Savoring Every Moment
Photo caption: Greg and Aaron met their two sons through Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program
Sponsored Content | November 2, 2023
“I first heard about Kidsave through a friend of mine and shared the idea with my husband, Aaron,” says Greg. The pair were impressed by Kidsave’s unique family visit model, which allows older kids to meet and spend time with potential adoptive families. Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program operates year-round in Los Angeles and Houston. The Summer Miracles program brings older kids from orphanages in Colombia to the U.S. for 5 weeks each year, placing them with host families who plan to adopt or help in their search for a loving family.
Greg and Aaron began their Kidsave journey by attending a Summer Miracles “Meet the Kids” event. “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 came, the two were ready to take on hosting. They signed up to be hosts during the winter season, 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 winter weeks with memorable experiences. “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!”
They also introduced the boys to snow, having 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.”
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, when doubt can certainly creep in. But Greg and Aaron never wavered. “There was no doubt in our minds that these were our sons,” says Aaron. By the end of the next summer, 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. The new dads quickly learned about parenthood from experience. “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 they’ll soon be going through the teenage years but feel prepared for the challenge. “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.”
For more information about Kidsave, phone 310-642-7383 (SAVE), email info@kidsave.org and visit Kidsave.
