Hello, we are Elizabeth and Matthew! Thank you for choosing to hear our story and learn more about us as prospective parents.
We are both from small towns and had known each other in high school. We remained friends and knew of each other but had never thought to date because of past relationships, and were going in different directions for college. We continued to see each other at mutual friend’s houses or football games. In 2013 something sparked, but it just wasn’t the right time for us. A couple of years later, we ran into each other at a friend’s engagement party – love was definitely in the air that night.
Elizabeth was waitressing and caught Matt’s eye. He later asked his friends if she was taken or available, and luckily she was single. We proceeded to text and hung out together with friends. Finally, Matt asked Elizabeth on a real date to a friend’s wedding, and that night is what led to us dating for two years. We were engaged at “Cross in the Woods” in Northern Michigan. Elizabeth was in total shock, and we were welcomed home with all our family and friends there to celebrate.
We got married on a beautiful Saturday in November 2019. We were lucky enough to save up some money and go on a honeymoon to the island of St. Lucia over Christmas and New Years. Since then, we have been preparing our home for the next hopeful chapter of our lives: a child. After much reading and praying – we are so happy and confident in God’s calling for us to adopt.
Matt is the youngest of three siblings. He is an uncle to a niece and three nephews, aging 5 months to 4 years old. He tries to be the fun uncle and succeeds most of the time. Family is very important to Matt, and he is always available when a family member needs help.
Matt works on his uncle’s dairy farm. He manages crops and general maintenance around the facility. Farming has always been a part of his life, and he has worked for his uncle since he was 12 years old – even throughout college. Post-college, he tried a different route and was a salesman for three years, but farming was always on his mind. In 2018, he returned to farming and has never looked back.
When he isn’t planting or harvesting, he enjoys hanging out with family and friends. He loves having bonfires, hanging out at his parent’s cottage, golfing, and basketball. It can be challenging to go hunting when planting in the fields, but he tries to find time to get himself out in his treestand hunting whitetails.
Matt is extremely hard-working and doesn’t really sit around too often. When we bought our house, Matt led all the remodeling and demolition and loved putting his woodworking skills to the test – trimming the entire house while installing his first kitchen cabinets. I know Matt will be a great father because of his love for family, devotion, and fun-spirited personality. He has a huge heart and so much love to give to a child.
Elizabeth is the oldest of four siblings – two younger brothers and a younger sister. Her parents worked in the education system and were varsity basketball coaches for more than 10 years. Their passion for education inspired Elizabeth to become a teacher and a coach for middle school girl’s basketball.
Elizabeth has always been involved in acts of service. From waitressing and cleaning houses to coaching and now teaching, she has always helped and served others. It is her passion and truly a gift. Seeing her interact with our niece, nephews, and young cousins is amazing, and I know she will be a great, loving mother one day.
In 2012, after many blood tests, examinations, and ultrasounds, Elizabeth was diagnosed with MRKH syndrome. Her diagnosis meant she was born without a uterus and will never be able to get pregnant. For many years she was shocked and devastated as she always knew she wanted to be a mother. Over time I have seen her strength, faith, and confidence grow, and we have learned that family does not rely on biology, but rather love.
She is kind, generous, and walks with God in everything she does. Elizabeth is my rock, and I can’t imagine life with anyone else. I am so hopeful for us to become parents and see her be a mom – I know she will be an incredible one.
We bought our home in July 2019 on the outskirts of a small town in central Michigan. It’s a quaint 1950’s ranch-style home, originally owned by Elizabeth’s great aunt. It is surrounded by farmland and beautiful wooded scenery off the back of the house.
When we first bought our home, it was very dated. We completely gutted everything down to the studs and opened up the main part of the house. We started demolition in July of 2019 and moved in on our wedding night that November. With a partially finished house, we began our life together. We have since hung many pictures, added furniture, and are now praying to fill the rest of our home with laughter and even more love.
Our home sits on the outskirts of city limits and our closest neighbors are about a half-mile away. Both of our families live within a 10-minute drive so it is nice to be able to visit at any time – having dinner together often is a beautiful blessing we are both grateful for. Some of our classmates from high school live within a mile, so it’s easy to catch up with friends. We are looking forward to future playdates with all our family and friends.
Our hometowns are very close to where we live, and our town reminds us of our roots. There are two elementary schools, two restaurants, a hair salon, a small deli, t-ball fields, and a few small parks. Living just outside of town gives us the convenience of not being too far away from the school, church, food, and ALL the benefits of quiet, country living.
At home, it’s the four of us – Matthew, Elizabeth, and our cats, Mack and Moe.
We both have very large extended families and are extremely close to our aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. We are so lucky that our families are all within a 40-minute drive. Growing up, our best friends were our cousins, our aunts and uncles were our babysitters, and our parents were our baseball and basketball coaches. We were raised with love and cannot wait to pass these same special relationships on to the next generation.
We know both of our parents were born to be GRANDparents! Matt’s parents already have a few grandkids, so we see their love and care. Us adopting a child would make Elizabeth’s parents first-time grandparents; they are hopeful and ecstatic and cannot wait! Her mom has taught Kindergarten for 25 years, and her dad is a retired principal, so they are professionals when it comes to kids! Our family members are thrilled and have already bought many books, diapers, and furniture for the nursery. As a whole, we are a loving group of people that cannot wait to welcome another beautiful child into the family.
We are very lucky that both our families have cottages. Both are on the water and have beautiful neighbors who feel like family. We try to go often to enjoy the Michigan sun!
We share a love for golf and going to many different golf courses throughout Michigan. We most recently went on a trip last summer to the Upper Peninsula, exploring the many waterfalls and beautiful scenery. We were able to stop and play golf on the way.
Pickleball is a new sport we have picked up; it’s a mixture of ping-pong and tennis. We have courts near our house and up at Matt’s parent’s cottage, so we have been playing more and more each year.
Our faith is very important to us and we walk with God in all that we do. We are Catholics and attend church weekly. We love to do our part by attending fundraisers, parish picnics, and block parties. Matthew volunteers in many ways for our church and community. We love this quote by St. Therese and would like to share it with you today:
“May today there be peace within. May you trust you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
Thank you for taking the time to look at our book, and thank you for bringing this beautiful baby into the world! The bravery, love, and strength speaks volumes. We desire so much to be parents and have dreamt and longed for spending long nights cuddling with a child.
If we are chosen as adoptive parents, we promise to give your baby everything we have to offer – love, acceptance, nurture, healthy lifestyle, great education, and a large extended family to give even more love and support. We intend to keep in contact throughout the child’s life but are happy to follow your lead in the level of openness that you prefer. We will always remind the child of the selfless decision their mother made so that they could have a beautiful life. We wish you all the love and happiness as you sort out the right decision for you and your baby.
Sincerely,
Matthew and Elizabeth
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