Matt, Regina, Kieran, & Alexander
Bergen County, NJ
Hello from Northern New Jersey!
We are so thankful that you have chosen to take a glimpse into our lives as you consider adoption. Our household is full of love, joy, and fun — and we are excited to expand our family through adoption. We respect your strength, courage, and decision-making process and welcome any opportunity to get to know you. We invite you to contact us with any questions or thoughts and hope to hear from you soon!
–Matt, Regina, Kieran, & Alexander
The universe seemed to bring us together twelve years ago when we each returned to New Jersey from other parts of the world. We met through mutual friends and had an immediate connection centered on a desire to enjoy the world and live purposeful lives. We both come from close-knit families, and we love nothing more than spending time with our large extended families and coming up with our own adventures. Our lives together have been filled with fun every day.
Although we were both born and raised in New Jersey, we spent three years living in New York City before moving back to the suburbs. We still love NYC and try to spend time there as often as possible. The City is a significant part of who we both are, and we want to share that with all of our children.
We were married in June of 2016, surrounded by friends and family on Cape Cod, one of our favorite places in the world. In December 2018, we welcomed our son Kieran, and in August 2020, our son Alexander came home to us at just ten days old. Kieran is ours through biology, and Alexander is ours through adoption. Our two sons have been the greatest joy in our lives, and we love everything about being their mom and dad. Having come from large families ourselves, we always knew we wanted multiple children to fill our home with laughter, love, and clutter! Being a family of four has been magical for us in so many wonderful ways, and expanding our family will only multiply our happiness.
Becoming parents changed us each personally, but it has not changed our lifestyle. We still love being active outdoors, enjoying delicious food (home-cooked, grandma-cooked, restaurants, you name it!), or curling up with a good book. We spend much of our free time with our families, who all love Kieran and Alexander to pieces and are so excited for us to grow our family through adoption. Life in our home is never boring!
Adoption has also always been a part of our lives. We have several family members who have had adoption experiences. Regina’s cousin, Jack, was adopted forty years ago by Regina’s aunt and uncle. Matt’s cousin, Allie, and her husband, Drew, are biological parents to Hannah (8) and adoptive parents to Miriam (4) and Joshua (2).
Alexander’s adoption story is the one that has our hearts, though. Nothing has compared to the moment we received a call from Friends in Adoption that we’d been chosen to parent a baby boy. We’d been approved to adopt just the day before Alexander was born. He was ten days old when we received the call that we had been chosen to parent, and that very same day, we would pick our baby up from the NICU. Alexander was placed in our arms, and he was ours to love and protect. We cannot imagine our family without him and feel so incredibly blessed that Alexander’s birth mom chose us to parent.
—as written by Regina
“Matt is the most loyal, fun-loving, and compassionate person I know. Whether playing with our sons, deeply engrossed in a conversation with his oldest friend or someone he just met, or talking to me across the dinner table, Matt’s warmth is seen in his eyes and felt in his voice as he is fully present for the people in his life and easily able to connect with others.
Since meeting Matt in 2010, he has initiated countless road trips and adventures for us. He knows how to hold on to age-old traditions from his childhood, embrace my family’s traditions, and create new ones for our family of four. Matt is dedicated to our family and closest friends in the most admirable ways. He is always willing to go out of his way for anyone — and roots Kieran, Alexander, and myself in faith, love, patience, optimism, and fun.
While Matt’s connection to others, his great big bear hugs, and his easy-going nature are some of his most outstanding qualities, he is also incredibly smart. Matt loves to read and listen to podcasts, constantly filling his brain with knowledge. This past summer, Matt was a contestant on Jeopardy and won not one but TWO episodes! We are so proud of him! He is a lover of sports — especially soccer. We watch soccer on TV and get to attend professional games together. Just two months before Matt and I met, he had traveled to South Africa to see the World Cup matches!
Matt is an incredible father to our sons, Kieran and Alexander. Whether reading books to our sons before bed, taking them out on a Saturday morning adventure, or just tossing a ball back and forth on the family room floor, Matt fully embraces fatherhood and constantly has our children laughing and smiling. Matt’s also the fun adult in the family and always willing to hop into a game of hide-and-seek or Candyland with the kids!
Matt has been my perfect co-pilot these past twelve years. His joy in becoming a father to our children, his hope for the child we dream of adopting, and his love for our family always amaze me. Matt keeps me in awe of him.”
Matt has initiated countless road trips and adventures in our life.”
—Regina
—as written by Matt
“Since I first met Regina, I have been in awe of her. She is a world traveler with more stories, experiences, and jobs than I could count. We’ve known each other for about twelve years, and I still learn new things about her almost daily. Every day with her is its own adventure.
One thing I’ve always known about Regina is her passion for children. Her family is enormous, and there have been new babies almost every year for her entire life. Those who know her best have nicknamed her ‘The Baby Hog’ because she is always snuggling the little ones and showering them with all her love. She’s also the first to invent new games, songs, or activities to keep the kids active and engaged.
This passion isn’t just limited to our families. Regina lives this every single day of her life. She has spent seven years as an elementary school teacher in three very different communities. During that time, Regina showed such love and care for her students and their development that she was asked to start a brand new school from scratch. There have been many obstacles along that journey. Still, she has never lost her desire or commitment to changing the lives of as many children as possible. Her entire educational philosophy is grounded in love, and it is evident to everyone who meets her that love drives every decision she makes.
One might think that by giving so much love to 525 children every day at work, she might not have much love remaining, but that would be a mistake. Regina is the best mother I could have ever imagined. I have always known this would be the case whenever she became a mother, but even though I expected this doesn’t mean I am any less impressed. I am so thankful every day that she is here to be the glue that holds our family together. I feel that Kieran, Alexander, and I are all blessed to have Regina in our lives. Together, the four of us already know we will be just as blessed to welcome the child we adopt into our family, hopefully in the near future.”
It is so obvious to everyone who meets Regina that love drives every decision she makes.”
—Matt
—as written by Matt and Regina
“Kieran and Alexander are two of the most fun-loving and big-spirited little boys! They make every moment — big or small — joyful and significant.
Kieran is a kind, curious, and passionate four-year-old who finds joy in being with his grandparents and cousins, playing with his little brother, and spending time with his friends. Kieran loves playing make-believe, reading books, narrating stories, and watching his favorite pups, “The Paw Patrol,” on TV.
Kieran enjoys cooking dinner with Matt, especially pizza on Friday nights! He also helps the grandparents make pancakes for breakfast, meatballs for Sunday sauce, and the occasional cookies or cake! Kieran loves to play all sorts of sports — especially soccer and basketball. This last summer, he also taught his brother how to ride the scooter. Kieran is the best big brother and cannot wait to welcome his new baby brother or sister to the family — he’s been including a new baby in pictures that he draws of our family too!
Alexander is a happy, social, fearless two-year-old who knows how to assert himself and loves big! Alexander adores his big brother and is in the habit of copying everything Kieran does, from making silly noises to jumping on the bed. Alexander lights up a room — he loves people, and people love him.
Alexander is strong and active. He loves climbing, jumping, and running. Alexander will take on any playground slide, regardless of height or twists and turns! He enjoys a walk in the neighborhood or hiking on a local trail — Alexander likes to keep up with the big kids and insists on walking instead of riding in the stroller or being carried most of the time. He also enjoys kicking a soccer ball, riding his scooter, and stomping on the play rocket launcher. Despite his love for adventure, Alexander also loves reading books, singing songs, and playing with his Thomas trains. Alexander is the sweetest of boys and will make an amazing big brother — he is so gentle and quiet around babies and can’t get enough of them. We know he’s ready to play the role of big brother.
Kieran and Alexander love to cuddle and are pretty affectionate — they can be found cuddling up with us at night to read a book or listen to music. They love to laugh, make each other laugh, and find reasons to laugh throughout their days. The boys have unique personalities and are beginning to develop their own interests. Still, they are similar in their love for family and adventure and contentment in the day-to-day moments at home, always finding a game to play, a book to read, or a lap to curl up upon.
Kieran and Alexander are ready to welcome a brother or sister into their little sibling sphere. We cannot wait to witness their deep love for a new baby.”
Kieran and Alexander are ready to welcome a brother or sister into their little sibling sphere.”
—Matt and Regina
We own a charming Cape Cod-style house in Northern New Jersey. Our home is nestled on a beautiful property with a fenced-in backyard in a quaint neighborhood. There is always someone to wave to from our front stoop: kids riding their bikes, people walking their dogs, families making their way home from little league games, or the mailman walking from house to house. Our neighborhood is vibrant, with lots of families and young children. Together, we spend a lot of time in our house and yard and out and about in our community.
One of our favorite things about our home is that it is just steps away from the town fields and the library and a walk (or jog) away from the county park and zoo. We spend many weekend mornings chatting outside with our neighbors and then heading out on long walks to get a cup of coffee and stroll through the county park.
We live close to our parents, many cousins, and aunts and uncles. They are all a big part of our everyday lives. We enjoy attending our cousins’ high school sporting events and having spontaneous get-togethers with our family. We are also just a twenty-minute drive into New York City and from many hiking trails up and down the Hudson Valley. When it’s time for our children to attend school, we know they will be in good hands, as our district has a phenomenal school system, all within walking distance from our home.
We love our little community and feel so grateful to be back home in New Jersey with friends and family nearby.
Our families are at the center of our lives. We are incredibly close with our parents, siblings, and our extended families. Everyone is overjoyed about our adoption plan and cannot wait for another baby in the family.
Matt’s parents (Nana and Bopa to our boys) live just ten minutes from us and are a part of our everyday lives. Matt’s mom picks the boys up from school once a week and keeps them busy with long walks and trips to the park and library. Matt’s dad takes every opportunity to spend time with Kieran and Alexander, too — he drops by our house whenever possible.
Matt’s sister, Liz, and her husband, Justin, live in Philadelphia and visit often. They, too, adore Kieran and Alexander and love any opportunity to spend time with us.
Matt has a large extended family, with most of his cousins in New Jersey and Virginia. We get together often for paella parties and beach trips in the summer and holiday celebrations in the winter.
Regina’s family is also local. Regina’s mom, “Mimi,” lives just fifteen minutes away and spends a ton of time with us. Mimi showers Kieran and Alexander with hugs and kisses and is always up for any sort of game or activity that the boys can dream up. Mimi is the family nurse, and she is always taking care of everyone.
Regina’s brothers and their families are also a part of our everyday lives through Facetime and many weekend visits. Michael and his wife, Gina, and three children live in Connecticut. Our boys love spending time with their cousins, Giuls (8), Angel (7), and Broc (2). Regina’s youngest brother, Mark, and his wife love food almost as much as us and are always up to meet at Mimi’s, a quick drop-in at our home, or hosting us for some city life. Mark and his wife, Alyssa, have one child, Ava (22 months), a ball of fun and spice.
Regina also has a large extended family (25 first cousins!), almost all of whom live in New Jersey and see us regularly. The family spends summer days and nights together yearly in Cape Cod at Regina’s mom’s beach house. On the Cape, we are surrounded by happiness and enjoy endless activities — fishing trips, bike rides, bonfires, and shooting star sightings.
We lost Regina’s dad three years ago, just before we welcomed Alexander to our family. “Papa Joe” will always be the heartbeat of our family. He taught us to live with faith, hope, and purpose, to take care of each other, to dance often, and to enjoy every moment. Papa Joe was beyond excited about our adoption plan two years ago. He seems to be woven into Alexander’s story. We know he will smile down on us as we welcome another child, just as he watches over us always.
We have an incredible group of friends we’ve met throughout our lives. From childhood, through all levels of school, to our careers, we have developed deep relationships with the people who have become close to us. Many of our friends live nearby, and we see them often. However, some of our closest friends live in beautiful places throughout the country, making for great road trips!
Our friends represent diverse experiences and cultures, and they have added much to our enjoyment of life. Their children have become a part of our lives, and our sons a part of theirs. Our friends are so excited about our adoption journey and constantly ask what they can do to support us. We are so grateful to have so many positive people in our lives, making up our community.
Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know us through our adoption profile. We hope our pictures and words helped tell our story and gave you a sense of who we are and how we live. The child we adopt will be deeply loved, supported, and cherished in our family. Should you decide on adoption and select us to parent your child, we welcome the opportunity to partner with you on this journey.
With love and gratitude,
Matt, Regina, Kieran & Alexander
