When we decided to take this journey, we had little doubt that this was what we were meant to do, that God had a special child picked out for us that we were supposed to bring home and make part of our family. But as the wait grew longer and longer, we, of course, began to have some doubts. Those doubts all went away when we finally got the call and were presented with Jia Mei, now our Emma Lee. We had waited about 27 months when our adoption agency called and told us they had a little girl they thought suited us and that we should consider. Since we were on a special-needs list, we had only 48 hours to make a decision. It wasn't difficult. There were signs everywhere that this was indeed the little girl that God had chosen for us. We have told many people this story, and it seems more amazing each time. First of all, there was the tennis ball. Yes, a tennis ball. Missy and I are both avid tennis players. We both play three or more times a week, playing for fun and competing in tournaments and on teams. Our youngest son, Sam, has also taken up the game and has become a competitive player. Neither our agency nor the officials in China had any way of knowing this. Yet, when we got our first photos of Jia Mei, there she was, holding a tennis ball. In two separate photos, she was holding a tennis ball. To me, this was a sign that was too strong too ignore. The call also came while we were on the road, traveling from Charlotte to Columbia, S.C. to visit our close friends from college, Dode and Cheryl Prickett. Dode and Cheryl were with us on one of the weekends two years ago when we decided to pursue an international adoption. Dode was particularly instrumental in helping me put things in perspective and realize all the reasons that this was right for us and our family. We only see the Pricketts a couple of times a year, yet on this day, when the call came, we were headed to their home. They were the first ones after Missy and I to see her picture and view her information. To us, this was another strong sign. Our pediatrician, Dr. Ellis Fisher, had agreed early on in the process to help us view our child's medical records when we got a referral. Because the call came on a Saturday, we were immediately worried that we wouldn't be able to get in touch with Dr. Fisher in time to make our decision within 48 hours. But when Missy called his office and frantically explained to his nurse what was going on and asked her how we could reach Dr. Fisher quickly, her answer was another sign. "Hold on, he's standing right here." Dr. Fisher reviewed her medical records and got back to us in just a few hours. While we were absorbing all this, Missy began to cry and told me how she had told some of her close friends and prayer partners that she believed in her heart that shortly after school was out, sometime in early June, we would know who our daughter was. That the call came on June 6, just a few days after school ended for the summer, was another clear sign. Then there was her birthday. The information we received about Emma Lee included her birthday - Jan. 1, 2007. She shares a birthday with my father and my grandmother (she was actually born on Jan. 2, but we always celebrated her birthday on New Years Day) and her birthday is only a day after the wedding anniversary of her grandparents, Willie and Shirley Cheek. To us, these were much more than just ironies or strange coincidences. They were signs from above that this was indeed the little girl God has chosen for us and sent our way. They immediately erased any doubts we might have had. We can't wait to finally meet our daughter and make her part of our family. And one day share with her this amazing journey.
- Jeff
