What a journey it has been. Little did we know how our lives would be changed during the month of October 2006—the month we finalized the adoption of a Colombian sibling group of three. It has been a time of joy, confusion, fear, exhilaration, praise, blessing, and exhaustion. It has been worth it all. Our month in Bogotá was fantastic and the help and support from the Colombian staff was outstanding. Julie Eagleson, Children’s Hope Latin America Program Director, also came to town during our stay in Bogotá, and she was a tremendous help.
Upon returning to the States, we enrolled our oldest two, Cristian (9) and María (8), into school. We live near and enrolled in a Spanish immersion school to help them retain their language and help in their transition. Our family members keep wondering when the kids will be fluent English speakers. We remind them “in time, be patient” and that smiles, hugs and kisses say a lot even if they don’t know any Spanish.
It’s amazing to think that it has only been four months since we arrived back into the States with our children. It sometimes feels like they have been a part of us forever. We just fit together and truly believe this was all a part of God’s plan. At first we had our hearts set on a baby but felt God moving us in another direction, and we are so glad that we listened to His nudging.Now, don’t get me wrong. Every moment is not perfect, and it’s not all hugs, kisses and laughs. But every temper tantrum, nose bleed, middle-of-the-night wake up call from a sick child, longer-than-needs-to-be cry, and so on, are all overtaken by the fact that these children are our children, and they bring out in us a love we have never experienced before. And, honestly, when I come home from work and my littlest runs up to me with outstretched arms and says, “Mommy!” and my oldest says, “Mommy, how was your day?” and my middle one gives me a hug and a kiss, nothing else matters in this world. Then at night when we go to bed and give each other hugs and kisses and say good night, again, nothing else matters. I am reminded how blessed we are to now have a family of five with the most beautiful children in the world.
--Aaron, Renée, Cristian, María, and Brigit Sweeden, Kansas City, MOPublished in the Children's Hope Newsletter, Summer 2007
