How others describe me

ABOUT MATT (by Julia)

People think Matt is friendly, smart and funny, probably because they've seen him host trivia or heard one of his jokes (not all of them are dad jokes) or received a well-thought-out gift from him.  And they're right.  But he is so much more than that to me. He reminds me to have a little faith and a sense of humor when things look dark.  Matt accepts people for who they are and appreciates their quirks. His attention to detail and focus is so good that he rebuilt our stairs just using YouTube videos (and tools...he had tools too). He has a genuine empathy and appreciation of other people that has kept him connected to so many friends and family.  

Whether it's making a delicious meal from leftover ingredients or ensuring we are fully prepared for any eventuality on a trip (he has batteries for his batteries), he's a partner I can always rely on for support and fun. As a father, Matt encourages Isaac to be silly, figure things out and explore. He does the best character voices when reading and engages Isaac in everything from fixing a light to baking chunky monkey bars.  I can't wait to see him with another son or daughter doing things like improvising silly lullabies and digging in the dirt for worms.

ABOUT JULIA (by Matt)

When I first met Julia, I was drawn to her quick wit and friendly personality. I’ve always enjoyed our deep conversations- our first date was just for lunch and we talked for three hours! Soon our dogs had met and all four of us were hiking together. As we continued on our path (see what I did there?), my life grew richer with Julia alongside. At heart she is a genuine person, always up-front. The challenges she faced as a child and young woman have made her a more understanding, accepting person.  She reminds me that there is always more to learn, even within ourselves.  Her strong values of honesty and persistence guide her every day and win her the respect of the people she meets.

She brings that same persistence, patience, and lots of love on her path through motherhood. Teaching a love for nature is high on her list. Isaac enjoys hearing what kind of animals his mom saw at her work, and they delight in spotting the birds and other animals we see outdoors. Julia is so creative- rainy days have led to all sorts of indoor obstacle courses and microwave soap experiments (that one didn't work out so well, but we did learn something). When I hear her rich imagination at work improvising a bedtime story, and neatly weaving a lesson into it- I smile at the thought of her teaching another little one.

ABOUT ISAAC

Isaac is a smart, sweet pre-schooler.  His main hobbies are books, building things and making up stories about space and superheroes. He loves doing what the grown-ups do, especially cooking and helping in Grampy’s garden.  His favorite stuffed animal is a bunny he's had since he was 4 months old.  It no longer plays music, but as he says, it's still a good bunny.

One priority as parents is to help our kids be happy and healthy. Understanding your own feelings and respecting others' feelings is a big part of that. We try to help Isaac listen to his feelings without being overwhelmed or scared of them. Another parenting priority is to give him opportunities to pursue what interests him, as well as developing the confidence to try new things.  His activities have included Tinkergarten, gymnastics, soccer and swim lessons.  As he gets older, he'll be able to better choose for himself.

With two children, another goal would be to create a close sibling bond so they will always have each other to lean on.  Isaac loves playing with his cousins and our friends' children; he will be such a kind, fun big brother!  When asked why he wants a sibling, he says he wants to hug them and feed them a bottle.