K got old fast and the name Layla came to me courtesy of Eric Clapton’s Unplugged performance (why doesn’t MTV or VH1 show quality program like this anymore?) of “Layla.” I thought the name was fitting; she would definitely have me on my knees praying her home. Who knew at the time just how long she would have me praying.
In 2003, people were bringing home babies that were about 3-months-old so we wouldn’t have a newborn, but we would definitely have a young baby. I was nervous about traveling to Vietnam , not once but twice as was required at the time, but I knew it would all be worth it to bring home Layla.
As we were gathering the paperwork necessary to submit to adopt, Vietnam closed their doors to American families. I was saddened, Shane had suggested this country because I was too young to adopt from China , and while at first I had no feelings one way or another towards Vietnam , the country had grown on me and it was the place I knew my Layla was. I asked God to allow me to bring Layla home when Vietnam reopened their doors.
The years past and Layla went from being the oldest child in a two parent household to being the second child of a single mother. When Vietnam reopened their doors, I thought I would wait until the kinks were worked out before I turned in my application. The joke was on me with that one.
I can still remember being in that Office Max on Venice Bl. with a coughing and sick Jory in the front of the basket and Sasha lying on a blanket in the back of the basket. As I was double and triple checking my list to make sure my agency received all the paperwork they needed before DHL took away my package, an oh-so-familiar smell hit my nose. Yes, Sasha had gone poop, but I couldn’t let that stop the mission. Layla awaited us. I checked one last time, took a deep breath, said a prayer, then sealed the envelope, and dropped it in the slot. After a diaper change and picking up some Tylenol from CVS, I saw the DHL driver picking up our package. The Saturday before Easter and we’d taken a huge step to bringing Layla home.
As April turned to June turned to October turned to December, I learned my nine month wait for a referral was now a twelve month wait. And on April 9, 2008, I found out my twelve month wait was going to be a before the rapture wait. With talks about the program closing down again, I felt at peace I knew my Layla would come home. Then in mid-August, after trying to call me all day (Rowan’s favorite game is taking the phone off the hook) my agency reaches me and tells me Layla was born on June 3rd. I was ecstatic to get the call, but what in the world was I going to do with a summer baby? Jory, Sasha, and Rowan all winter babies. I’m a winter baby. But I figured, I’d muddle through. Two weeks later with the shut down of the Vietnamese adoptions looming, I get the call saying the official letter saying I’m going to adopt Layla. Yippee!!! Of course it wasn’t the Layla born on June 3rd any longer, now it was Layla born on January 21st. I was sad for a moment to lose the younger Layla, but then I realized that this new Layla was an answer to my prayer. I had prayed for another winter baby and I had been given one.
For so long Layla had been a dream, but now she had a birthday. She was a person. An eight-month-old. Could she crawl? Sit up? Would she be eating table food? Would she be able to walk when she came home? Would she have teeth? The possibilities were endless.
Then out of seemingly nowhere I get travel dates and once again another prayer was answered. I had asked God to allow me to spend Christmas with Jory and Rowan and that Layla and I would be together for her first birthday. He answered both requests with His perfect timing. I spent Christmas Day with my kids and my sister dropped me off at the airport at 9PM. I would get to spend New Year’s with Layla and she would be home a few weeks before her first birthday. SCORE!
When Layla was first put in my arms, she was leery and not enjoying being with a stranger at all. In retrospect, she reminds me of my mother and sister. They don’t warm to strangers easily. But like with them, the more time Layla was with me the more she liked me. And the personality that emerged was a fun loving baby, who could be serious at times and even standoffish,. A baby who loved to be tickled, had a delightful laugh, and when angered would turn bright red and stiffen her body to emphasize her displeasure. In the nearly six years, I waited to hold Layla in my arms I never thought about her personality or who she would be. And now, I’m glad I didn’t. She is more wonderful than I could have ever imagined or dreamed of.
Layla is my constant reminder of how she came into my life with my steps of faith. Her entire adoption was done on faith. I pray that one day I can trust God like this in all areas of my life. Layla is my reminder of how fearfully and wonderfully made we truly are. Three weeks ago, she was in an orphanage in Da Nang . And today, she sits in her highchair, that I once sat in, banging on it so her toy can be picked up off the floor or to say, hurry up with the food. The changes she has grown through in such a short period of time could have broken her, but it didn’t. She is an amazing little girl. She’s like the energizer bunny. She’s my beautiful, intelligent daughter who I’m so proud and honored to call my own.
And today on her first birthday, I pray that she grows up to be a woman after God’s own heart. Proverbs 31:26 – 30 speaks of the woman I pray Layla one day becomes:
“26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
Layla can be whomever she would like to be though I do have a vision of a show that Aunt Whitney, who’ll be running a network or production company by then, could pick up. “Dr. Layla,” a delightful reality show following the beautiful and wise pregnant pathologist, who sings as she determines cause of death, is in the process of adopting her foster daughter and for fun on the weekends flips houses with her loving husband. Guest appearances by her intelligent, handsome older brother, Jory the judge, and her twin (for 1 month and 5 days I can call them this) Rowan, who is the female Jack Bauer, you know minus the dangerous situations.
I love you, Layla. And I pray that you have a happy birthday today! Happy First Birthday, Layla!
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