“Unanswered Prayers”
By  Marybeth Imsho 

          We never really know what our destiny will be.  We strive, we struggle and we pray.   Many times prayers seem to go unanswered.  Or do they?  It was 2002 and I had been married for 6 years.  We decided after a lot of thought to start a family.   Late October of 2002 we found out I was pregnant with twins!!

          Our hearts were overjoyed.  Although we were scared and anxious, we still were delighted!! We thought long and hard about starting a family.  Now it was happening.  In the beginning of December the pregnancy was not going well and I had to have a D&C procedure.   My heart was broken.  I had planned this so well.  I had a successful career, my marriage was strong and our house had become a home.  So what happen? I prayed and turned to God for help.  Before the D&C was performed another internal soma gram was done to ensure the development of the twins was the same. And it was.  No heart beats, no embryos. The D&C was performed.

          After waiting and prayer for almost a year and a half, we never conceived again.  My husband and I decided that it was going to just be us, together forever.  I was fine with that.  I didn’t want to go through any medical intervention and I really started being happy NOT be pregnant.   To my surprise I would hear myself saying “Thank God she’s pregnant and not me”.  It was strange.  Then one day while working I met a couple who had adopted from China.   They explained the adoption process and procedures to me.  That was the turning point.  The light went on inside me and I could not wait to tell my husband about it.  But was this the “plan”.  I never thought about adoption before especially an international one.

          When I arrived home and told my husband about this couple I met, a smile was on his face.  “I would love to do that” he said.  I could not believe it. Is my daughter waiting for me in China????? My heart was beating so face, my thoughts racing about the idea of going to get her consumed me.  On February 2004 the decision on starting an international adoption was made.  Now fourteen months later after all the paper work and monies saved, we have our daughter.  Jia Li Elizabeth is what we named her.  She is my soul.  Now I know there is no such thing as unanswered prayers.  My prayer was answered in a different way and it the most blessed way.  In 2002 I didn’t know what was in store for me, but now in 2005 I could not see my life without Jia Li.  She has brought love, laughter and pure joy to our lives.  So when you think to yourself “Is God listening?” I can assure you HE is.