We’re excited to open our hearts and home to another child. We knew early in our relationship that we both wanted a large family. About three years into our marriage, we realized we wouldn’t be able to have children biologically and would build our family though adoption instead.

We adopted Michael in July 2020, when he was five months old. He is now five years old and is an outgoing, adventurous kindergartener. Catie joined us when she was born in May 2022. She’s grown into a spunky little girl with a giant smile. Mark joined us at birth in November 2023, and is a sweet, curious little boy who holds his own playing with his older siblings.

We continue to stay in touch with the kids’ birth moms and biological siblings through private online albums where we share photos and updates. For Michael’s family, we send each other cards and small gifts for holidays and will occasionally travel to see each other.

Most of our activities these days revolve around the kids. While Michael is at school, Lisa takes the little kids to My Gym toddler gym class, a neighborhood playgroup, and story time at the library. The big kids both have swimming lessons at the YMCA, and Michael started both ice skating and tee ball this year. Catie and Mark can’t wait until they’re old enough to join sports leagues, too.

Both of us are big sports fans and share a love of Notre Dame football and baseball (Red Sox and Cubs). Saturdays in the fall are reserved for Notre Dame football games, and we often have family and friends over to cheer on the Irish.

We both grew up with large, close-knit families: Lisa has a sister and three brothers, and Dan has two brothers. We visit often and enjoy spending lazy weekends together. While some have moved across the country, we always get together for major holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.

Our parents are active, loving grandparents who live nearby and are always eager to play with trucks and trains, read some Dr. Seuss, or share a bite of ice cream. They are overjoyed that we are adopting again.

We live in a quiet residential neighborhood in Boston with lots of young families, large parks, and the best little league baseball in Boston. We’re a ten-minute walk from our church, Michael and Catie’s school, the local library, and a YMCA branch that offers swimming lessons and youth sports leagues.