lights and Italian food. His family still resides on the east coast and we're forunate enough to visit them every few months with Harper. Her...

Harper is our 2-year-old daughter who we were fortunate enough to adopt at birth, and feel lucky to call her our daughter every day since. She has quickly adjusted to city life in Chicago. She loves the parks, beaches and meeting her friends at the farmer's market and downtown aquarium.

Her and Luna are best friends (in fact, her first word was 'dog'). She has found a way to sneak Luna food whenever her dad's backs are turned. She's also become a professional traveler, even taking her first international flight on her first birthday. She loves visiting her cousins in Iowa and on...

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us and our family. We are so excited to grow our family through adoption and look forward to having you as a part of our story in whatever way is most comfortable for you.

We promise to raise your child in a loving, open-minded environment and hope to give them every opportunity we can. We will celebrate their wins and stand by their side in more difficult times, navigating a wonderful and fulfilling life together. We promise to be transparent about their adoption and hope Harper and her future sibling can share stories and bond over...