Answers

Each day, I get questions from friends and family.  Questions from the heart.  Questions surrounded by kindness.  Questions encompassed by hope.  Many questions about Rodner's adoption.  Most of which I could not answer until now.

I have been praying for answers and praying for information about Rodner's adoption.  Today some answers were sent to me in an e-mail and some pieces of the adoption puzzle came together.

Here is what I know...  I submitted my adoption paperwork (also known as my dossier) to the Haitian Social Services Governmental Department (also known as the IBESR) in August of 2011.  My file ran into roadblock #1 when I was identified as "too young to adopt" in October of 2012.  Roadblock #2 occurred in November of 2012 when I was deemed as "dating (as stated in my home study) and childless."  The Haitian government flagged my file twice because I am "too young" and because "I am not married and have no biological children."  In their eyes, this creates an opportunity for me to produce mounds of paperwork and to prove that I am, in fact, a fit mother and, most importantly, the mother that God has chosen to love and raise Rodner.  So...  Roadblock #1 was conquered with a letter eloquently written by myself to plea with the Haitian government to overlook the fact that I am 33 and not 34 years of age, to grant me exception and to pass along my file.  Roadblock #2 was originally defeated with a letter from my ObGyn stating that I do not have any biological children, that I am in good physical health and that I would make an excellent mother.  This letter was notarized, translated into French, state certified, legalized by the Haitian Consulate in Chicago and hand delivered to Haiti where it was lost.  LOST!  I am now in the process of going through all of the steps for that letter from the start and I will, once again, hand deliver it to Haiti on March 10.

My translation of all of this is that my file to adopt Rodner Daverne has been SITTING for 18 months and that it could possibly take another year or longer for him to arrive HOME.  I am so sad!  I am terrified!  I am lost!

Through all of this, though, God has been working in me.  In my heart and in all of me.  He has taught me PATIENCE.  He has taught me to reach out for SUPPORT.  He has taught me TRUST.  He has given me HOPE.  He has shown me the power of PRAYER.  I will not give up and I will choose to live each day in Him.

Please join me in BIG prayers to bring Rodner home.  Pray for the IBESR to respond well to the letter they will receive from me in two weeks.  Pray that dispensation (the Presidental signature needed on Rodner's file) to happen quickly.  Pray that the final steps on the part of the Haitian government will move quickly and smoothly and will grant the issuance Rodner's passport very soon.  Once the Haitian side is complete, Rodner's file will move to the US Embassy in Port Au Prince for review, a Visa appointment and Visa issuance.  Please pray that this all goes smoothly and quickly.

Rodner's turns 9 on June 9.  His Golden Birthday.  Please pray that he will be in Minnesota surrounded by family and friends who love and support him on that very special day.

Many times each day, I turn to God and wonder how He chose me to be Rodner's mom and I thank him with a grateful heart for that special honor and privilege.  I am so blessed!  I am blessed to have been chosen as Rodner's mom and I am blessed to have each of you in my life as family, friends, prayer warriors, cheerleaders, Christan examples, sources of joy and providers of love.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  Thank you!