A Act of Love Adoptions
Open AdoptionWaiting to be chosena safe

Meet Matt & Tessa

Matt & Tessa, profile portrait

Our Story

Hello Expectant Parent,

Thank you for taking a moment to learn about us. We know this may be a tender and emotional time, and we respect the love and strength it takes to consider adoption. We hope this gives you a small but honest look into who we are and the home we hope to offer a child.

  • Who We Are
  • Married and deeply committed to our family
  • Parents of a happy 4-year-old daughter who is eager to be a big sister
  • Loving, affectionate, with lots of daily “I love yous”
  • Happy, fun, playful, silly, and adventurous
  • Emotionally steady, calm, consistent, and patient
  • Strong believers in unconditional love and acceptance
  • Active members of a Christian church congregation
  • We enjoy skiing, hiking, traveling, games, movie nights, and being active as a family
  • Our Work & Daily Life

Tessa is an elementary school teacher who specializes in supporting struggling learners in an international school and loves helping children learn and feel confident. She is kind, silly, and a very devoted mother. She loves to learn new things, get outside, and stay active.

Matt is a stay-at-home dad and full-time university student who loves spending time with our daughter and being part of her daily life. He enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and camping and loves creating fun adventures for our family. He is patient, kind, and a steady source of support for all of us.

Our daughter is a joyful and energetic 4-year-old who brings a lot of laughter and curiosity into our home. She loves singing, dancing, imaginative play, and spending time outdoors. She is affectionate and loves helping with younger children, and she is very excited about the idea of becoming a big sister.

A Snapshot of Our Home

Some of our favorite everyday moments include

  • Reading bedtime stories together
  • Playing games, crafts, or building things with our daughter
  • Family movie nights with homemade popcorn
  • Exploring parks, hiking trails, and outdoor adventures
  • Talking about our day around the dinner table
  • Family dance parties in the living room
  • Our home is full of laughter, curiosity, and lots of hugs.
  • Our Life & Community
  • We currently live abroad in Italy and enjoy traveling and exploring new places across the world. We live in a safe and peaceful Italian neighborhood with a huge yard and wonderful neighbors.
  • Our child will attend international schools (where Tessa teaches) with students from many racial, ethnic, and language background s.
  • We also have a large, supportive extended family in the Pacific Northwest and travel home every summer for extended visits, helping our children stay closely connected to family.
  • Our Promise to You

We promise to

  • Love your child unconditionally
  • Speak openly and positively about you and their adoption
  • Support openness to the degree that you are comfortable and in a way that centers the child.
  • Your child will always know they are wanted, valued, and loved.
  • Thank You
  • Thank you for taking the time to read about us. Whatever path you choose, we wish you peace, care, and support.

With warmth,

Matt & Tessa

Photos

Interested in Matt & Tessa?

Tell us a little about yourself and a counselor will reach out, confidentially and at no cost, to talk through the next step. There is never any pressure.

Are you pregnant looking to place for adoption? *

A licensed counselor will reach out — usually within minutes. All conversations are confidential and without obligation.

All inquiries are confidential. Counselor-mediated contact only. 24/7 support at (888) 767-7740.

Similar Waiting Families

Justin & Heather, profile portrait
Open Adoption

Justin & Heather

United States

Although we haven’t met yet, we are so grateful that everything leading up to this moment has brought us to you! We are inspired by your courage, strength and selflessness. We feel honored to share more about our family, and can’t wait to get to know you. We are so excited by the possibility of growing our family through adoption again, and we approach this experience with deep respect for all that is involved. We recognize the strength it takes to make this decision and are committed to walking alongside you with compassion, openness, and honesty. It’s important to us that your child grows up knowing their full story – including the love and thought that led to their adoption. We believe in the importance of maintaining a meaningful, open connection with you, and creating a space where that relationship can thrive. If chosen, we will raise your child in a home filled with unconditional love, stability, and encouragement. We will nurture their dreams, support them through life’s challenges, and provide a safe place where they can always be their true selves – knowing they are deeply loved, respected, and cherished. With Gratitude and Love, Justin and Heather Our Love Story We met online playing video games in 2007. We were just teenagers then, and had become really good friends over the game Halo 3. After a couple of years, Heather flew out to Justin’s senior year prom and we started dating long distance. Justin is originally from a small town in Kentucky, and Heather is from the suburbs in Utah. Justin moved to Utah in 2011. Shortly after, we took a trip to California to go to Disneyland and the beach! Justin asked Heather to marry him on Christmas Eve at Newport Beach. She said yes! We were engaged for a couple of years (we wanted time to plan) and got married in 2013. Since then, we have built a life full of love, beautiful experiences, and unwavering support for each other. Over the years, we have been through a lot together. About a year after we got married, we quickly became pregnant. We were ecstatic! We saw our baby’s heart beat and felt so much love. Sadly, at about 9 weeks we experienced the heartbreaking loss of our baby. We took some time to grieve the loss of our baby and eventually started trying again. After about a year of struggling to conceive, we began infertility testing and found ourselves at a crossroads – choosing between IVF or adoption. Heather had ALWAYS wanted to adopt since she was a teenager. She had seen the love that can come from adoption in her own family (two of her amazing sisters are adopted). After lots of prayer and discussions, we decided to start our Foster Care journey. Our sweet oldest daughter, Ricki, came to us when she was just eight days old. After about ten months, we were blessed to officially adopt our beautiful baby girl. Four years later, our cute youngest daughter, Rylie, was conceived naturally and was a complete surprise! Shortly after Rylie was born, we decided that when it was time to grow our family again, we wanted it to be through adoption. Fast forward to now, and we are excited to start the adoption journey! Our Adventures We feel incredibly grateful for the many adventures we get to share as a family! With our Magic Key passes, we visit Disneyland every few months – it’s one of our favorite traditions. We also love camping, playing games, riding our E-bikes, and spending time outdoors. Whether we’re cheering on Real Salt Lake from our front row season tickets (the girls love it!), enjoying movie marathons, or grabbing a bite at the Cheesecake Factory, we cherish every moment together. Family time is deeply important to us. Whatever we’re doing, we focus on making the most of it and finding joy in the little things. Our bond is strong, and we’re incredibly thankful for the closeness we share.

Cameron and Sarah, profile portrait
Open Adoption

Cameron and Sarah

United States

We want you to know that we will love your baby beyond measure. Your choice of adoption is one of immense strength and generosity. Adoption is a familiar word in our family. Sarah was adopted by her parents and she understands both the challenges and triumphs of that experience from the child’s perspective. We would be excited and honored to give that same unconditional love to your baby. Our battle with secondary, unexplained infertility has been a message from God that adoption is our path to grow our family. Infertility has been hard, but getting to follow in Sarah’s parents’ footsteps is powerful. To share a little about us – Kennedy loves her friends and family. Her favorite things to do are being with her animals, riding horses, snowboarding, and playing music with her dad, Cameron. Cameron is an athlete and a musician. He is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to these things. Hearing the first note of any song, he can tell you who sings it, and what year it was released. Oh yeah-and he loves Jeopardy! Sarah has a great love for horses and has been riding since she was a young child. Snowboarding, water sports, and hiking were a staple of her childhood as well. We are a very active family that loves the outdoors. Traveling with our families happen several times a year. We are so blessed to have a life rich with family traditions and opportunities to explore the world together. Week nights are usually spent playing guitar, piano, singing and dancing together. Board games such as SKYJO, Guess Who, and Candy Land are some of Kennedy’s favorites. Catan, RummiKub, Heads Up and cribbage get broken out once Kennedy goes to sleep. That’s also when the newest Stand-up specials get turned on. We try our best to live a healthy lifestyle by cooking, baking, and gardening. We prepare and can healthy home-grown foods for the season and tend to our chickens (a favorite for Kennedy)! We are Christians. We encourage curiosity, and finding a moral compass that provides a happy and stable life for our family. Thank you so much for taking the time to learn more about us. We deeply respect the care and thoughtfulness of your decision and are committed to honoring your trust by giving your child a life full of love, laughter and cherished memories. Our promise is to provide them with endless opportunities for growth and happiness. Once again, we are humbled by your courage and selflessness and thank you with all our hearts. Screenshot

Joanna, profile portrait
Open Adoption

Joanna

a hot climate

First, I want to thank you for taking the time to look through my profile and consider me as a potential parent for your baby. I can only imagine the depth of thought and love that goes into the decision you are making, and I want you to know how much I respect you for the courage and care you are showing. It is such an honor to be part of your consideration, and I don’t take that lightly. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me. Though I’d always rather be climbing a mountain trail or paddle boarding across clear water, I can also be perfectly happy curled up at home with a Braves game or a good crime drama, or hanging out with friends — since traveling full-time isn’t a reality. If I didn’t live in a hot climate, my outfit of choice would be jeans, a hoodie, and tennis shoes – comfortable, practical, and ready for anything. You can often find me in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe or baking something to share. (And yes — I do believe life is too short for bad food or bad ice cream. Wherever I travel, I’m always searching for the best of both!) I live in West Africa, where my days often look different. Some days I’m out working with others in the community, other days I’m home working — but every day starts with a workout, a protein smoothie, and often ends with cooking, friends, or a baseball game. I’ve been blessed with an incredible circle of family and friends around the world. My sisters are my best friends — we travel, laugh, and create memories together — and my local community here is a daily source of encouragement, fun, and support. Kids have always been part of my heart. Since I was little, I’ve been the one with a baby on my hip — and even now, babies and kids seem to find me. They brighten my days and keep my heart full. I’ve wanted to be a mom since I was two, and I can’t wait to raise a child with a life rooted in love, joy, and adventure. I look forward to continuing to go on adventures with the child I add to my family — hiking with muddy boots, chasing sunsets, sampling ice cream in every new city we visit, and paddling across lakes with our toes dangling in the water. Whether big or small, I want them to experience the thrill of trying new things and the wonder of seeing the world with wide-open eyes. Family life with me will be cozy, joyful, and a little adventurous. There will be days at home filled with cooking, games, and laughter, and other days spent out in the community together. My work is flexible, so I’ll be a stay-at-home mom while also modeling what it looks like to live a life of purpose and service. Your child will be surrounded by a loving community of friends and family who are ready to embrace them with open arms. I also want you to know that my home will be a safe place for your child — a place where they are supported, encouraged, and deeply loved through both the joys and the challenges of life. I will celebrate their victories and help them learn from their mistakes, always reminding them that their worth is never based on what they do, but on who they are. My greatest desire is to walk with them through every season — cheering them on, offering comfort, and giving them the confidence to grow into the unique person they were created to be. From the very beginning, I want your child to grow up knowing that their story started long before I held them in my arms. I want them to know they have a birth family who has always loved and cared deeply for them. If it’s your desire, I’d be honored to stay in contact so you can see that the child we both love is safe, cherished, and cared for by many. Staying connected would also give them the beautiful gift of knowing you, your love, and the places they came from. If you choose me, I promise to love your child with all of my heart — unconditionally, forever. They will grow up in a home full of love, laughter, adventure, and belonging. Most of all, they will always know they are deeply loved by God, by you, and by me. Thank you again for getting to know me. I wish you peace and wisdom as you walk through this decision. With love, Joanna