Savoring Every Moment
Greg and Aaron reached a point in their lives where they were ready to start a family. As an LGBT couple looking to adopt, they wanted to go through organizations that were open-minded and would help them enjoy such an exciting time. Fortunately for us, they found Kidsave, and it was our honor to help them fulfill their wish for a forever family.
“I first heard about Kidsave through a friend of mine and shared the idea with my husband, Aaron,” says Greg. He and Aaron were impressed by Kidsave’s unique family visit model, which allows older kids to meet and spend time with potential adoptive families. They were particularly interested in the Summer Miracles program, which helps older kids from orphanages in Colombia find forever families. The program brings a group of kids to stay for 5 weeks each summer and 3 weeks each winter, placing them with host families who plan to adopt or advocate for the kids in their search for a loving family.
Greg and Aaron began their Kidsave journey by attending one of our “Meet the Kids” events, where families and kids in our programs meet and have fun in a relaxed environment. “We began in the summer, where you could actually go and meet some of these kids, meet other families, and basically scope out the process,” says Greg. “I didn’t know what to expect, but everyone was so warm and friendly,” says Aaron. By the time winter 2021 came, the two were ready to take on hosting. They signed up to be Winter Miracles hosts (an extension of our Summer Miracles program) and were matched with Samuel and Dilan.
“When we first met Samuel and Dilan, we were really touched by how much love they have for each other,” says Aaron. “You could just see the bond between them.” The kids were 11 and 10 at the time. and Greg and Aaron gave the boys some time to settle into their new environment, but they couldn’t wait to introduce the kids to what could be their life as a family. “We knew right away that we wanted to adopt them, but weren’t sure if they’d return the feeling,” says Greg. “So, while they were with us, we wanted to broaden their horizons and give them a beautiful experience.”
Greg, Aaron, Samuel, and Dilan filled their 3 weeks with memorable moments. They went to the beach, the mountains, and gallivanted around town. “We had some very special firsts with the kids,” says Aaron. “They’d never been to the beach, and we were so excited to show them the ocean, but they were enchanted by the sand first!” Dilan and Samuel’s feet had never touched sand, and they had plenty of questions about the terrain. “It was so adorable,” says Greg.
They also introduced the boys to snow with their very first snowball fight and sledding in the mountains. “We’re super lucky we live in California where there’s a variety of weather and nature experiences,” says Greg. “And an interesting part of the journey was watching them try to figure out what it means to have parents.”
It was a blissful winter, but soon it was time for the kids to return to Colombia. “It was a very tearful goodbye, we were all crying,” says Aaron. But Greg and Aaron didn’t waste too much time on tears; they began the adoption process right away.
Of course, the adoption process is not easy. “It was a lot of paperwork,” says Greg. Adoption requires the type of paperwork that takes many hours, during which doubt, or nerves can certainly creep in. But Greg and Aaron never wavered. “There was no doubt in our minds that these were our sons,” says Aaron. And towards the end of Summer 2022, four dreams came true as Greg and Aaron traveled to Colombia to bring Samuel and Dilan home.
“Now we’re excited to live our lives together as an official family,” says Aaron. It’s only been a few months, but Greg and Aaron are already learning a lot about parenthood. “You find yourself doing things your parents did when you were growing up, and it surprises you,” says Aaron. “Sometimes it’s a good thing, sometimes you recognize it and decide you’d like to do things differently.” Greg and Aaron know that as the boys age, they’ll be faced with new parenting challenges.
“They’re both curious kids, but have very different personalities,” says Greg. “Samuel is very goal-oriented and always thinking about the future, whereas Dilan prefers to live in the moment and is more relaxed.” The dads know that they’ll soon be going through the teenage years but feel prepared for the challenge. Greg believes his professional background gives him some experience with guiding youth through difficult times, saying, “I work for a nonprofit that started out by teaching leadership and life skills to youth orphaned in Sri Lanka, and I hope that training will be of use when the kids navigate difficult circumstances.”
The holidays are coming up and Greg and Aaron have big plans for their first festive season as a family. “We’ve decorated the tree while playing Colombian music, Greg is making some Colombian food, and we’re trying to show them our traditions but also add in their own history and their own culture.” Greg and Aaron hope to always make space for their kids’ heritage. “It’s important to us that they know we value where they come from,” says Greg.
They have much to look forward to, but for now they’re trying to revel in day-to-day life. “I went with the kids to the park the other day,” says Greg. “I was hurrying out of the house when they asked me to take them, but I said to myself ‘no, stop, because this is precious time.’” He thought of the years to come, when the kids might be more eager to be with friends or on dates than with their parents. “So, we went to the park and played soccer all afternoon; we laughed, had a great time, and I completely forgot about work and responsibilities.” Greg and Aaron are eager to take on life’s joys and challenges as a family. “We just want to savor all the time we have together.”
About Summer/Winter Miracles
Our Summer/Winter Miracles program give older orphans who are overseas a chance at a family. With little likelihood of adoption in their own countries, our Summer/Winter Miracles kids travel to the U.S. for a memorable three-week stay in December or five-week stay over the summer.
