Long Distance Love

My trip to Haiti in October was filled with many great memories.  Rodner and I were able to learn together, play together, pray together, eat together, read together and enjoy being together.  It was amazing to have him in my arms again.  Our time together is filled with so much love.  I am so happy to have been able to remind him that I am his Forever Mom and that someday (soon, I hope), I will be back to bring him to his forever home in Minnesota.

Some of my favorite memories of our time together in October include:
*reading books
*making and eating Velveeta Shells and Cheese for dinner
*listening to Rodner's rendition of "BINGO"
*visiting the beach at the new orphanage property
*having my first parent-teacher conference with Laura, Rodner's teacher
*playing with Rodner and his friends at OLTCH
*praying together before meals and before bed each night

God has blessed Rodner and I in many, many ways.  I trust in His plan to bring us together again very soon and I look forward to that day with much joy and excitement.

Lots of love and blessings to you!

Before I Go...

As most of you know, I am leaving on October 19 to go back to Haiti for a short time.  The reasons for this trip are to hold Rodner in my arms and to spend as much time with him as is possible, to bring much needed supplies to OLTCH, to spread God's love and to complete another portion of the adoption process.

While I am away, please pray with me...

Amazing Lord,
Please guide the hearts, minds, hands and feet of Christi and Tracey and help them to make decisions so that Your will may be done.  Please guide the people in Haiti who have a role in the adoption process of the children living at OLTCH and help them to make decisions so that Your will may be done.  Please work through Christi and Tracey to help them to spread Your Word and Your love while they are in Haiti.  Please watch over them and keep them safe.  Please, Lord, may Christi and Tracey return to Minnesota with Rodner and Maddi not only in their hearts but also in their arms.  Help them to bring these children home to Minnesota on October 24, 2011.  We know that through You all things are possible.  Amen.

Lots of love and many blessings to all of you!  Thanks for your love, support and prayers!

I will post pictures and stories of my trip as soon as I return.

I am ready!

I am ready!  I am ready to be Rodner's forever mom!  I am ready to be his loving mom, cook, teacher, nurse, clothes washer, cuddling companion, game opponent, dish washer, driver, maid, playmate, tear dryer, reading instructor and much, much more.  Every day I wake up and pray that today is the day that I will be notified that I can go to Haiti, pick up Rodner and bring him back to Minnesota.  Please join in my prayers to bring Rodner home soon.

Here is a glimpse at what Rodner's room looks like:

It has all he needs and LOTS more.  Thank you for all of the kind donations, for your love and for your always present support.

God has done amazing things in my life in the last few months.  I am so happy to be a part of His amazing plan.  I pray that He continues to guide me as I travel this path.  I pray that He will bring Rodner home to Minnesota very soon.  And I pray that He will guide the hands and the hearts of the people in Haiti to work quickly as Rodner's adoption is completed.  I also pray that God will bless each of you on your own journeys and that He will always be close to your heart.

I am going to be sharing a five minute piece of my story at all three services at Freshwater in St. Boni this Sunday, September 25.  Please join me for this very exciting time for me to share God's love and blessings with many.

May God guide you, love you and speak clearly to you.  May you follow Him, love Him and listen as He speaks.  Our God is so good!  Blessings to you!

Empty Arms but a Full Heart

My second trip to Haiti went from August 2 through August 9.  It was full of great moments and some of the hardest in my life.  Thank you for all of your wonderful prayers and positive thoughts and well wishes!  The support from all of you is amazing and a true blessing to Rodner and I!

Let's start with some of the great moments...

I was able to sleep with Rodner in my arms or by my side!  He is a great snuggler!
Rodner and I prayed before each meal together and ate together three time every day!  He always reminds me to pray for him.

We read books together!  He loves to read and look at books!

We laughed together!  Rodner has a beautiful smile!

            

I met Rodner's biological mom and grandmother.

Rodner and I and some of the children at OLTCH did laundry together!

My mom got to meet Rodner and experience OLTCH and Haiti for the first time!  This is an important and wonderful connection for her and Rodner!

Rodner and I went to church together and worshiped our wonderful God together!

We played and played and played together and loved and loved and loved each other!  It was wonderful!
Part of the reason for my trip to Haiti was to go to court with Rodner's biological mom so that we could sign documents together to further the adoption process.  This part of my trip went very smoothly and was full of smiles.  I am so happy!   

My hope of taking Rodner home was strong throughout the entire trip.  I prayed for him to be able to come with us on our trip back to MN on August 9 and I know that many of you were praying for that too.  God's plan did not include that route this time.  My hope, though, is strong and my faith in Him is great and I know that He will bring Rodner and I together again very soon!  Saying good-bye was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do.

Both Rodner and I were broken that morning.  Until he is in my arms again, they will be empty.  My heart will always be full of our shared memories and our amazing love for each other and for our wonderful Savior!  Lots of love to all of you!

Continued prayers and donations are always appreciated!

God is SO Awesome!

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU to all of you that have supported Rodner's adoption through financial giving, donated items, prayer, love and support!  You are all a true blessing!  It really does take a village to raise a child and I am so thankful that God has surrounded me with such an amazing group of people that I call "Rodner's Village."

On Tuesday, July 19, Kimberly Pomeroy and Khuzana DeVaan hosted an amazing night of shopping, fun and love to support Rodner's adoption.  Thank you to all of you that were able to attend!  You helped raise over $1,600 for Rodner's adoption process!  Thank you!  This money will be used to cover a portion of the court fees that I will need as I travel down for our my court appointment.

On August 2, my mom, Nancy and I will be traveling to Haiti.  We will stay at OLTCH and help out where needed while we are there.  Also, I will attend a court appointment with Rodner and his biological mother to sign papers that will further our adoption process.  Please pray that I will be able to being him home to Minnesota at the end of our trip!  I do believe in the power of our prayers!  God is so amazing!

Continued blessings and lots of love to you!  Thank you so much for your support of Rodner's adoption process!
 

Backyard Gala... Please Join Me!

THANK YOU to Kimberly and Khuzana for planning an amazing event to support Rodner's adoption.  What a blessing!

Please join me on Tuesday, July 19 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Khuzana's house for a Fabulous Girlfriends Backyard Gala.  

If you'd like additional information about the event, please e-mail me at christinejjohnson@yahoo.com and I will send the details to you.

Thank you so much for your continued love and support!  I could not ask for a better support group of family and friends!  

Love to all of you!

Next Steps

Excitement is surrounding me, my family and friends as things proceed forward with Rodner's adoption process!  All of my documents are complete and have been State Certified.  Right now, my translator, Emmanuel is hard at work translating every document into French.  He will be finished on Wednesday, June 22.  After that step is complete, I need to make sure that everything has been legalized.  I need find out more about that step before Wednesday.  Then, I can send my completed Dossier to Haiti with a family that is traveling there or I can take it down myself and hope that a court date can happen while I am there.  The court appointment is a time when Rodner, myself and Rodner's biological parents will appear to give consent for the adoption to move forward.  Please pray that God will work in the hearts of Rodner's family and that they will act in accordance with God's will while we are at court together.  Please also pray for a loving bond to be formed between Rodner's biological family and myself.
As things move forward, I am filled with hope and a great faith.  Today at church, Pastor John spoke about worry.  It made me thankful for the time that I have spent in praise about this adoption process and the small amount of worry that I have actually endured.  I am filled with many prayers for those who love and support Rodner and I as we come closer to becoming a forever family...  I pray that God will guide your heart and your mind as you consider a donation to this process and I pray that you will join me in this amazing time of praise as we have all been chosen to welcome a wonderful little man into our lives.
Many blessings to you!

God Chose Us

I have been praying each day this week for God to guide my heart and my mind to make the right choices so that His will may be done.  This was a challenge brought to me by Pastor John at church last Sunday.  It is really amazing what happens when your mind switches to be God centered at all times.
I have discovered that, for a reason not known to me, God chose me to be Rodner's forever family and to spread the word of God in ways that I had not in the past.  This week I received a great outpouring of financial support and lots of love from family, friends and strangers.  On Saturday, June 11, Chuck and Pat Anderson held a Haiti fundraiser at their house and half of the proceeds went to Rodner's adoption process.  This week I met a man on Facebook that is staying at OLTCH for the summer and has a special place in his heart for Rodner.  He is able to share special moments with me that bring me so much joy.  Last night I went to pick up a bed from a family that was selling it for a good price and I left their house with a mattress, box spring, sheets, mattress pad, heated mattress pad, comforter and bed skirt for free.  What a blessing!  Later that night, they called and offered me the headboard and foot board as well because they were so "jazzed" about my adoption story.  Today a friend is bringing over a dresser for Rodner as well.  I am amazed at how God is working in my life and all of the blessings that He is bringing to Rodner and I!  Thank you for all of your donations, prayers, love and support!  God is AMAZING!
A group of friends from Waconia are planning a benefit for Rodner's adoption and you are all invited!  Please save the date of July 19.  More details to follow.  Another example of God's great love and blessings!
Lots of love and blessings to all of you!  

Rodner's Birthday Gift from MN

A couple weeks back, I contacted a great family from Missouri that is also adopting from OLTCH.  They were traveling to Haiti to visit their two boys at the orphanage and agreed to take with them a birthday gift that I had created for Rodner.  When they arrived back home, I received a very thoughtful and kind gift from them.  They posted this video of Rodner opening his birthday gift that I had sent to him.  It is a true blessing and an enormous gift to be able to hear and see him!  What an awesome kid and a caring family!  Gifts from God!   

Happy Birthday, Rodner!!!!

Today, June 9, is Rodner's 7th birthday!  In honor of this special day, some friends and I went to Frost and Steam in Waconia for an ice cream treat. 
Let's pray for an amazing 7th year for Rodner and a very happy homecoming to Minnesota very soon!

Happy 7th birthday, Rodner! 

Keep Praying!

Rodner's room is looking wonderful!  Thank you to so many generous friends and family members that have helped to bring Rodner's room to life.  During this adoption journey I have learned and been reminded of many, many things.  I know for sure that God has a plan for each of us.  I also believe that it really DOES take a village to raise a child.  I have been very blessed to be surrounded by a very generous and giving village.  Thank you to everyone for all of your love, prayers and support!  

Please continue to listen to God as He guides your heart to donate to Rodner's adoption journey.  I hope to travel to Haiti near the end of this month or the beginning of July and at that time I will need to have $7,000 to bring to Haiti to cover the cost of the legal fees.  God is good and I know that He will provide.  If you feel that giving to Rodner's journey is something that you would like to do, please press the DONATE button on the right side of this page and follow the instructions to donate as you can.

This week marks the end of another school year for me and allows me additional time to work towards the goal of getting Rodner home to Minnesota as soon as is possible.  I continue to pray for patience for myself, love and safety for Rodner, donations and for God's Will to be lived out with lots of love.

Again, I thank you for your generous support and love!  Lots of love and many blessings to you and your family!

Rodner's Bedroom

Rodner's New Pillows Made By Me

Rodner's Bookshelf Filled with Many Great Donations.  Thank You!

Rodner's Rug from Colleen, Toy Bin and Nightstand.

Our journey continues...

The adoption journey continues for Rodner and I.  This week I am hoping to receive my completed and notarized copy of my home study document.  Then, I need to take everything to the Secretary of State to be certified.  When that is complete, I will send my documents to be translated by a certified French translator in California.  Then, everything should be ready to send down to Haiti.  I am hoping that my next trip to OLTCH will be in late June or early July for our court hearing.

My prayers right now include: monetary donations, a speedy translation process, a quick response from the Department of Homeland Security saying that the immigration papers have been completed for Rodner, love and safety for Rodner and that he is able to be home in Minnesota as quickly as possible.

I thank all of you for your continued prayers, donations of money, clothes, books and toys for Rodner and for your never-ending love and support.  To donate money or items to Rodner and I as we travel on this blessed journey, please see the list and donation button on the right side of this page.

Lots of love to you!

Still Working

Thank you so much for all of your prayers, donations and kind words!  It has been amazing to see God's love in action! 

My goals for this week include:  receiving my home study documents, paying for the second half of my home study fee, going to the Secretory of State to get many documents state certified and finding the perfect and most inexpensive certified French translator to begin the translation process.

My hope is to bring my completed, certified and translated documents to Haiti by the end of June.  My prayers continue to be that Rodner will be able to come home to Minnesota soon, that I am able to gather enough money to get through this process, that he is happy, healthy and loved and that I can continue to share God's love and blessings with those around me.

Again, I thank you so much for your continued love and support!  If you would like to donate monetarily to this process for Rodner and I, you may do so by clicking on the DONATE button to the right of this page and following the Pay Pal instructions.  Thank you for your love and support!

In the beginning...

Our journey began on April 4, 2011.  I traveled to Haiti as a representative of the Waconia School District to establish a connection between 2 schools in Leogane, Haiti and Southview and Bayview Elementary Schools in Waconia, MN.  During my time in Haiti, I stayed at Operation Love the Children of Haiti (OLTCH), an amazing Christ-centered orphanage and loving home to 55 outstanding children run by a fantastic family. 
One night, during worship, Rodner stood in front of me and looked up with his beautiful brown eyes.  I picked him up and we danced to the music being played and sung by the children and adults at OLTCH.  When it came time to pray, Rodner put his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes.  At that moment, God put a great love inside me for this seven year old boy.  After much thought and many prayers, I knew that I had heard God's voice clearly.  I started the adoption process on April 24, 2011 and now my heart is overcome with happiness at the future that Rodner and I will share together as a family.