First and foremost, THANK YOU for taking the time to learn about us! We are Richard, Matt and Xander, from sunny San Diego, California!

We are excited that you have chosen to learn more about who we are and help us grow our family through adoption again. We were blessed when our son Xander came into our lives through adoption and are grateful for those who consider adoption as it will give us the opportunity to welcome another child into our lives. We sincerely admire your kindness, your courage, and your selflessness for considering adoption for your child. We look forward to learning more about you and developing a healthy relationship for the benefit of your child.

We have been married for eight years - together for thirteen. We have grown so much together in a loving, supportive relationship and have always known we wanted to be a family of four. Adoption has been the ultimate gift and we cherish our time as a family. We have an amazing network of friends and family and as you learn more about us, we hope you can see our adventurous, loving, kind, and open spirits, and how excited we are to grow our family!

We met online in the spring of 2009 and our first date was a picnic on the beach that Richard prepared. It didn’t take us long to realize that we each found someone to spend the rest of our lives with. We quickly became best friends through bonding over our many shared interests such as cooking, going to the beach, and traveling. After six months of dating, we knew we wanted to get married and have a family. Four years later when same sex marriage was legalized, we committed to a lifetime of happiness in front of family and friends. Our wedding was reflective of both of our personalities: casual, fun, and filled with laughter and joy.

We love being dads, it is the most wonderful thing in the world. We have so much love to give and absolutely can’t wait for Xander to have a sibling. We love playing with Xander, watching him grow, and seeing him explore the world. We have worked hard for everything we have and are so thankful to be able to provide a wonderful life for Xander and his future sibling. Throughout our fatherhood journey, we’ve learned something new each and every day.

I grew up in Blythe, California, a small town on the border of California and Arizona. I am the youngest of four children. My mother is Mexican and Cuban and my father is Native American, Mexican, and Irish. My cultural identity is a big part of who I am and how I live my life. While attending college, I became passionate about helping others who come from a similar background as me and continually mentor and give back to others. As a college professor, I have the opportunity to work with students from all backgrounds and am truly honored to learn about their stories and share mine. I have many passions and love cooking, building things, playing sports, and being outdoors. I love to share these passions with Xander and can’t wait to with his future brother or sister as well!

Richard is my best friend. He’s thoughtful, loving, and nurturing. My favorite thing about Richard is how goofy he can be. When we are at home, I generally find him singing random made-up songs and/or dancing through the house with Xander. I love seeing how Xander adores him. Richard is always there when anyone needs him and is an amazing father. Xander and I are so lucky to get to go through life with him. and I can’t wait to raise another child with him.

I was born in Virginia Beach but moved to San Diego, California when I was a year old, so I consider myself a San Diego native since I have lived here the majority of my life. I grew up in the boy scouts and spent a lot of my childhood outdoors camping, hiking, and exploring nature. This experience gave me an appreciation for the outdoors and even to this day I have a passion for doing anything outdoors. I work for the City of San Diego and I absolutely love my job and what I do for a living. My job gives me a sense of accomplishment but also values a work/life balance. Outside of work, you can find me at the beach, hanging out with friends, discovering new hiking trails, or playing fetch with our dog. I love being a father and getting to spend time with our family going on new adventures!

Matt has the biggest heart of anyone I know! I can truly say that Matt makes me want to be the best person I can be. He is compassionate, loving, caring, and adventurous and I am so thankful for the last 13 years of adventures we have had together. Raising Xander together has been an amazing experience and I know he is ready for another child. Matt is still a kid at heart, and I love seeing him play with Xander. He can’t wait for Xander to have a sibling and to become a father again!

We were so blessed to be selected as Xander’s parents back in 2020! It has been incredible to watch him grow and learn about the world. He has started to develop the most amazing personality and curiosity about everything around him. His favorite activities are going to the zoo/SeaWorld, playing with our dog, Fiona and cat, Lily, going to the beach and pool, and playing with his friends. Xander is just over 18 months old and we know he will be a great big brother; he is so gentle and loving with kids younger than him and loves to play with them.

We are fortunate to live in a quiet neighborhood in San Diego close to great schools, parks, and places to spend time with family and friends. We are just 10 minutes from the beach, the world-famous San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, SeaWorld, and many other family activities. Our local park has a great playground for kids and we have lots of spaces for Xander to play outside. We enjoy entertaining friends and family in our home and have created a backyard and living space that is perfect for a family with inspiration from DIY TV shows. We love to eat outdoors and spend time with friends and family by the firepit. We are also in the process of building a playground for Xander and his future sibling.

Family is extremely important to us. We have a running joke of whose family is crazier, but usually Richard wins because he has such a large family that is constantly running around. Family time is always filled with kids (Xander has 10 first cousins), games, cooking, and sharing stories. We are close with our parents and siblings, and everyone is excited to welcome a new member into the family.

We have an amazing network of friends, many having kids, who will serve as our resources as we grow our own family. We love to watch Xander play with his cousins and our friend’s kids. He loves babies and will be an amazing big brother! We can wait to take our kids to parks, beaches, the zoo, and Legoland together, to the zoo and to spend time at home bonding over memories that will last a lifetime!

Our dog, Fiona and our cat, Lily are best friends and love to spend time cuddling, playing, and relaxing. Fiona loves to spend time in the back yard and at the beach. They love to meet new people and are great with Xander and other kids. Every morning Xander wakes up and says, “NoNa” (Fiona’s nickname) because he is so excited to see her.

We cannot wait to welcome another little one to our family! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about us and for considering us as adoptive parents, and family, for your child.

~ Richard, Matt, and Xander