Thats Kalee (kay-lee) Weber, new daughter of Brent and Renae Weber. Brent grew up in Fayette County; his parents are Ginnie and John, youve probably met at least one of them.
In a January column, I wrote that friends and family had showered Renae and the as yet unseen child who would soon be her daughter. I recorded Renae telling what it was like to adopt a Chinese baby. The government there is trying to curb its runaway birth rate by limiting each family to one child, unless its a boy, needed for industry when he grows up.
Unwanted children are often stockpiled in orphanages and foster homes, many bound for America. The Chinese, as we have been brought up to believe, like to string things out, to get all the U.S. dollars they can and it will be close to two weeks from the day Renae and Brent left Cumming before theyd be back.
As if that endless flight werent daunting in and of itself.
Brents e-mails to his parents have conveyed so much joy and excitement. When his folks e-mailed some to me, I asked if they minded my sharing them with you. Wish I could include the photos, but youll just have to imagine this exquisite 15-month-old with jet black hair and eyes, held by her new Scandinavian poster parents.
Brent wrote:
By the time most of you read this, we will be within 24 hours of [having] Kalee in our arms. We will be in the air to Wuhan, Kalee's province in middle Asia, at 7 p.m. Tuesday (your time) and will receive her between 1-3 a.m. (your time).
Wednesday morning you wake up, and I officially have more or less sleep, and become a dad that interviews potential dates with responsibility: shotgun (or pepper spray at a minimum)!
Below are a few things we have learned in the past two days:
Pedestrians do not have the right of way, and I have the video to prove it!
Renae is a walking Barbie over here. I've never been stared at so much in my life. My American instincts make me paranoid as if I'm waiting to get jumped at any time.
It snows here about three times per year, and we're here during one of those times.
I constantly convert km to miles, and cm to inches, and dollars to Yuan's. I'm fortunate to be an analyzer. All I do is math.
Firecrackers ward off evil spirits. There must be a lot around here. A combo meal at McDonalds costs $2.50 U.S. Now that's a deal.
Up to 27 family members may live in one house that is approximately 1200 sq. ft. You'd sure better love your family.
Wall outlets U.S. 220 volts, not 120. If you get shocked here, I guarantee you'll wake up at the pearly gates.
I have eaten rice and noodles for breakfast three straight days.
We've gotten to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall. I've included a few pictures for all the visual people like myself.
Once again, if you remember to pray, we greatly appreciate it. My next email should be with Kalee in our arms. Boy, that's incredible to think about. Talk to you later.
February 16, 2005 8:18 a.m.
Subject: Life Just Changed.
It's absolutely surreal! What an experience that is nothing but joy. We have begun to suck tiny little cheeks and stare in a daze in amazement that we have a China doll. Kalee was handed to us at 2:45 a.m. (your time) with only a pudgy little face showing through three layers of clothes, as she and all her baby friends screamed their heads off in absolute shock and fear.
We could only imagine the fright within of being taken the night before from a foster family into an orphanage, then to be handed over the next day to someone new, and who definitely doesn't look anything like you.
Renae (being the experienced mother she is) had [the baby] quiet and on the bus within 10 minutes. Kalee shook and trembled in her arms for the entire bus ride back to the hotel. Any look into my eyes sent her into screaming orbit (no return e-mails needed for this comment!) so I stayed the camera and video man.
When we arrived at the hotel we just sat at the window as Renae held, and held, and held her, then introduced her to Cheerios which she wanted no taste of but instead loved the texture in her hands.
Two hours later Kalee was blowing kisses at the dinner table, laughing at herself in the mirror and falling into Renae's arms in laughter. Totally amazing to see the transformation.
We received a picture from the orphanage where she was found. It was a picture of her wrapped in a blanket, lying on a newspaper on a street corner underneath a street light. Today, her ears had dirt within them, and her fingernails were full of dirt as well.
We bathed her, dressed her up, and thanked God for the mother that cared enough to spare her life and leave her under the street light. She's beautiful, and we are blessed. Please continue to pray as you remember. We still have a lot of travel and paperwork ahead of us.