He is Home.
Now our new journey begins. A new hard. A new patience already needed for winning this little heart. Pray for us. I will try to keep this updated but my days are now full of newborn in a ten year old's body.

How Haiti Keeps Me Real

Haiti keeps me real. Haiti keeps me uncomfortable. I simultaneously fight and embrace the visits.  Comfortable loving the four at home, keeping the routine vs. being here loving my fifth boy--stretching uncomfortable in the heat and pain that lives here- confronting my own pain from waiting and aching to hold my boy.

 I know there is pain at home--but here I cannot turn it off. I cannot avert my eyes--there is no place to look that is pain free. Here she is-Haiti-- clothed in trash and stench, and poverty and hunger...yet crowned with sunrise on the roof, bathed in torrential rain that brings laughter and giggles, clothed in singing Praise till 1 a.m.. This place --the contradiction-- keeps me real. I know God has shown us Haiti --He has given us tears for Haiti and her people. He wants me uncomfortable... Haiti ...the adoption...is the wilderness He has chosen for us. We embrace it...

I struggle and rely on Him to count the joy in this...I know that this test produces patience and reliance, TRUST. These last months have been HARD. The trip was HARD. Waiting has been...is HARD. But suddenly it's like the sunrise on the roof...a jewel in the trash. HARD waiting is less HARD. Our paperwork finally went to court. Our son is OURS...he has OUR name. Wisler Johnson. And to make it more amazing we got the phone call while we were at the orphanage. We had a translator with us who then told Wisler the news...(basically we got to tell him ourselves).



We got to see his reaction. We had a friend who had the presence of mind to take a picture...every good and perfect gift. Thank You God. Now we wait for final paperwork. No there is no timeline. We have no idea...and finally I think I am ok with it. I am not comfortable by any means, but all I have to do is look at how beautifully He orchestrated our court news  and I know I can trust that He has the rest of this journey more than covered.
                                                           

Craft Fair!!!

I SAY YES!!!

Many of you already know I have been selling ApParent Project jewelry for over a year now. I started by hosting my own party. After my first party, folks started asking to host their own parties-- and they wanted me to come and  talk about our adoption and the ApParent project. In the last year I have presented at home parties, Bible studies and luncheons. In one week I will be going to my first ever craft fair as a "vendor". I am nervous and excited. I am so excited to share about our adoption journey and to share about this awesome organization (and the wonderful people who make it happen). So next Saturday, May 18th I will have my own craft table at the First Congregational Church of Durham from 8-4. A portion of the money from the sales will fund the last of our adoption expenses ( I say last --we are waiting for court) and the other portion will help Haitian moms and dads keep their families together. So many families in Haiti suffer with poverty--parents are often forced to give up their children to orphanages. Imagine. that. pain. Let's help stop it. Let's make a difference. Let Christ multiply our little steps. If you would like to preview items that will be there please visit my event page on FB.

How a Dresser and a Bed can Make you Cry and Hope

Saturday, thanks to some wonderful friends, we got to skype with Wisler for the first time since December. It was wonderful. Connection was great--for audio AND video (this is a miracle). We chatted. Then he wanted to see his room. So he actually got a tour of the whole house and most of the yard. We were not able to really see his facial expressions but our friends said " his jaw hit the floor" (so he is a little excited for this wait to be over too).

The weather changed this week. It is finally spring--warm days of the boys playing outside from right after breakfast to right before dinner with lots of snack stops in between (including lunch). For them it means playing with the hose in the sandbox, running barefoot through the tender grass, jumping on the trampoline, riding bikes--all things outside.  Of course one needs shorts and t-shirts to properly enjoy all this warm weather. So for me it means trading out all the winter wear for the essential warm weather wear.
I have done this every season for their entire lives...and I have done it every season for Wisler since 2010. I change the clothing in his dresser--winter for summer, summer for winter--every year I have done this and every year I pack away clothes he has never worn. Hope for this new season, sadness for the season missed both crowd my heart. Maybe this time. Maybe. It feels closer this time---as we wait for a court date. Maybe. We Pray. We hope. We wait. Somedays patiently.Most days not. Everyday aching. Knowing God is bigger than the governments involved, the lawyers, the paperwork...He is bigger. He has the perfect time for Wisler to come home...





 Brian built the trundle for Wisler's bed today. It is perfect and slides under Ean's bed perfectly. So we are ready God. Please.

    

More Miraculous News

It seems crazy that only 5 weeks ago I posted that we had received presidential dispensation. Friday morning our adoption coordinator called us to let us know that our dossier has officially cleared IBESR (Haitian Social Services) and is now ready for court. We were told that there is a good chance we may not have to appear for our court appointment. (miracle) And we are to send our final payment and paper work so that as soon as court is done Pastor Riguad can file for VISA, passport and get Wisler his medical exam. We are so excited. We also found out that Wisly, Wisler's little brother who is being adopted by friends of ours, also received the same news. This is an incredible miracle. We were told that there was no chance the brothers could come home together or that their dossiers would even process together. BUT THEY HAVE come this far together--we pray that they continue. Please pray with us that these little boys can come to Auburn, Maine together-and-that all financial blocks would be knocked clear out. Thanks for all your love and support!!!!

We GOT

Dispensation!!! Click here for the on-line version of Le Moniteur. Our son is listed under Dec 6th--Wisler Estimable. What does this all mean? It means that the Haitian president has approved our dossier (despite the fact that we have bio kids we have been given the "all clear" from the office of the president to proceed). Now we wait for court....please continue to pray...God is moving mountains.

Lost in the Shuffle

I was recently re-reading my writing drafts of my last Haiti trip. As I read through and reminisced, I discovered a piece of my trip that I forgot to share. It was and still is probably one of the most important moments of my trip. To see the earlier posts for my trip click on the months of June and July in the right sidebar. 
Sunday night was awesome. Google had allowed us to have incredible conversation. I then broke the news- I was leaving the next day. His face closed. Eyes downcast. Light gone. We snuggled up close Sunday night. I prayed for strength and wisdom. Monday morning seemed to arrive too soon. Eyes downcast, face closed he asked ou parti en avion? ( you are leaving on an airplane?) Yes -oui bebe. yes baby. He looked away. Ignoring me. I know he's trying to shore up his hurting heart.
I pull him to my lap. We begin with Thursday's photos. At first he sits limp, un-moving. Slowly his hand moves to take control of the slide show.  Teaching Thankfulness. Counting Joy in the hundreds of photos I took. Soon we were both laughing and re-living every sweet moment of the last few days. Thanking God for the wonder of it all.
Refreshed from thankfulness we walk to school. I kiss him good-bye. Prie  bebe. Pray baby. Be thankful. I will be back for you. We are your forever family.
Ou renmen ou anpil. We love you very much.

Time to Christmas Shop?

Have I got a deal for you! I recently received a Jewelry box AND a Christmas box from the Apparent Project.  Every item sold supports a family in Haiti and select items contribute to our adoption fund...
I have included pictures but really these are only the top of the iceburg so to speak....please email me privately to host a party or come shopping!!

Christmas stockings and mini purses

star and ball ornaments

bead crosses, metal crosses and angels--ornaments

people ornaments

earrings

mud pie bracelets--made from the mud they eat--a much better use as a bracelet

necklaces

signature collection bracelets...

Support a great cause!! Buy Apparent Project for Christmas!

Waiting

We are in the final stretch. Waiting. We have a case number. We are waiting for dispensation and a court date. We are praying hard for the final chunk of money that will allow us to complete the adoption after court. There has been a lot of activity over the last few weeks and it has given us a new sense of excitement and urgency. 

How You Can Help

There are a lot of ways to help depending on where God leads your heart. If you would like to help us get Wisler home then you can mail donations to us @

13 Giroux St.

Auburn Maine 04210

or 

you can  donate via paypal 

If you would like to help by sponsoring a child or a worker, adopting, or just helping out the Wayoum Timoun orphanage you can start at their new webpage

http://www.haitibethlehemproject.org/Home_Page.php

OR

go to http://h-earings.org/

OR

go to http://apparentproject.org/

buy beautiful jewelry from this amazing organization and help get to the root of the orphan crisis. Or buy a bracelet form me and support a Haitian artisan and our adoption!

The Miracle of Google Translator

Sunday night --my last night in Haiti was awesome. Up to this point Wisler and I had never had much of a conversation--it has always been more of just trying to slosh through communicating basic stuff with my broken Creole and French and his Creole and French and English. My mama's heart so wanted a real conversation. You know the ones you have with your kids --where you talk about "important stuff"-- likes, dislikes, dreams and hopes...even the mundane of discussing everyday life. I wanted that deeper communication. I prayed. And a miracle happened. An idea popped into my head---I use google translator at home all the time at home to write him notes to send with other parents--why not use it to talk to him? (insert a duh here)
We made ourselves comfy on the floor ( I really love the floor at KKO it is always nice and cool) laptop in hand I typed questions into google translate and read the translation aloud (I can read Creole just fine thanks to my French background) he would reply in Creole (which by Sunday I could understand) and then he would ask me questions in Creole and I replied using translator.





 Now what did we talk about? He wants to be an astronaut. He loves rockets and space ships. He likes almost all the vegetables and fruist I could think of. He is nervous about swimming. He wants to ride a bike and play soccer.  He wanted to know how he would be getting home--when he does. He wanted to know what adoption is and where his special adoption papers are and how much longer it would be.We talked about toilets that flush and showers that spray water,  a backyard with a pool and trampoline. We talked about school in Haiti and what school will be like at home (homeschool). We talked about hard things--like why I say no to certain things and limit how much candy he can have (when I am there) -- we talked about how at home there are rules and chores and a family working, living and loving together. We talked and it was amazing. Thank you God. I left Monday morning after walking him to school with the image of his earnest little face--concentrating on our conversation--knowing that our bond is only getting stronger...

our last morning together

The ApParent Project Visit

                                      

Wisler rolling suitcase of boxes

My visit was amazing...so amazed, spellbound and awestruck was I, that I hardly took any pictures. Never fear Tim and Cindy Irish were on the ball--so yes there are pictures--lots!
But let's go back to amazed, spellbound and awestruck for a minute. I was speechless--the lump in my throat, as I gazed upon the faces of the moms and dads working so hard for their families, threatened to spill out into tears of gratitude and humbleness at being allowed to play a small part in this amazing ministry. 







   My first visit to Haiti in June of 2010 changed my life forever. Of course the obvious catalyst for that change was meeting my then five year old son. While there, God peeled away layers of oblivion that had shrouded my heart and eyes and showed me true suffering and poverty (oh and don't forget the devestation of a major earthquake). I could not look upon such pain and not be changed forever. I close my eyes and see the houses piled like pancakes, the starving kids, the mud pies the tent cities. I see our world--here in the good ol' USA so differently. The excess and extravagance remind me constantly of my own selfishness...my desire for things and discontent with what I have-- that to a mom sitting outside her tin shack holding her starving baby -- would be a luxury. For months I prayed-


God show me how to help. I want to help. I want to encourage. Help me to understand. Help me not to be a cultural buffoon. Help me to help. Show me how to give a hand up with dignity and honor.

Beautiful artwork in the courtyard all made from "junk"

God answered that prayer. Through the course of events I came across the Apparent Project. I knew this was the answer. I knew this was how God wanted me to help. I contacted AP and recieved my first box of fundraising bracelets in early February. To say they sold like hotcakes would be an understatement. People were moved by the amazing stories--reading through and buying bracelets because of the stories--not because of the colors or bead work (although the bracelets are beautifully crafted). 

Take a close look and see what "trash" you can identify!

My second box arrived in mid- March and since then I have taken them on the road. I have given

about a half dozen presentations. I tell our adoption story and how we found AP, show pictures and sell bracelets. I love it. I love talking about Haiti. I love sharing how God has pulled us through our adoption ( two years and counting). I love talking about the spirit and beauty of the Haitian people. I love talking about AP and how mums and dads get to keep their kids--and feed them because of AP--and how AP re-purposes trash for such beauty. I love that each piece is uniquely made- an extension of the artist--each bead --tightly wound hope for their future and family.


Visiting AP has made me more passionate about advertising their products and selling bracelets for them and us (as most of you know the bracelet fundraiser is not only instrumental in supporting AP but has been helping us raise the last bit o'money for our adoption of Wisler, pronounced the French way Wislay). I have some plans up my sleeve but am not quite ready to reveal just yet...but stay tuned ...
In the meantime here's a tour of AP in pictures... 




                                                    Hard at Work....

Photo credit T&C Irish

Photo Credit T&C Irish

    

Photo Credit T&C Irish

Photo Credit T&C Irish

  

 












 

Loved these bracelets on the end of the table

This pile will last a week...so please donate--especially if you can bring it down yourself!
Another note here I know a wonderful little girl  (my niece) who has started a FB page- Boxes for Bracelets--so if you are local and want to help out--check out her page on how to donate boxes and/or cash to mail the boxes!

the sewing room girls--these ladies were so sweet and had such beautiful smiles

Amazing new beads made from mud pie mud--instead of having to eat  the mud--they can make beads and eat nutritious food

Photo Credit T&C Irish

                                                           SHOPPING!!!

Photo Credit T&C Irish

 Photo Credit T&C Irish

And speaking of SHOPPING!

 for those of you who are interested I have exactly 38 bracelets left from my second box. If you would like to purchase some please let me know via email (louisej12@gmail.com) and we can meet up! Also visit the Apparent Project website for more shopping and ways to help. They also have a facebook page...ApParent Project.