My adoption story. I was pregnant – once. I felt the miracle of a small heartbeat and the thrill of a tiny foot push against the protective thin walls within me – once. I labored to bring a child into this world – once. I felt the indescribable, euphoric and deep sense of God’s most perfect creation – twice.

Our daughter, Emily was born with a perfect soul, a perfectly amazing gentle spirit; the perfect unspoken love wrapped in a blanket of strength and fortitude. In her tiny, four-pound body was an undeniable resilience and measure of stamina I had never seen. But, the physical imperfections were life-threatening and required years of medical procedures and major surgeries that took her to the skilled surgeons of New Orleans, Houston, Charlotte, and Paris, France. For many years, she required around-the-clock nursing care, speech, occupational and physical therapy, and special instruction for the deaf. Our lives centered on her care and survival. But, the happy ending is that she pushed through the obstacles. Today, she offers her amazing talents as a master-level special education instructor for autistic children. She has two beautiful twins, and a life of fulfilment.

We always saw ourselves as the parents of children – not just one, but more than one. Postponing another child was reasonable, but proved to have its own complications and limits. By the time Emily was 14, she made the choice to have no more surgeries. She was done. We had to respect her wishes. I was 44, and Ed was 50. If we were to have any more children, our options were limited. Adoption seemed to be the best way. So, we contacted adoption agencies, and did not get further than stating our ages. It seemed we were past the optimal age according to their eligibility requirements. So, we resigned ourselves to having an “only” child.

A side story to this. Unbeknownst to us, Emily had wished for a brother or sister for many years, as she threw coins into fountains, wished on stars, blown out birthday candles, and silently prayed. At age 14, she wished for the last time on her 14th birthday, realizing, yet lamenting, that she would never get her wish, and that her future children would have no aunts, uncles or cousins. With her heart broken, she made peace with this reality.

Right around Emily’s 14th birthday, we received a call from my niece. The first thing she asked was if we were still wanting to adopt. A bit shocked and unprepared for the question, we hesitantly said yes. She went on to tell of a friend of hers, a 19 year old single mother, who was pregnant, but wanting to place the baby into a loving home, a home that she would be confident would embrace, love and cherish the child. Because she was so determined to have control of this process, she wanted to “choose” the family herself. After our meeting with her, she ultimately chose us.

Throughout her pregnancy, our niece provided the mother with loyal support, care and friendship. We were kept informed every step of the way, and communicated with her often. There was always the chance that she would change her mind, and that we would be devastated and heartbroken. Part of me wanted to brace for that outcome, but I could not see that it would be in God’s plan to pull back such a heart’s desire from us, and particularly from Emily. So, we pushed that scenario out of our heads.

We prepared our families for the adoption, announcing at Thanksgiving of 1997 that we were preparing to expand our family some time in March of 1998. All were excited and eager to welcome a child into their midst.

On March 11, 1998, the child was born that would complete our circle. We were totally captivated by him, exuberant and completely washed with gratitude – to the woman who handed us the ultimate gift, and to God, who heard our prayers and delivered to us another perfect soul, a perfectly amazing gentle spirit; the perfect unspoken love wrapped in a blanket of strength and fortitude.

James Michael LeCompte’s  life was spared to demonstrate to the world that human potential is invisible until it is not; that life is a gift, not to be squandered or dismissed; that what God creates for us is perfect because He created it. We are all connected in this world by a spark; that spark is life itself. Adoption is only a process that reveals these truths. 

For me, I see no difference in receiving the gift of a child through natural birth than through adoption. I look on a woman who wants the best for her baby with profound reverence and respect, and as the receiver of this amazing child/young man, I am deeply mindful of the privilege of being chosen to be his mother.