The close-knit Morrison family work and play together with lots of love and an abundance of cuddles and laughter in between.
David and Robyn Morrison will be celebrating their 8th wedding anniversary this year. Their son Myles Morrison is 6 years old and their daughter Wren Morrison is almost four years old.
Myles and Wren enjoy close relationships with family including both grandparents on each side, aunts, uncles and cousins.
David and Robyn met through their mutual friend, Stacy. They all knew each other through their philanthropic involvement in Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Stacy wasn’t altogether focused on New York geography when she made the introduction. Robyn laughs and says, “We are eternally grateful to Stacy from Texas and her skewed geographic knowledge of New York State - New York City and Saratoga Springs are not ‘next door’ to each other.”
Despite the distance, David and Robyn continued to chat and a little over a month later, David found a reason to visit his sister Lauri who also lived in New York City, only five blocks away from Robyn’s Upper West Side apartment, so they could finally meet in person.
Reflecting on their first date, Robyn admits that it was a risky move on her part, but a risky move worth taking.
An investment analyst and client advisor who spent much of her free time with philanthropic causes, Robyn found SoulCycle to be a much-needed outlet. Self-described as obsessed with Soul Cycle, she mentioned it to David during one of their texting conversations. David said he had heard of SoulCycle, high intensity indoor cycling classes, from his cousin and said he was curious.
With that, on May 15th, 2016, during a Madonna-themed SoulCycle ride, David and Robyn had their first date. ”We survived our first ride together, along with the subsequent four hour dinner, and managed to sneak in two more dates in the next two days before David headed back to Saratoga Springs,” Robyn remembers.
On December 18th of the same year, in Florence, Italy, David proposed to Robyn. Although Robyn was very much surprised, no one else who knew them were. On September 3rd, 2017 the couple married and began their life together.
When Robyn and David met, Robyn had no intentions to make any dramatic changes in her life. Although Robyn was born and raised in Weston, CT, Robyn was happy with her career in NYC and lifestyle as a “city girl’. She was no stranger to the Capital District though, having graduated from Union College in 2000 with a degree in Economics and Political Science, she admittedly left Schenectady and hadn’t looked back. Robyn had always figured that when she married, she would simply, “import him to New York City.” Unfortunately, Robyn’s plan hit a bit of a snag.
David was born in Albany and raised in Clifton Park. He graduated from Albany Academies High School in 1998 of which he is a 3rd generation alumnus. After attending Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a degree in chemistry, David attended dental school at the SUNY Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. After graduating from Dental School, he moved back to the area and partnered with his father, Dr. Lewis Morrison, at Morrison Dental Care in Clifton Park. Today, David is the owner of Morrison Dental Care, which he runs with Robyn.
Fun fact, dentistry is deeply rooted in the Morrison Family, David’s grandfather and paternal uncle were also both dentists in the Capital District.
It just wasn’t a realistic option for David to join Robyn in New York City. “I chose love,” Robyn says. Robyn moved up to Saratoga Springs, where David had been living, and rented a new apartment together in the Spa City, where they would begin their new life.
In 2022, the couple decided to purchase the home where they would begin the next chapter of their story in Loudonville.
Although their lives look different now from that first weekend together in New York City, they have found that the things they are most passionate about have only strengthened.
Their faith remains an integral part of their lives, where the past and future become intertwined. In keeping with Jewish tradition, choosing names for their children incorporated given names with names in memory of special family members so that they may be honored and remembered. Robyn says, “For us, choosing names inspired lots of storytelling and a whole lot of soul searching.
As evidenced by their engagement in Florence, travel is also a significant part of their lives. The children experienced Disney for the first time in 2024, they spent time in Italy this past summer with David’s family and Thanksgiving was celebrated in London with Robyn’s family. They all enjoy having multicultural experiences – hearing and learning new languages, exposure to different cultures and trying new foods. David and Robyn have both traveled, experiencing and exploring new places. They have been to India, Morocco, Spain, Latvia and Budapest, and more.
Last year David was awarded the Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). A testament to David’s unwavering commitment to his patients and lifelong learning. Approximately only 4% of licensed dentists in the United States achieve a Mastership. The Mastership reflects his expertise in various aspects of dentistry including cosmetic dentistry, restorative procedures and preventive care.
While Robyn has changed and grown in ways she hadn’t imagined, she admits that moving from NYC upstate was a very tough transition. She has since come to love and appreciate her new community, the connections she’s made, and looks forward to building her network locally.
During a particularly challenging period of postpartum depression after Myles was born, she wrote a children’s book, The Good Morning Book. “I found that spending time immersed in books helped me adjust to my new role as a Mom and connect with my family,” she says. Robyn was hard-pressed to find books for the morning, so she wrote one.
Myles and Wren bring their distinct personalities and traits to the Morrison family while carrying the legacy of those who have come before them, both in name and spirit. Myles is kind, smart and caring. He loves playing with lego bricks, building and engineering everything his mind imagines. He loves the show “Beat Bugs” which highlights the music of The Beatles. When asked what his favorite activities are, he says, “doing science”, skiing and dancing hip hop.
Wren can be described as fiercely independent, funny, bright and loving. She loves to play with baby dolls and practice ballet. “Wren also has a unique style worth mentioning,” Robyn says, “Her name is Wrennie-Tutu and thus a tutu is typically the most important part of her daily outfits.”
The Morrison Family loves spending time together. They are big Yankee fans and make it to games whenever they can. From early morning cuddles to baking and cooking, creating new family traditions based on their Jewish faith, getting messy and hosting parties, the Morrison family is taking in each moment, at every opportunity.
We thank the Morrison family for sharing their story with us and can’t wait to see what new adventures lay ahead.
