Matt and Cassie

Dear expectant parent(s),

We want to acknowledge what a difficult decision you are making. We won’t pretend to know the emotions you are feeling, but are humbled by the love and courage that goes into every adoption journey. Thank you for the love you have already shown and given freely to your child. Thank you for being brave, honest, and for your drive to determine the best decision for you and your child.

Adoption has always been part of our plan to grow our family. Matt grew up with adoption all around him. Early on in our relationship, we both expressed our own desires to experience an adoption journey together. That brings us here, to you.

Cassie on Matt: I decided to make a change as a young adult and packed up my dog and belongings to head west in 2008 for graduate school. That is where I met Matt. We had an instant connection when we met, and it has only strengthened over the last decade. I can remember telling my great grandmother (Granny) that he was the most gentle man I had ever met. He is still gentle, and is a generous man full of compassion. What I love most about him is his smile and the way he makes me laugh. I am so thrilled to watch him become a father- to share his heart and laughter with a child. I could write pages about Matt and how wonderful of a father he will be; instead, I’ll highlight that everyone who meets Matt loves him. He brings warmth and kindness wherever he goes, and he will bring all of those amazing qualities as a parent.

Matt on Cassie: Cassie and I met in graduate school, were good friends within a few weeks and partners within a few short months. We quickly developed a powerful bond that has only grown stronger over the past ten years. We married in 2013 in one of our favorite places, the Columbia River Gorge. Our grandmothers’ officiated our wedding and our dog Eliot was the ring bearer. I can’t wait to be a parent with Cassie. She is going to be a truly incredible mother. She has the perfect blend of curiosity, humor and compassion. Ten years ago she packed up all of her belongings, including our dog Eliot, and drove across the country to a new city and life. I’ve always been astounded at her bravery and hunger for adventure. Above all else, Cassie values love, fairness and loyalty and she lives by her values more than anyone I’ve ever met. I know those same values will guide her as a parent and that our child will always know they are loved and supported unconditionally.

We fill our days exploring our passions and surroundings. We love the Pacific Northwest. Some of our favorite activities are riding our sidecar motorcycle on Oregon’s backroads, cheering on the Portland Timbers soccer team, paddling our canoe down a stream, playing with our two dogs, spending time at the beach and relaxing around our home. We live in a quiet neighborhood with parks, restaurants and shops that we love to visit. We are believers in social justice and advocates for social change. We have worked in the public and social service sectors for our entire professional careers. We look forward to loving our child and where/who they come from. If you choose us, we will continue to seek to support an open relationship with you and your family, in the best interest of our child.

We hope this gives you an idea of who we are and the life we live. More than anything, we love our community and are so excited to share that community with a child someday. Whether or not we get the opportunity to share our book with you or to meet, we wish you strength and peace in your adoption journey. We honor your story and bravery, and hope to continue our story with a child in the near future.