Dear Friends and Family:

 

There are times when we are not sure what to tell you all about our adoption. You've had questions, and we've had some answers, but maybe not the answers that satisfy. International adoption is a long and grueling process. For many friends/family that have been able to hear some of our story of the past two years, we have watched as it has overwhelmed some, confused others about why it is taking so long, and caused still others to show doubt behind their eyes....maybe being unsure what to think, and maybe wondering for us, "Is it worth it?" How do we find the words to tell you, "Yes, it is absolutely worth it!!!" How do we show you? Although we are not sure how to tell the story of how it is worth it, we attempt to do so in this letter of update to our adoption process.

 We know it is worth it because of what God has brought us THROUGH in the past two years. We go THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, not around it. Otherwise, how can we get to the mountaintop of elation when our children come home?

We proved over this two year period who we are on paper through questionnaires, social work interviews, psychological evaluations, medical examinations, fingerprints, background checks, recommendations letters, letters of employment and the like. The states of Texas, Iowa, Florida, and California, as well as, the countries of Chile, Brazil, and Paraguay approved that they were fine with our lengthy visits and we committed no crimes while there. Our birth certificates and marriage certificate are certified and apostilled and absolutely truly true. We are who we say we are on paper. We are who we say we are in relationships. We are who we say we are in our professions. We are healthy and well enough individuals psychologically and physically to adopt from overseas. The above does not nearly describe the entire body of work we presented, but it is a summary of what we went through and there is a story behind a story behind a story in bringing all of that together.

 In the past two years, we went through career transitions, financial transitions, world-wide pandemic transitions (as you know), and preparing for parenting transitions. Each step of the way, we have felt the pain of the process. We have felt tired. We have felt annoyed and broken, wondering, "Why do we have to do this? Is this fair? Does it have to be this difficult? Will we be able to make it to the end?" There have been obstacles that we thought we could not get through....things that were completely out of our control that stopped the process in it's tracks. Each time that happened, God moved in and moved us THROUGH.

 After so many times of God moving us THROUGH, we came to realize that nothing was going to stop our adopting children, not even a world-wide pandemic. There are those we love that doubted during this process. We cannot fault them that. It is so easy to doubt when the road seems so long and seems to be getting longer like a mountain top that grows taller while climbing it. But a few months ago, when someone we care about doubted, faith rose up stronger in us. We realized that we came to truly believe that this adoption is going to happen. God will continue to take us THROUGH. We can truly trust God with the calling to adopt, and we can trust God with the timing because God has been confirming that all along when he carried us THROUGH so many obstacles.

Sometimes, we need to look directly at our own salvation history to see the hand of God. As we look over the past two years, we can do nothing more than give thanks and praise to God for all He has done for us. This road is definitely not finished yet. We will have to wait 3 to six months after submitting paperwork to Colombia (that happens in another month or so) before matching begins, and we will wait between 3 months to 2 years to be matched with our children. But as I write this, I know that at the end of this unpredictable time, we will hold our children for the first time and call ourselves blessed, not because of anything we did, but because the hand of God has been with us THROUGH it all. Keep praying.

 Last year, I posted words of Thanksgiving on Facebook for friends and family. To close this letter, I share those words with you.....

 Warm Hugs and Deep Thanks

(for adoption donations, prayers, and words of encouragement)

 The hugs of my Dad are warm. It is as if he says with his hug, "I love you this much and so much more that I can't put it into words."

 My brother's hugs are protective. My heart hears from him, "I may be younger, but I am always there for you."

 Hugs from my mom are best when we are cuddled up next to each other on the couch under deep blankets. I feel her sheltering wings enveloping me and the child in me feels as if the world could keep going, and I would be OK just where I am.

 My husband's hugs are daily present and every day they are different. My heart hears protection, comfort, "I'll love you forever," "I need you now," passion, admiration....

 A close friend's hugs say, "You are amazing just as you are."

 God's hugs speak "I love you more than you can even feel or perceive." When I sense a hug from God, I feel overwhelming peace and come to the awareness that no matter what is happening, God will be there for all of it.

 The hugs I haven't felt are from my future children. These hugs I feel as a longing, and a million imaginings have taken place where I hug my children for the first time, hold them to my breast, and say with my heart "I am here for you always and forever."

 I received many hugs from friends and family as they donated to our adoption or sent beautiful words of encouragement. I heard loud and clear, "We support you. We are praying for you. We lovingly wait with you for your children."

 Thank you dear friends and family for these dear hugs. Ahmed and I feel them keenly, and we hold them closely to our hearts. When we began this journey, we thought we could do it all on our own, but then, the circumstances of life proved that not to be true. It was so hard to reach out and to ask for "hugs" from you, but the responses have been so profoundly beautiful that we have shed many tears of thanks. We thank each of you for blessing us in ways we could not have predicted. These "hugs" will be part of the story we tell our children of how we were able to bring them home.

 Tell me, church family, what do the hugs of your loved ones say to you? I know you have likely been missing them this past year. I hope that in remembering those beautiful hugs, you will be able to feel them close. Indeed, I miss the hugs of my dear family in Christ and can't wait to be able to embrace each of you again.

 Sending Love and Care this Easter,

 Ahmed & Tamara Aquino