Today, for the "Women's History Month" celebration, I would like to introduce this fabulous woman
Meet Kristina Renaud, 42, wife, mom, grandmother, fun, grateful and a loving school nurse.
Kristina Renaud is originally from Medford Massachusetts. Her family moved to Londonderry, New Hampshire when she was in middle school. She graduated from Londonderry High School. Her parents still live in Londonderry and in the same home that she grew up in. "I look back in my life and can now realize that I was a difficult child, teen, and adult child for my parents. I was good academically, by the Grace of God, but made some very hard life choices. However, it's my life choices, my struggles, and my strength that made me into the person I am today, and I wouldn't change a thing. I'm extremely blessed and very thankful for the village of close friends and family that stuck by me all those years and still do. Without my parents and my close friends, I would not be where I am today." Says Kristina
The summer before entering her senior year of high school was full of fun, friends, and trouble. She started dating an individual and they got serious very quickly. Senior year of high school started in September, and at the same time also realizing her period was late. She went to Planned Parenthood and found out she was pregnant. "I was a scared 17 year old girl, who was there with my boyfriend. Immediately they spoke about abortion and highly advised it. They spoke with both of us about no other alternatives. The baby’s due date was June 15,1998 which meant I'd be pregnant my entire senior year of high school. I was raised Catholic, but rarely attended church. My boyfriend was raised Christian and his family fully supported our choice to have this baby and raise it as our own. Due to being scared I did not tell my parents about the pregnancy and moved into an apartment with my boyfriend. My parents eventually learned of my pregnancy and came to accept my pregnancy."
Kristina's boyfriend started a full time job painting and worked to obtain his GED. She continued on with her senior year of high school while working part time at a sub shop. "Life was hard, 17 years old and now having adult responsibilities of paying bills all while trying to finish high school. My boyfriend proposed and we planned to get married. Life continued with many relationship ups and downs, and typical challenges of 2 teenagers trying to find themselves while planning to become parents. I attended my prom 8 months pregnant, and my 18th birthday was on June 1st. I attended high school graduation and I walked across the stage obtaining my diploma on June 15. I went into labor the next day and my beautiful baby boy was born at 4:20 am. He was 8 pounds 0 ounces of pure joy. Fall of 1999 my boyfriend made the decision to go full time into the army. We got married before he left for basic training when I was 19 years old."
Summer 2000 they moved to Savannah Georgia for their first army assignment of a special forces infantry unit. September 11, 2001 the attack on NYC and the Pentagon happened. Shortly after they were forced to switch duty station assignments to 82nd Airborne in Fort Bragg North Carolina. A month after moving, her husband was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the initial push of infantry troops. This left her alone at 20 years old and caring for a 2 ½ year old with her parents and her husband's parents 1100 miles away. Her husband returned home from deployment, and the same relationship challenges continued, only now adding PTSD to the environment. She knew things needed to change and life could not continue this way. She only had a high school diploma and started taking a few college classes towards her general education credits for nursing. When he came home from Afghanistan they also decided to try for another baby, and she became pregnant with a baby girl due October 10, 2003.
August 2003, her husband had to leave again for another infantry deployment with the 82nd Airborne, this time to Iraq. This meant she'd be having this baby alone. "My beautiful baby girl was born on October 14, 2003 at 1015 pm. She weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces." Kristina's husband returned and met their daughter for the first time when she was 6 months old. The relationship was not better after the deployment and continued with challenges. "I finally obtained the strength to leave with an SUV filled with our belongings and my 2 children in the back seat. We moved in with my parents and I had no money and only a high school education."
Kristina got divorced shortly after moving back to NH and she received full custody of her children. She started an LPN program and moved out of her parents home into low income housing after graduation and obtaining a job. If it wasn't for her parents allowing her, her son, and her daughter to live with them, and supporting them throughout this time, she honestly doesn't know what they would have done. Her son started attending a karate program at a local Christian church, Faith Baptist Church. He shortly after starting karate asked if they could start attending church there. It was at this moment when she realized that herself and her children needed God and they couldn't do this alone. "All three of us grew in our relationship with God, and also grew to meet and grow close to an entire church full of amazing people to add to our village. I continued on to obtain my Associates in Nursing, my Bachelors in Nursing, and currently working on my Masters in Nursing. In 2012 we were able to move out of low income housing, when my father bought a duplex, where I rented to eventually own one side from him."
Her children had a life full of wonderful male role models who went above and beyond for both of them. The male role models included her father, her best friends husbands, their Pastor, church deacons, their youth pastor, the list goes on and on. She had a huge support system of amazing friends and family throughout her life. They are a true example of “the village it takes to raise a child”. Her son is 24 and is currently married with one child, and has another on the way. Both him and his wife will be completing their Bachelors degrees this year. Her daughter is 19 and is currently a freshman in college. Both of her children are still very active in the church, and committed to growing their relationships with God. Her granddaughter is 3 and she is blessed to grow up with most of the same people that blessed their lives.
Over the years Kristina has done a lot of work volunteering and speaking at Pro Life pregnancy centers, teen pregnancy centers, and multiple other organizations that are affiliated with drug, alcohol, and domestic abuse support. Now that she has become an empty nester, her goal is to become even more active in giving her time back to these organizations and others alike that are near and dear to her heart.
"When I left North Carolina I was devastated, and felt zero hope. It was a very hard and long timeframe for me, where I felt I would never get through. I had many sleepless and crying nights. When I found God, I also found hope. When I found God was when I realized leaving North Carolina was our biggest blessing."
Kristina's advice to women is to stay strong, be persistent, don't give up, and be patient. Trials and tribulations happen, don't do it alone. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. God will never leave you, nor forsake you. Don't be afraid, do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8
Here is another one of Kristina's favorite quotes:
"If I could give my daughter 3 things, it would be the confidence to know her self worth, the strength to chase her dreams, and the ability to know how truly and deeply loved she is."
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Thank you, Kristina, for sharing tou story and empowering others!
#womenshistorymonth #womansupportingwomen #womanpower #mainephotographer
Kristina Renaud - “Women’s History Month” project 2023
Renata O’Donnell Photography celebrates woman of all walks of life! This project is to recognize and empower everyday women, and to inspire others around them, and it is incredible to see how this project has blossomed and evolved.
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