A child in our home will be loved and supported unconditionally, and will learn to contribute to the family and the world in rewarding and meaningful ways. We believe that modeling good behavior and reinforcing positive actions is a more effective way to discipline children than taking punitive measures. We will always try to take a measured and fair approach when a child misbehaves. We want to encourage our child to recognize what they’ve done wrong and how to correct it.

We are both passionate, inquisitive and successful professionals. Nira is a full time physical therapist in an outpatient orthopedic clinic in Salt Lake City. She takes a lot of pride in her work and cares deeply about the patients she treats and the quality of services she provides. She appreciates being able to have a tangible, positive impact on the daily lives of her patients. Prior to becoming a physical therapist, she worked as a university instructor and researcher in the environmental sciences, investigating the impacts of river restoration and other human activities on stream ecology and stream health. Outside of work she enjoys climbing, mountain biking, hiking, swimming, gardening, and cooking.

Ben currently works for a start-up company in Salt Lake City discovering new treatments for rare genetic diseases. He works with laboratory automation and robotics to perform complex molecular and cellular biology experiments. Born and raised in Iowa and upstate New York, he enjoys mountain biking, skiing, hiking and climbing in his free time.

As individuals, we have different perspectives and intelligences that complement and motivate each other. As a couple, we share chores efficiently and pleasantly, each of us doing the activities that we are most particular about and/or enjoy doing the most; Ben always does the laundry, Nira the dishes. We make important decisions together as a team and openly share our thoughts, fears, and hopes. We also talk about our finances and make important financial decisions as a team. One of the greatest strengths of our marriage is our ability to talk things through, to approach challenging situations calmly and logically and to arrive at a optimal solution. Sometimes it may take a day or two, but we always seem to come to an agreement and a solid plan. We are both good at ultimately acknowledging when we’re wrong and validating the other’s perspective. We see this strength and openness in communication carry-over to our interactions with our nieces and nephews, which helps make it easy for us to interact firmly and positively with children of all ages.