After a year-and-a-half of paperwork, Kip and Amy made their home in Ecuador for ten weeks while the adoption of their three children finalized. Throughout the entire adoption Kip and Amy’s determination and love shown through.
Falling in love
After they were matched with their children, nearly a year passed before they were able to meet them in person. “I had been taking Spanish classes,” said Amy. “I worried it might not really happen. Then finally, we got a call asking if we could get to Ecuador in two weeks. So we did. It was about two and a half years from start to finish.”
Their three children, 11-year-old Isaac, 10-year-old Fernanda and 5-year-old Fatima, are biological siblings who spent five years in an orphanage. “We immediately fell in love and worked to get matched with these children,” Amy said.
“Before, I had a good life — everything was comfortable,” said Amy. “Now, everything is even better. We’ve become a bilingual family. We’re part of a Hispanic community. We’ve met many people. Everything just sort of fell into place.”
Coming home
When Kip and Amy brought their children home in April of 2017, it was too late to start school. “We had them to ourselves from April to September,” said Amy. “I’ve been fortunate enough that I don’t work, so I got to be with them 24 hours a day. It happened perfectly to facilitate further bonding.”
Kip and Amy’s children now attend a bilingual school. “It’s a great resource,” said Amy. “I hadn’t planned on
having a community that is structured for their needs. I have more support than I ever would have thought.”
All three children are excelling in school. Isaac feels very proud of his accomplishments. Fernanda enjoys learning English with her classmates from Honduras. Fatima is an excellent student — you might even say she is the teacher’s pet.
The journey
The journey for this family to come together was long and challenging. The children experienced a tough start to their lives and years living in an orphanage. Amy and Kip had to upturn their lives to unite with their children. As the kids show signs of success, they will continue to grow and thrive now that they are in a loving, nurturing home. “A hard experience is also a learning process,” Amy said of her adoption process. “Things that may be difficult in some ways teach you through something else. Overall, it has been a great journey.”
