Amber, Matt and Andrew

Dear Birthmother,

Hello, we are Matt, Amber and Andrew. Thank you for taking the time to read our letter. Andrew joined our lives by the miracle of open adoption and we hope to grow our family again through your unselfish gift of adoption. We are so grateful you are exploring adoption and thrilled that you would consider us as adoptive parents. We want to tell you about us, our family and what we have to offer your child. We hope this information will help you decide if we are the "right" family for your baby. We know you are making your decision based on the most unselfish kind of love and we have great respect for you.

MattandAmberacfb@gmail.com
800-869-1005

We started our journey together over fifteen years ago. We met at work and became fast friends, enjoying lunches with co-workers and playing softball as a dynamic pitcher/catcher duo. We would spend hours talking to each other, sometimes forgetting everyone else was there. We officially started dating in 2000 and were married in August 2004. We are best friends and know each other so well that we sometimes finish each other's sentences.

When it came time to build our family, we found out a biological child was not possible. Through a different kind of miracle, we found our son, Andrew, thanks to a very brave woman in Kansas. Now we are hoping to grow our family again through adoption.

We recently moved to the western suburbs of Chicago. Our neighborhood is blossoming with new homes, new neighbors and a lot of activity. We are a short walk to many parks, schools, transportation, and town center. Our block is very lively with many families with young children which we are excited to see grow up with our children.

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. I have one sister, Jill, who lives in New Jersey with her husband, Ryan and two boys, Aidan (4 years old) and Matthew (1 year old). My dad lives in Plainfield, Illinois. In 2006, my mom lost her battle with cancer. We take every change we get to remind ourselves of who she was and how much she was loved by making her special lasagna and dinner rolls and remembering her love of all things British. I have a Bachelor's Degree in finance and a Masters of Business Administration Degree. I work as a financial consultant, but my true passions are hockey, football and barbequing. When I was a boy, watching sports was a family event. I especially loved rooting for the Blackhawks and the Bears sitting alongside my dad. Even today, we cheer on our Chicago teams – a tradition we are eager to pass on to our children. When summer arrives, I love lighting up the grill and making something special whether it is just the three of us or a group of family or friends.

I come from a small but close family. I have one sister, Lisa and a half-sister, Sally. I have two fantastic brother-in-laws, Chris and Jonathan as well as, a niece, Emmy (7 years old) and nephew, Alex (5 years old). My family all live about 10 miles from each other which is great because we see them very often. My mom recently remarried and my dad continues to run his bicycle shop. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. After the arrival of our son, Matt and I decided it was best for me to reduce my work schedule in order to spend more time at home. In addition to working and playing with Andrew, I love to cook. Having grown up around a family that was always cooking (and eating!) it is no surprise. I love trying new recipes or working to perfect old ones. With the move to our new home I even planted a garden to enjoy a truly home-grown meal. Andrew sometimes even helps in the kitchen.

I'm three years old. Trains, cars, and trucks are my life. I've inherited my parents' love of food and trying new things. In my new house I enjoy meeting new friends, riding my tricycle and drawing chalk trains and trucks. I love hanging out with my cousins. I am a snuggle-bug and love to giggle. I'm very excited to be a big brother.

We enjoy traveling. Our vacations are full days of exploring and good food. Together we've explored Miami, San Francisco, Maui, Boston, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. With family in New Jersey, we frequently take road trips to the east coast. We have also ventured overseas to Paris and London. We hope to share this passion for exploring with our children and share these wonderful places.

We are Catholic and find that faith is a source of great strength and support in our daily lives. We hope to pass on that faith to our children. It instilled in us a great sense of togetherness and tradition. Over our years together we have begun creating our own traditions that we look forward to each year, simple events such as going out for ice cream on Mother's Day to celebrate Matt's mom who loved ice cream. We have been honored to be godparents to Emmy, Aidan and Matthew.

We believe every day we grow as parents and learn as much from Andrew as we hope he learns from us.

We hope that by adopting again, we will be providing a life-long friend for Andrew as well as filling an empty place in our lives and hearts. We have experiences, financial stability and a lifetime of love waiting to be shared.

In closing, Please take comfort in knowing that your decision will positively affect the lives of many people in many ways. Thank you for your unselfish heart, unmatched gift and your courage.

Please feel free to call anytime at 800-869-1005 or email at MattandAmberacfb@gmail.com. We are eager to hear from you. You may also send our adoption counselor, Tobi Ehrenpreis a text message at 847-366-6351.

With lots of love, Matt, Amber & Andrew