Hi, we are Bryan and Suzanne and we are excited to add to our family again through adoption! We have two sons, ages 12 and 7. They are SO excited to add another sibling. We have an open adoption with our son's birth parents and love having that connection. We post and share photos and messages and visit whenever we can (cross country). 
We live in Northern Utah right up next to the mountains and have lots and lots of family nearby. Bryan is a Pediatrician and Suzanne is a stay at home Mom. We are a very musical family and we love traveling, literature, movies, games and sports. 

We have two big sweet dogs that we all adore, Leia and Padme. (extra credit if you know where their names came from ;) 

We feel strongly about education and making sure our children have opportunities to discover and grow. We want our children to have the opportunities to follow their passion and be the best they can be at whatever they want to do.

We would love to chat and answer any questions you may have. We are an open book.  Please feel free to email us at bryanandsuzanneadopt@gmail.com . We want you to know of the appreciation and admiration we have for you. Thank you for taking the time to get to know us, taking a peek into our lives and understanding our dream for a baby. We have the greatest respect for parents who place their children for adoption, recognizing that our joy springs from their sorrow.

Why we want to adopt

We have always wanted a large family, we love the large families we grew up in, and want that same experience for ourselves and our children. We talked about adopting before we were even married. It's something we've both always known we wanted to do. We had planned on having a few biological children and then adopting to complete our family, but things have worked out a little differently. We had Daniel right after our first anniversary, and adopted Sam about five years later.  Our boys have brought so much joy into our lives. We would love to share that joy with more children. We haven't been able to have children over the years, and rather than pursue fertility treatments any further we want to adopt. Adoption is something that we both have always looked forward to and we are so excited to bring another child (or children) into our lives and home.

Bryan

Bryan grew up in Pittsburgh and Utah as the oldest of 6 kids. He attended BYU and graduated in Italian and Music, in both the Trombone and Voice. He spent 2 ½ years in Italy on a church mission and on study abroad. We went to Italy a few years ago as a couple and he was an excellent tour guide! (all the natives complimented him on his fabulous, fluent Italian) He graduated with his MD, finished Residency and is now a Pediatrician. He loves every minute of it.  Bryan loves sports. He loves to golf almost anytime, in the summer you can find him in the pool, and in the fall he loves to play basketball with some of the guys from church. His favorite teams to watch are the Yankees, the Steelers and the Penguins (you can take a guy out of Pittsburgh, but not the Pittsburgh out of the guy ;)  ), and the Jazz. Bryan loves to read and reads anything from the classics to sci-fi books. Overall we would say that Bryan’s favorite thing to do is let the kids run around with their cousins while we relax, play games and chat with his family. Suzanne- "One of the reasons I fell in love with Bryan was because I knew he would be an amazing father. His love and patience astound me. He has a great sense of humor and keeps me laughing and smiling even when things get rough."

Suzanne

Suzanne grew up in Washington state, living around the Seattle area until she was about 14. Her family moved to Walla Walla during High School and then back to the Seattle area. She is the 6th of 8 kids. Suzanne also attended BYU and got her degree in Vocal Performance. She was heavily involved in the performing arts, performing in Musicals, Operas, Recitals, and Nationally acclaimed choirs. Her two favorite things in college were singing in BYU Singers (Choir) and performing the lead in Carmen, singing over a full orchestra. She taught voice lessons, but has stopped while our children are young. Suzanne is currently devoting her time and talents to being a stay at home Mom. We were both lucky enough to be raised in families where our Mother’s were at home during the day. We feel strongly that we want her to be able to stay home and be available for our children whenever they have questions or need a friend. She loves spending her time with our adventurous boys and can’t wait to add more children to the mix! In her spare time Suzanne loves to be creative and learn to do new things. Some of her current projects are sewing, pattern making, quilting (still learning a bit), photography, home design and refinishing furniture. She also loves to read and some of her current favorites are the Harry Potter series, the Mistborn Series, and pretty much anything that her Mother-in-law suggests! She loves her friends and chatting on the phone with her many sisters. Bryan: "Suzanne is the perfect partner through the many ups and downs of life. Her perspective and calm make her a wonderful wife and even better mother. I love the thought of my sons spending hours with her and learning her wisdom and loving ways. I very much want to add another child to our family and give them the same opportunity that our children have."

Our Beginnings

We officially met at college. Suzanne worked at the Music Library, and Bryan came in to check something out. ;) We soon attended the same Opera Workshop in Washington DC that summer. We ended up spending the whole 2 weeks of the workshop together, and took our breaks enjoying the monuments and museums that DC had to offer. Suzanne was impressed with Bryan’s knowledge of history and art. Bryan was impressed with Suzanne. ;) We spent a long time sitting in front of a Van Gogh painting taking in its vivid beauty. (We now have that same print hanging in our home, a constant reminder of that day :) When we got back to school we started dating and were married the next winter. We both couldn’t have found better matches and love just being together.

Our Fun Times

Some of our favorite times have just been spent snuggling as a family as we talk and laugh. We like to go out to eat at new places as a family and always stop to play a few games before we head home. We love to travel together and just spent two months driving cross country visiting family and friends. (and both coasts!) 

One of our favorite places to be is the beach in California, and we make it out there about once a year. Sometimes we are able to go there with Bryan’s family. We all stay in a large condo where we can play games, hangout at night and spend our days at the beach. (and take the occasional trip to Disneyland and other fun places) We love to visit historically significant places, and go on hiking trips when there’s something beautiful to see. 

One of the things we look forward to most is the yearly family reunion at the lake. All of Bryan’s cousins, Uncles, Aunts and Grandparents gather for a weekend of boating, sandcastles and playing. This summer we’re also looking forward to getting together with all of Suzanne’s siblings and their families for a week long party… who knows what to expect! ;)

Family and Friends

Bryan's Side (plus two more Nieces due any day now :)

We have a huge support group of family and friends that we just love. Bryan is the oldest of 6 kids and Suzanne is the 6th of 8 kids. Our lives are full of love and laughter. Bryan’s family spends a lot of time together. They like to spend time in the pool, just kick the ball around, or sing around the piano. BBQ’s and family parties are very frequent during the summer, so we get to see the extended family too. 

(Missing 2 in-laws and 11 cousins :)

Suzanne’s family loves to get together and play the card game Nertz, they are all pros. :) She and her sisters talk…. a lot. They love having each other (there are 5 sisters in a row!) to laugh and share with. Again, we would love to nurture this type of relationship in our children.

Our Home and Community

We live in Utah, in a nice suburban setting. Far enough out that we have some space, but close enough to support Suzanne's Target habit. ;) We absolutely love where we live. We are so happy to have finished up Bryan's medical training and to have finally settled near both of our families. We love to host family get togethers at our house especially around the holidays.

We are lucky enough to be surrounded by beauty year round, with summers that are mild enough to enjoy all of the parks and go swimming, and a particularly gorgeous spring and fall. Winter here never disappoints, and we always have enough snow for snowmen and snowball fights. Our neighborhood is great, our neighbors are wonderful. There are kids everywhere and a park down the street. We have extra bedrooms just waiting to be filled. :)

Open adoption

Sammy giving his biological sister a hug. :)

We would love to have an open adoption. We have an open adoption with Sam's birthparents and cherish the time we got to spend getting to know them over in Tennessee. We keep a blog just for them full of all the pictures we take of Sam and updates on what he's up to.  We speak on the phone occasionally and have driven to visit them about once a year.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to have gotten to meet some of Sam's biological family. We're grateful to have answers to a lot of the questions he will have later in life and to have that connection to turn to as he grows. (we don't post many pics including them to respect their privacy, those pics are highly prized though :) Suzanne also has two friends who placed their daughters for adoption and has seen firsthand what a positive experience an open adoption can be for all involved. The child gets to know where they came from, you get to know that your child is loved and well cared for and have an open relationship with them, and we get to know the wonderful woman who gave us our child. We recognize that an open adoption is not always best for everyone, and we will also respect that. We will still teach our child that they were placed with us by a loving woman who only wanted what was best.
Thank you!
Thanks so much for learning a bit about us and our dreams for our family. We would love to chat with you and answer any questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to ask us anything. We would love to know of your hopes and wishes for your child’s future. We wish you the best as you make this difficult decision and hope to hear from you. Bryan and Suzanne

If you'd like to see photos of our family, please feel free to click on our flickr and instagram links! (The pics below are the links!)

Our feelings toward Birth Parents.

Bryan and I both feel that any expectant parent who places their child for adoption is a brave and caring person. We recognize that just because your child is taken care of doesn't mean that you will forget them or stop thinking of them. We would love to build a relationship with our child's birthparents by sending pictures, letters, posting online, phone/face time calls and having visits. When our child is old enough to make informed decisions on their own we will encourage them to continue to build that relationship. We believe that it would be best for our child to truly find out where they came from and what their biological family is like. Our child will always know they were adopted, they will know about their birthparents and they will know that they made a brave and loving decision. Our child's birthparents will be loved by our family.

When I (Suzanne) was in High School a good friend of mine found herself in the situation of becoming a birthmother. I saw how much she loved the child she carried, I saw how hard her decision was. I also saw the joy she felt when she received pictures of her child and got letters telling her how her child was doing. She was young and had a lot of life ahead of her, she knew that the best thing for her child would be to grow up in a family with two parents who were ready to welcome a baby into their lives. I knew then that I would love to adopt a child, I wanted to create a home for the baby and a solution to the mother's plight. I know that my experience with my friend really solidified in my mind the blessing that adoption can be.

If our child's birthparents choose a closed adoption we will respect that also. Our child will still know that they were adopted and lovingly placed into our arms. If they later decide they want to open the adoption we will always be available. I know that for some people to move on with their lives they need to feel closure and close the door on the possibility of an open adoption. I respect that and will support them silently through teaching our child to love and cherish their birthparents.

We have a great love for children in our home. Bryan is a pediatrician specifically so he can interact with and serve children. We work in the nursery of our church and love the time we have with the little children singing and playing. We also volunteer once a week at an inner city church taking care of children while their parents/guardians are in prayer meeting. This situation has taught me a lot about the influences of the world on little children and has again reconfirmed my desire to have a happy and healthy home for my little ones to flourish.

Hobbies and Interests

This is what happens when you use a tripod and not a
person to take your pictures! Every picture....lol.
He has a great sense of humor! :)

One of our favorite hobbies that we both enjoy is reading. Bryan is a more "serious" reader in that he really loves to get into the classics and pick them apart. Right now he is reading biographies about the Founding Fathers" and is loving it. (he may have been influenced by our obsession over the musical Hamilton, lol) He loves reading books over and over again and since we have been married has rotated through quite a few, with some of his favorites being, "Les Miserables," "Cry the Beloved Country," the "Lord of the Rings." trilogy, and the "Wheel of Time" series. I on the other hand am a more frivolous reader. While I do really enjoy the classics, especially Jane Austen and like, I really like to read contemporary authors. Lately I've read the "Selection" series, everything Brandon Sanderson I can get my hands on and of course a TON of adoption books. (and who doesn't love "Harry Potter?") Daniel reads up a storm and I'm really happy that Sam is learning to love books too. Some of his favorites are "The Three Little Pigs," "Stone Soup," and "Go Dog, Go." I have to admit that one of my favorite things is hearing Bryan read to the boys every night using all sorts of crazy voices. :)

We love watching a good comedy. We especially love to find a show on Netflix and binge watch the whole thing over a few months. Some of our favorites have been; The Office, Thirty Rock, Scrubs, Friends, Frasier and The Mindy Project. 

We love to travel as a family. Bryan has traveled all over the world and is showing us the ropes. The two of us got the chance to go to Italy after he graduated from BYU and it was a complete blast. Bryan served his mission in Milan, Italy and then did study abroad in Italy too. So he was able to act as my tour guide. All of the Italians were very impressed by how well he spoke the language and it was so nice to have an interpreter! We got to see all of the incredible sites in Italy and hope to go back there many times with our family. I think Bryan would agree that Florence is our favorite city in the world, with Lago di Como a close second. We also really love Washington D.C. since that's where we really met. We love to take shorter trips to sites nearby.

Waterton, Canada

Now that we live bak in Utah we have made it to Zion's National Park, Moab, Denver, Seattle, California, Mexico, Canada and lots of areas in between. When we were in Ohio we went to Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Pittsburgh, Kirtland/Cleveland and LOTS of historical sites. One of our favorite vacations with the family is when we go to California and spend a couple of days hanging out with the family at the beach. It is so beautiful. I think everyone needs to experience the lull of the ocean while on the warm sand.

Another family function that we would never miss is the annual family reunion up at Bear Lake in Utah. Bryan's extended family gets together to play in the water, eat good food and have a good time. It is always one of the highlights of our year. We are always there over a weekend and on Sunday have church together as a family. It doesn't get better than that.

Of course as you've probably guessed by looking at our college majors, we both love music. Bryan grew up in a family that is incredibly musical. His Mother composes music and plays the piano incredibly well. Fortunately she and her husband instilled a love and appreciation for music in their children and Bryan is proof of that. Bryan plays the Trombone exceptionally well. He played in the premier Orchestra at BYU and was asked to major in Trombone. His Father and Grandfather both play the Trombone and they have performed trios together. He also has a wonderful Bass/Baritone singing voice and was in the voice program and some of the Operas in college. Bryan took piano lessons until he was a young teen and played Piano in church throughout his mission. He has an uncanny ability to recognize music and remember all the details about it. Often when we're watching a movie together he'll lean over and give a guess as to who the composer is and he's almost always right! 
I (Suzanne) grew up in a family that wasn't particularly musical. I'd say they were more music "consumers." We always had music on at home and I was introduced to many different kinds of music growing up. I played the French Horn and Tuba in band and orchestra in High School.

I started singing in High School and performed lots of musicals and choirs. I think my favorite role was playing the lead in "The Music Man," at the Community College. When I got to college I preformed in many musicals and operas. I'd have to say that my favorite experience was playing the lead in Carmen at BYU. There is nothing like singing over a full orchestra. I also got to sing in almost all of the choirs at BYU and particularly loved my time in BYU Singers. I was teaching voice lessons out of my home, but have stopped while the kids are young.

I have taken a real interest in Photography in the last 5 years and am slowly teaching myself all the techniques. I have taken Bridal portraits and lots of engagement shots, etc. for other people. I mostly just take photos of my family though, they're the best inspiration!

Bryan loves sports and the boys are following in his footsteps. He has certain favorite teams that he is undyingly loyal to and has fun cheering them on and keeping up with their stats. He likes to play golf and take the dog on runs.