Christyn Joy Patterson

Today marks 2 years from the day that Christyn Joy Jewlery Patterson went to live with Jesus. Chrissie was a true fighter, a miracle here on earth. She could make anyone and everyone laugh and smile with her spunky persoanlity! She was filled with JOY (which is her middle name) and laughter, she was spunky, adorable, sweet, loving, a little princess, and a "Serbian Sensation"! She was "perfect" in every sense of the word, but her heart wasn't, she had many major heart defects that weren't healed here on earth but they were healed, in Heaven!

I asked Mattie, Chrissie's sister, if she could write a "guest post" for my blog saying how Chrissie changed her life and this is what she wrote

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"Madison asked me a few days ago to write about how Chrissie changed my life.  She was our second adoption ever (now out of 9).  I hadn't ever even heard of Serbia, it's one of those on the map where it is so small it has to be zoomed in in the corner just to read it's name.  Her brown eyes were captivating.  I was in love before I even met her.  

Chrissie with her mommy and daddy in October 2009 (first meeting)

She came home late one night for the first time, and was really scared.  She wouldn't let go of Dad, but finally right before we went to bed she snuggled into me and wouldn't let go.  My heart was tightly woven at that very moment. We have a indescribable bond.  

Mattie and Chrissie

The six months following, she spent eating massive amounts of brownie batter, wheezing because she would get wound up without being able to stop, painting nails, wearing 5 necklaces at one time, and standing by the window with me doing a little dance while singing, "Pah-dah-kee-shah!!", which is Serbian for "rain".  I wholeheartedly believed that she would be healed, not for one second did I doubt it.

Meribeth, Chrissie and Mattie painting nails

At the start of her 7th month with us, she underwent her major heart surgery. She fought the rest of those 31 days with courage and valor most mighty men of war would hope to attain.  Christyn Joy was still herself during that miraculous time.  Miracle after miracle came from our Jehovah Rapha, and I still thank Him for every single one.

Today, two years ago, on May 19, my precious angel sister got her wings.  Jesus called her Home to be fully healed.

 I was shocked.  Shocked and horrified are complete understatements.  It was 5 o'clock in the morning when I was awakened by our friend Stephanie and told to meet in the girls room.  I knew something was terribly wrong.  We all sat confused and sleepy as Stephanie put her phone on speaker, only to hear the sobs of our mom.  I bit my lip and frantically looked around, hoping that someone would say something.  Mom finally managed to get out that our little sister had gone to heaven.  I rocked back and forth on the floor bawling, saying to myself that it wasn't true.  We had to be loaded into a car, on that dark morning, to go say our last goodbyes in a hospital room.  In the hospital room I couldn't look at anyone. I cried so hard I almost fainted.  I slid against the wall and sobbed.  I finally got the courage to stroke her pig tails one more time.  I walked out of that hospital a scarred and broken girl.  

The funeral came and went, and I was comforted by the outpouring of love that our family got.  The rest of the summer went by in a haze.  I honestly can't remember it.  I felt a gut-wrenching shoot of pain in my heart any time I thought of her name.  

One day, around November, I remember waking up and realizing that I was loving again.  That I was laughing, and could think straight.  I remember holding my newest sibling, a tiny 7 week old baby girl with a severe medical condition that would require may surgeries, without fear.  I could recklessly love this bundle of joy without any reserve, by the love and grace of Jesus Christ.  

Mattie and Selah December 2010

I can look back now and appreciate the life Chrissie had with us.  I can see the lives she's impacted with praises to God, regardless of the outcome.  Though I'd really like to still have my sister with me, I trust that my Abba Father knows best.  I can have a heavenly mindset.  I can love others like Chrissie did, and Jesus did.  I can look on all of the miracles, and never lose heart.  I can give the orphan a voice. 

Patterson family Apirl 18th 2010

Patterson family Easter 2012

Today I am made WHOLE in Christ.  He has traded beauty for ashes, when two years ago I would have scoffed at that idea.  I thank God for his plan, that I'm not the one in control.  Today I remember Chrissie with love and can't wait to kiss her sweet cheeks in heaven someday!!" -Mattie Patterson

Chrissie would have been Conner and Coopers younger sister, the boys would have loved her and she would have loved the boys, please say a prayer for the Patterson family today, pray that they feel peace today and forever! I love you Patterson family!

Chh chh changes :)

Look at the change in these boys, oh my word, thank you LORD JESUS for your wonderful healing power!

Look at their chubby cheeks and the amazing light in their eyes! Oh how I love these two sweet boys!

and this amazing family of theirs!

Somedays I cannot believe that Cooper will be SEVEN in June and Conner will be SEVEN in August! Look how little they are, they are around the same size as their "baby" sister Selah (who is one) and they .are smaller than their brother Keifer who is 3! But everyday I thank God that he has healed/restored them! Thank you thank you thank you Lord Jesus for bringing them HOME to their family and thank you to all of my followers and everyone els that have prayed for their health!

-Madison

PICTURES

They spent a week in the hospital but are now home with their family and hopefully will not have to return to the hospital anytime soon (please be praying because they are still at risk of getting refeeding syndrome)

First night home (Conner on left. Cooper on right)


First family photo and first night home




Cooper and his mommy


In the airport


First full day home Cooper and his amazing smile


First full day home Conner with his bright eyes!


First day home (L-R) Ella Sawyer, Cooper, Conner, Selah, Parker, and Keifer


Such precious boys (first full day home)


First day in the hospital second day "home"







Second day in the hospital third day "home"






Cooper and his loving big sister Mattie

Conner and Mattie


2 of the most precious 6 year olds I have ever seen


The boys siblings got to come and visit them


The boys getting ready to go home (6th day in hospital 7th day home)

More pictures to come soon! These boys have stollen my heart not that they hadn't already but their smiles bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart! These boys are simply amazing!

TODAY is the day!

On February 29th Conner(Oleg) and Cooper(Shane) left their groupa room for one last time never to return, as soon as they went through that big orphanage gate their life changed forever...........

In January 2011 I became an "Orphan Warrior"  for a sweet 5 year old boy named "Oleg" I saw him on RR many times before that and always thought that he was so precious... but then I started to feel like God wanted me to become his warrior, so I lisned to God and I emailed Laurie Rhodes and requested to become his Orphan Warrior little did I know that 3 different families would commit to him in the course of one year......

His reeces rainbow information stated that he was healthy, with no heart complications, very active and an orphanage favorite. And in big red letter it said "he is facing the institution soon" my heart broke for this sweet child.. I asked for more pictures of him and I was given 8 photos...I fell even more in love with him after seeing these pictures.

I prayed for this sweet boy every night for 3 months then on March 18th 2011 I woke up to news that made me so happy..Oleg (and Shane) had been found and would be coming home to a family in Florida... I was so excited.... then on March 27th just 9 days after Oleg finding a family the family had to back out and Oleg was relisted on RR (so was Shane). I was heart broken but I didn't give up on finding his family. 

I "met" a lady named Bianca during the summer and she had the same love for Oleg that I had. she helped me do a fundraiser for Oleg that raised around $50 and she prayed with me for Oleg (and Shane) to find a family... She so wished that Oleg could become her son but that was not Gods plan, her, her husband, and their 3 daughters are now anticipating the arrival of their little guy Jackson (Darren on RR) and I couldn't be happier for them....

On July 22nd Oleg and Shane both appeared on the MFFM page and I was beyond excited..I couldn't wait to find out who the lucky family was. When the famliys FSP showed up on the New commitments page I got goose bumps...They were the family that I was picturing in my mind for Oleg..a young couple that had no children yet and they lived in Idaho which isn't far from Oregon (where I live) I was extatic and emailed Trish and Justin (the family) right away. I got an email from Trish within a day of me emailing her she told me all about her and Justin and how greatful they were for me, she also said that she 'secretly' followed my blog and they had been wanting to commit to Oleg and Shane for a long time! I got goose bumps as I read the emails from her, we talked about me coming and visiting them once the boys got home..we emailed back and forth for a awhile and then we found eachother on facebook, to say that we  became "good friends" is an understatement... we talked almost everyday checking in on eachother... Trish and Justin let me know whenever they hit a "bump" or whenever they had something to celebrate I felt like I was right there with them on the "adoption train"

Around Thanksgiving time Trish and Justin ran into a very big "bump"......The boys were relisted on RR and I felt like my heart had shatterd into a million pieces....Trish and Justin never gave up on adopting the boys though..they talked with a whole bunch of people about the different ways they could bring the boys home and they would let me know of any news they got.....On December 21st the boys appeared back on the MFFM page I was sure that Trish and Justin got everything fixed and that they had re-commited to the boys. I asked Trish right away if that was the case and she said "no, did someone get to them before us?" again my heart sunk Trish called me that night and we were both so heartbroken we cried together and talked for nearly an hour...

A few days after them showing up on the MFFM page I found out who was adopting them it was the Patterson family, a family that I have known about for nearly two years..They adopted their sweet daughter Chrissie from Serbia in 2009 and in May of 2010 she went to live with Jesus after her major heart surgery, they are such a strong family! They have 10 children (including Chrissie) 7 of which are adopted....

They were planning on adopting 2 little boys that they hosted in the summer but the boys went to live with their aunt so they became unavailable, when they saw Oleg and Shane on RR they felt like God was leading them to adopt these precious treasures so they commited to them and began to fix all of the paperwork to adopt them. On January 16th they met the boys for the first time, the boys were small they were the size of 2 year olds at the age of 6, I couldn't believe how little they were.

On January 31st Oleg became Conner Patterson and Shane became Cooper Patterson, brothers, friends, cousins, neighbors, grandsons, sons, and nephews that will be treasured and adored for the rest of their lives. On February 29th they had Gotcha day... They will never have to see the walls of that orphanage ever again PRAISE GOD.. 

Which brings us to today, today March 3rd 2012 Conner and Cooper will be home forever they will meet their 9 siblings, their grandparents, their aunts and uncles, their cousins and they will know the LOVE of a forever family!

I cannot wait to meet these sweet boys someday (hopefully soon)

(I will share pictures later once I get permission from their mommy!)

They met them

Shane and his mommy (Lorraine) Shane will be named Cooper

Oleg and his daddy (Matt) Oleg will be named Conner

Oleg and Shane met their mommy and daddy today!!!!! Look how sweet "my" Oleg is I love him oh so very much <3 and Shane is just precious beyond words...

Here is their mommys blog  http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/

Update

I think I should update everyone on what is going on with Shane, Oleg, Trish and Justin. Trish and Justin hit a few bumps as I mentiond in my last post and were having problems finishing their homestudy the people over at reeces rainbow thought it would be best to relist the boys so that they could find another family, Trish and Justin were still working SO very hard to bring the boys home they were speaking with alot of people non stop trying to find different ways for the boys to come home, that went on for quite a while, today Oleg and Shane appeard on the MFFM page I asked Trish right away if it was them and she said that it wasn't my heart broke into a million pieces, Trish and I have become really great friends and I can't imagine the boys with anyone els but her as their mommy. It has been hard to "let go" of the fact that Trish and Justin will not be the boys mommy and daddy...really hard....we are all broken hearted about this but I know we need to be happy that Oleg and Shane will now be coming home to their forever family even tho we didn't picture it this way.......God has a reason for everything and I can't help but believe there is a big reason that Trish and I 'met' and have become so close. Please be praying for healing for Trish and Justin and please be praying for Oleg and Shane's "new" family and of course PLEASE be praying for Oleg and Shane they are due for transfer any day now and they are very small (the size of 2 year olds).

Thank you for your continuous prayers and support hopefully I will find out who the new family is and let all of you know

Trish and Justin, please know that I love you guys so very much, no matter what I am here for you guys and I am so happy we have "met" and become such great friends your love for the boys is amazing and your will to keep fighting was inspiring. I love you guys God has an amazing plan <3

1 month

 It has been a little longer than a month since I have posted! In my last post  I said Oleg and Shanes family finished their home study but I was sorta kinda wrong, their are a few things that are taking a little while to get for the home study! Please be praying that they can get these "things" and finish their home study SOON! The boys need to be with their mommy and daddy and their mommy and daddy need these boys! I can't wait to see these adorable boys in the arms on their mommy and daddy! And I can't wait until I can finally meet them!