Adoption - So What is Going on Lately

We are excited to have received word that Acres of Hope will be sending new referrals for children in Liberia "very soon". We don't know exactly how soon very soon is, but it is good to hear that things are coming together.

Blessings, Faith, and Hope,
Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Happy Halloween

Halloween comes with make believe, pretend and the creative imagination with the human spirit. In all good fun, we all dressed up and went trick or treating tonight at our local mall. There were so many kids there that we had to work extra hard to keep track of ours. There were lots of cute kids, but we especially liked ours. Our son Michael went as spiderman. Our daughter Gabriela went as a princess. Our daughter Shawna went as a duck and went around saying quack quack. I was the spider lady. Scott went as "the dad". Next year, maybe we will check out our church festival instead.

Blessings,

Jennifer Richardson

http://www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com/

This is our beautiful girl Gabriela, with her newly pierced ears !Gabriela has been waiting for this day for a very long time. To get her ears pierced, Gabriela had to earn at least 60 days of good behavior meaning no screaming hitting kicking or tantrums at all. She earned 62 days as of today !!! She worked very very hard, and I was so tickled to take my little princess to get pretty ears. She was the bravest and held very still, only a few tears. Her brand new birthstone earrings for May suits her very pretty face. I just absolutely love this picture of her because it really shows how divinely inspired God was when he created her and her complete joy. We are so proud of you.

Love, Mom and Dad
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Shawna is Putting Words Together !

Shawna is now putting words together. She does not grunt as much as before. She babbles a lot making up syllables and sounds for things she does not know the name of. So if she is talking about a book, she will say all kinds of sounds and syllables with the word book somewhere in the middle of it. She can put two words and three words together like 'More Please' and 'Up up Mama'. More please sounds like moy peas. And she is getting so tall. I can hardly believe she is 20 months old. I was so tickled to hear her say 'Up up Mama' tonight for the first time.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Michael's Gymnastics Trophy

Michael started in boys gymnastics I believe in the early spring of 2006 through October of 2007. We are all so very proud of Michael for earning his trophy for 1 year at Kips Gymnastics in the boys academy. Michael practiced vault, floor exercise, trampoline, parallel bars, rings, and the high bar. His favorite event was flipping upside down on the rings. Michael can do some very impressive military-style push ups, and is quite strong. The most exciting part of Michael receiving his trophy was that it was a surprise. Michael says he did not expect it at all. Michael was awarded his trophy by his coach Kyle at Kips Gymnastics. Michael has grown so much, and had a lot of fun. We enjoyed watching him very much. We have it now very proudly displayed on the mantle in the living room above the fire place.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Contributions Update

We are now up to $299.90 ! Woo hoo ! If you are reading this, then please donate even one dollar. Consider the many children who need homes and what an awesome thing it is to have a mom and dad. Please help the kids in Africa. They really do need you.

For your convenience, there is a paypal DONATE button at the bottom of the page.

And thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jennifer

Through The Eyes of Children

Children so inspire my heart. They show me the world in such a new way. I am excited to see the world through the eyes of our coming new children.

Keeping the Faith,
Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Walking On The Right Path

I want to adopt so I can make a difference in a child's life. It has been an up and down journey to make sure we are following God's will.

Walking On The Right Path,
Scott

Richardson Family Update

We are continuing to wait on a new referral. While doing that, we having been praying, fundraising, tackling things around the house, raising kids, supporting my brother and sister in law in their job hunt, and getting healthy.

Prayer:
Prayer is never ceasing. We invited people who wanted to be prayer warriers for our family to email us. Family is our ministry. Helping orphans is our mission. God is center in all of it.

Fundraising:
Donations are coming in slowly, and we are grateful for every single donation. We have the donate button on our blog to encourage donations of every size - even little ones.

I am also continuing to paint, and sell my paintings to raise money for the adoption. I have even been honored to paint some custom pieces of art, and continue to welcome custom orders by size subject and color. The amount of the donation for a custom piece is negotiable. If you are interested, please email me at richardsonstudios@charter.net.

We started listing some things on Craig's List for the Inland Empire to sell things we don't need and raise more money for the adoption. Look for 'Jennifer Richardson' in the title.

Of course, we are also saving every penny we have of our own towards the adoption as well.

Around The House:
We have this one closet which we doesn't really work for clothes. We started a project to fix it up and turn it into a shelved area for kids toys. It was part of the house when we bought it and the "closet" had all kinds of boards that didn't make sense. So we took out all the extra wood, and stripped it down to the bare walls. We just finished painting it, and already it looks so much better than it was. We painted it a light mocha color. The wonderful thing so far is we haven't had to spend any money on fixing it up because we already had all the supplies. It will be really nice when it is all done.

Raising Kids:
Michael and Gabriela have been off track for school and go back on Monday! They are both looking forward to homework again. Shawna recently learned what a cow was and that cows say moo. So, she is sitting on the floor with the animals right now, saying moo moo.

Others Offering Support:
For our friends and family who truly support us, truly love us, truly are there for us, we are ever so grateful.

Health:
The smoke from all the fires this week really got everyone congested. We are all finally on the mend and slowly feeling better. The air is actually clearing up slowly too as the fire fighters get containment on all those fires.

Blessings,
Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Maria's Letter - Don't Look Down

Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2007 11:14 AM

Jennifer,
I am praying you and your husband listen to God's calling and only God's
calling. Not my opinion, not your friends but God's. I truly believe
that God allows us to be tested by Satan and that Satan uses people (you
and I included) to discourage each other.

Someone gave an example to me of listening to God. She said imagine you are on a hill. Lift your head and eyes to up to God and keeping your focus there although many things
are happening down below. Many people are giving (their) ... advise, some
distracting and others encouraging but keep your eyes on God.

In other words don't look down! LOL

Bless you,
Maria Malay

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Used by Permission
10-27-07

The More God Is Willing To Use Me

Bethany Askew
Saturday, October 27, 2007 12:31

A book is exciting though. I have started several of my own through the years but never finished them. What inspired you to write?

Bethany
Used by Permission
10-27-07



The very humbling thought that perhaps through my own life experiences someone else might find healing or encouragement, find inspiration or faith, find their own calling or confirm it perhaps, or above all else might find Jesus. It is an awesome thought.

I guess the more God is willing to use me, the more I want to be available for Him.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Bethany's Letter - It Is Not God Telling Us To Give Up

Bethany Askew
Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:46
Subject: Very discouraged

WoW, I totally understand where you are coming from. Not only do we have not friends but a family member or 2 that have given us less support then expected but we also lost a referal to death. We have had so many struggles with this adoption as you have an we have been in the "is this God telling us it is not meant to be" frame of mind as well. The way I figure it is that it is not GOD telling us to give up but SATAN hoping we will.

You have got to keep your faith in the adoption and also in your relationship with God. For us, after so long of fighting with the system and still hanging on to the dream of our little boy (who will be home in a month), we got the respect of our critics and told Satan where to go. We wish you all the luck and will pray for your strength.

God Speed,
Bethany Askew
Used by Permission
10-27-07

Jesus is Lord !

Terri's Letter - His Call To Care For The Orphans

Saturday, October 27, 2007 10:35
Subject: Very discouraged
Hi,
Just a few thoughts of my own since coming home from Liberia with Mia (Down's Syndrome, heart condition). We are sort of the kind of family that do alot of things 'out of the box.' We started homeschooling in the early 80's, when it was just starting, and not acceptable at all. My husband went into the ministry 'late' in life (33), we accepted God's call to foreign missions and arrived in Africa at ages 39 and 38, with three teenagers, we adopted two South African babies when I was 42 and My hubby 43, (and we only had one teenager left at home), we went from South Africa, a fairly developed mission field, to Liberia, a totally chaotic and wrecked nation, we had no running water, electricity, etc. We took in sickly foster babies for a nice lady named Patty Anglin while in Liberia, babies the Africans would look at and ask, 'why are you taking care of this one?' We returned to the USA this year, and answered God's call back to the great mission field of America, now pastoring again, and now I have returned last week from Liberia with a little bit of humanity that only weighs 13 pounds, and is 'handicapped'. All along this circuitous route, there have been naysayers, well meaning advisors, well meaning 'Holy Spirits', questioners, doubters, and 'friends'. How can you take your kids to Africa! How can you adopt two kids that you don't know their history, especially in an AIDS wracked country! How can you do this, how can you do that.....on and on. No, not the constant comment, but enough to make you sort of discouraged some times. Even now, as I have begun to take Mia out, and to her first Dr appointments, people look at her smiling, and then when they realize something is 'not quite right' with her, they sort of don't look any more. Again we take the path of the 'different'.

Jesus didn't fit in the box either, He walked a different road, and His road isn't an easy one. It isn't the popular route. It takes courage and determination, and a strong faith. It takes a belief that God has really called you to do this.

I just wanted to encourage you maybe in some small way that alot of us out there often take the road less traveled. You have to buck up and prepare yourself, and live a sterling life so that others will truly see Christ in what you are doing. I can bet that once your child is here, [others] ...will truly be touched in ... [their] heart about what you are doing. As to the questions, and the fund raising comments, I have found that it is best to not answer at all. You are not going to convince anyone by argument or discussion, you just need to do what you need to do, and let it go. You do not need to justify anything to anyone.

Follow Christ in His call to care for the orphans. Not everyone can do that, but those of us who can, what a blessing it is.

Love in Jesus,
Terri Cannon
Used by Permission
10-27-07

Terri,
I am so honored to know you. Please be encouraged with Mia. She is such a beautiful child, and lucky to have parents as loving as you. You are lucky and blessed to have a child so loving as Mia. We are definitely going down the road less traveled. It is so much more obvious to us this time around. The growth experience has been different this time, and has brought a new level of depth to my faith and relationship with God that I didn't realize I had. Thank you for your encouragement Terri. As a mother of two "special needs" kids, I can appreciate the challenge in that as well.
Jennifer Richardson>
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com


Mia is doing so fantastic, she just started a battery of tests, x-rays, EKG, etc., we have to go back two more times to draw enough blood from her skinny little arm for it all, but she is holding up fine, and almost gained 2 1/2 pounds since I first got her in Monrovia on the 10th! She is doing very, very well, eating well and sleeping all night. She is well on her way to being totally spoiled. Our church really blessed us, they brought in meals all this week for dinner, just as they did when I had my bio kids! At least they are very supportive and excited, so we are thankful for that!Blessings,
Terri Cannon
Used by Permission
10-27-07

Tanya's Letter - Our Only Goal Should Be To Please Jesus

I think this statement sums up the truth. As much as it hurts to have others disagree, and trust me I KNOW how much that hurts, our only goal should be to please Jesus.

People do not understand the call to adopt and sometimes I don't think they want to.
As Christians, their spirit might be pricked to do what God commanded "to take care of the widows and orphans", and that doesn't always mean adopting.

I KNOW God will direct you.

Just wait on his leading and be blessed for your Jesus like heart!

Tanya
Used by Permission
10-27-07

Traci's Encouraging Letter

Saturday, October 27, 2007 10:49 AM
Subject: Very Discouraged

Jennifer,
...When we first mentioned adopting, people thought we were crazy and couldn't understand why we'd want to do that. We told them we felt led by God to adopt and that it was the right thing to do for us. People have laughed in our faces and made fun of us and said we're making a big mistake. Some ever even mention the children and have never seen their pictures, and when we try to talk about it, they change the subject. When we lost our referrals, there were comments that God was not really leading us to do this and to just let it go. And I know that's just people not understanding adoption or where we're coming from, but it still hurts.

On the bright side though, there are a handful of people who have encouraged us and sometimes it's people that we have never met before who have prayed with us and for our children in Liberia. This is what helps get us through the tough times (and lots of prayer)!

Praying for you in your discouragement---hang in there!
Traci
www.eightwaiting.blogspot.com

Letter used by permission 10-27-07.

To Walk On Water, You Must Get Out Of The Boat

God uses so many things to test our faith, circumstances, difficult times or situations, and sometimes even other people. Who are we going to listen to? Who is most important? I am quite sure the apostles did not always find it easy to follow Jesus. Can you imagine what their friends must have said. You're going to do what? Leave your family, leave your home, wander the land with this guy Jesus. You won't have your stuff with you. Peter, Matthew, James, hey - come on guys. What are you thinking!?

I imagine they must have been very decisive. That no mater what anyone else said, they knew it was the right thing to do.

I just love the story of Peter walking on the water. Peter was in the boat, minding his business, and then sees Jesus out having a nice evening walk on the water. Without a moment's hesitation, Peter steps out of the boat and walks towards Jesus. Walking where? On the water ! Oh my goodness, that is the coolest thing ever. What an extraordinary divine moment of faith !
Then, he realizes where he is ! Perhaps he thought something like this, 'What am I doing? I can't walk on water. [As he looks around and down. ]' Then and only at that moment he questions, and he starts to sink. Even then, Jesus in his infinite love towards Peter and His unending mercy, reaches out a hand to raise Peter up. Jesus saved Peter from drowning, and asked why Peter doubted.

Aren't our lives so often like that? We have this awesome faith, and start on a journey. Then we start doubting, thinking how difficult the road ahead will be and all the reasons why it won't work. Or, we hear all those doubts from the world. Adoption is so much like Peter walking on the water, with lots of moments to test our faith and trust Jesus to raise us up and save us so we can keep going. Then, the very long awaited end of this particular journey. And the look of that child's eyes looking back at you - Mama, Dada. All our kids called us Mama and Dada when they first met us or first began to talk after we adopted them.

My own faith has been tested a lot this past couple of weeks. Making the journey more public with a blog has certainly opened us up to others opinions both positive, challenging and even discouraging. It is such a personal journey. Praying is my number one resource, as Scott and I know that God knows best and has all the answers.

Our on-going prayer requests for ourselves are:
To receive the Lord's wisdom.
To follow the Lord's leading.
To hear the Lord's calling, whereever it may lead us.
To follow the Lord's will, even if it may differ from our own.
To become less, as God becomes more in our lives.
To receive health and healing in all our family
To say yes to God's plan for our lives and for our family.

If you would like to be a prayer warrior for our adoption journey, please email us at
richardsonstudios@charter.net with the words RICHARDSON PRAYER WARRIER in the subject line. We welcome your comments.

All children are special, unique, rare, and made in the image and likeness of God. Sometimes a decision to adopt one child over another is which child's life is in the most danger. As an adoptive parent, it is such a difficult decision. We pray for every single child that we ever had to say no to. We just can't save the whole world. Maybe though, we can change just a small part of it, one child at a time. Every child matters. Something that helps me keep going when my heart is breaking for the one child we were unable to help is when Jesus said 'there will always be poor.'
Thank you Lord for being in charge.

Adoption has a way of emptying ones pockets, and filling the quiver.

Some people are adamantly against fundraising for an adoption, and completely against or even angered by someone asking for help to adopt a child or raise money for any cause. For those of you feeling like I am this week - discouraged and doubted, keep the faith. Don't give up. There is a child or children who desperately need you. You really may very well be the one person who helps to save their life, figuratively or literally. I am a complete supporter of fundraising for adoption. Ask for the money, the gifts. God will lead you. A child's life is worth every person telling it can't be done. But it can be done ! God says that with Him A L L things are possible ! Not some things, or a few things, or one thing, but all things. Sometimes people get in the way of God's perfect will, but God always has a plan B. The Lord needs workers for the harvest and definitely can use YOU !

We are trying to keep the faith, and pray that we follow God’s heart in all of this.
Some people say that three children we have already is enough.
Some people say that we are not listening to God, or are narrow minded.
Some people suggest other means.
Some people encourage us avidly.
My husband and I have prayed through this from the very beginning.
To know my husband and I, and where we have come from, and see the growth in each other and in our marriage through this decision and the whole entire process, is a confirmation in itself.

Now we are waiting again for a referral !
We have been at this well over a year now, and it will likely be close to 2 by the time we are all done.
Some things are worth working for.
Having 3 kids already, we have plenty to do while we wait.
Bills to pay, rooms to clean, jobs to do, money to raise, prayers to say, and people to love.

There are people we know who have been so supportive and generous during the most difficult of times. .
We have all this time now to really fundraise and alleviate some of the financial stress of adopting three more.
Every single dollar raised really will make a difference in these children's lives.

When we lost our referral, I thought how great that God answered our prayers for the children as they were reunited with their father.
We trusted that God new best for those kids, and will unite us with children who really need a home - our home.

So, I am back praying again for God’s direction and wisdom, and asking for the insight and wisdom as we take this great step of faith once again to walk out on the water.

There is a book which I really love, by John Ortberg - the author, called "If you Want To Walk On Water, You Must Get Out Of The Boat". I encourage you to look for it and read it.

Blessings,

Jennifer Richardson
http://www.blogger.com/www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Worried About The Little Ones

Please pray for our little one Shawna tonight. It started off as a cold, and now she clearly does not feel well, barky cough and all. We look forward to seeing her back to her cheerful and bubbly self.

We also are worried about all our little ones over in Liberia, West Africa. We pray for their health and well-being.

It pulls at a mother's heartstrings when her little one is sick, especially this Mama.

Jennifer Richardson
http://www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com/

Poem: Silent Cries and Hidden Tears

Tonight a child cries
But no tears come
They cry
Of a heartfelt pain
In deep longing
And of physical pain
Pain from
Lack of food
Lack of love
Lack of shelter
Lack of medicine
Lack of education
These are the Silent Cries
Cries of a child who
Needs food to nourish them
Needs a home to shelter and cherish them
Needs to feel loved unconditionally
Needs opportunities to grow, heal and learn
But most of all
Needs parents to belong to
And a mom and dad to love them.
These are the Hidden Tears
Tears of a child who
Wants to belong and to be wanted by someone.
These are the Silent Cries and Hidden Tears
Of a Child waiting
Waiting for you to make a difference.
Everytime you donate, you save a life and make a difference forever.

Written by Jennifer Richardson

Please consider making a donation to help bring these children home.
Please visit us again.

The Richardson Family
Jennifer, Scott, Michael, Gabriela, and Shawna

www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

California Fires - An Eventful Day

Everyone's nerves were on edge today. Malibu, Castaic, Canyon Country, San Bernadino, Inland Empire, Orange, Irvine, San Diego and even Ontario are on fire tonight. We are fortunate to live in Riverside, and are not in any immediate danger. We pray for protection for ourselves and all the families affected by the fires. Lord, we pray for rain.

We prayed at home today, Sunday. Everyone was at home sick with colds and respiratory difficulties. With all the winds, ash in the air, and most of us having allergies, we will be staying more inside over the next few days.

We lift up all those who are homeless, hungry, and cold tonight, especially the children of Liberia and those whom we will be adopting. Lord, please keep them safe.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

A Calling To Prayer - Watching For Miracles

Dear Lord,

Please give us wisdom and insight on our adoption journey. Show us the way to go and lead us, Lord - in your most holy name Jesus - we ask for your provision for the adoption. Help us to make decisions for your name's sake.

Send people who support our vision and will donate towards the adoption. Open our hearts and minds and protect us Jesus. Show us your grace and mercy. Show the world your presence and power, and use us to change the world and the lives of children to glorify your name Jesus.

Amen.

Scott and Jennifer Richardson

In preparing for a bigger family, we are blessed to have time to enjoy each others company.

10 Reason's to Raise Kids:
1. To grow your family
2. To show the world an example of God's love for us
3. To laugh more - kids are so spontaneous
4. To give extra hugs, kisses, and snuggles
5. To remember that it is not all about just us
6. To give back some of the blessings that have been given to you
7. To practice the virtue of patience
8. To have more people to have fun and hang out with
9. To remember that sometimes the little things in life are most important
10. To make the world a better place, one child at a time

We are still waiting for a new referral for Liberia, Africa. God has given us this time to take care of things at home, fix up things, clean out things, pay off things, and spend time with our children. Evenings like this make waiting just a little bit easier.

Adoption is a journey !

Blessings,
Jennifer Richardson
http://www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com/

Gabriela's Vision

God has a plan for me to help animals who are hurt and not safe. God had a plan for me too when I felt hurt and not safe. God helped me learn to get along with animals, just like He is teaching me to get along with people. Now my family cares for me, and I care for them too. If you adopt, you can have a special kids just like me.

My Prayer:
Dear Jesus, please help all the kids who have special needs just like me. Make sure they have what they need, and help them to get better and stronger just like me. Help them to help others too.
Amen.

Gabriela Richardson
Age 9
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Contributions Update

I did it ! We officially have a donation button on our blog. God helps those who help themselves. We have already had some very good people give us money towards our adoption and our newest latest greatest total is $93.50 !! Wooohooo! Is that how you spell wooohooo?

God is SO good !

I look forward to the day when I see those precious angel faces, our three newest children from Liberia - adopted and part of our family.

Lord, please watch over them and all the children waiting for homes and all the parents waiting to complete their own adoptions. Amen.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Miracles Never Cease

After a morning of heartfelt praying fervently seeking the Lord and His direction in all of this. Oh my dear Lord, you are so amazing to me. God provided us with a sweet miracle and clearly pointed the way to go.

Today God provided a miracle considered small to some but gigantic to me. Having lost our referral of 3 children, we wanted to have the option of considering God's special needs children as well as healthy children for a new referral. God has placed the children who are waiting for a home on our hearts, so that they can spend less time waiting for a home. I prefer not to be a parent waiting for a child when there are wonderful precious ones who need me already.

The agency who did our homestudy had told us they could not do an addendum without being specific about what kinds of special needs children we could or would accept. It sounded like it would be a battle, and that we may not get the addendum at all to add special needs children as an option for us. My response to this was that all children are special regardless of their challenge or handicap. My husband and I want the option to consider any special needs or healthy child because only God knows which children will come our way. We did not want to eliminate one child for the sake of having this specific problem or that specific disorder. God loves all of us with all our dents, dings and imperfections. They make us each rare unique and special. I have plenty of my own dings. :)

I was floored when I got a call from the social worker who said they would do the addendum to add that they are fine with us considering special needs children as well. I will be even more stunned when it comes in the mail.

For all of you parents and most especially Rachel Wilson who encouraged us on and to not give up, thank you ! We appreciate every prayer.
Thank you Jesus for your direction.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

The Location of Liberia

Liberia is located in Western Africa on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean (Grain Coast) bordered by Ivory Coast , Guinea and Sierra Leone .

This free map provided courtesy of http://www.maps4free.com/map-of-liberia.php

Liberia - Free Blank Map for Educational Purposes

This map is free for educational purposes courtesy of http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxliberia.htm

A Message From Gabriela

I was adopted from Ukraine. I was adopted from another family before this one, and that was very hard for me. It made me feel very angry because I liked them. They had a cat I liked. I remember that the orphanage had 22 beds in one room, and there were 23 kids and one stayed with the grown-ups because she was a baby.

Being adopted in this family, made me feel safer. I love this family. I have ADHD and Bipolar Disorder, and I struggle with it. Now, I am doing much better because I take my medicine responsibility. It makes me feel better and be in control.

If people who want to adopt have ADHD or want to help kids who have ADHD, they should get a book on how to help and not give up. In the future, I want to help other kids who have ADHD and build my own website. If you need help with ADHD, it is important to find it and get it.

If you adopt kids, you should talk to them and talk about their feelings. Then, it is easier to find out how they are feeling. You should look at books with them about what they have so you can better understand your kids.

Having a mom and dad now makes me feel cared about and protected.

Gabriela Richardson
Age 9
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Contributions

We are thrilled to share we have raised $43.24 towards the adoption.
Thank you for all those who have donated.
Our prayer is that the funds will continue towards our goal to pay for the numerous fees involved including bringing them home.

Jennifer Richardson
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

A Message From Michael

I would love for people to help us with the adoption, so we can bring these kids home.
I want to bring them home because they have no family, and they are poor.
When they are thirsty, sometimes kids in Africa drink dirty water.
I want to give them enough food, clothes and warmth.
This means a lot to me because I would like brothers and sisters, so I can spend time and have fun with them.
I would like to play with them and give them toys they have never discovered, touched or felt.
I would like them to have a roof over their heads, so they are not rained on or cold.
I will love them.
Tell people they should adopt because they should care for kids and love them no matter what, no matter how small or how big.
Kids are people too.

Michael Richardson
Age 11
www.richardsonstudios.blogspot.com

Family Update

Here is the latest Richardson Family News -

Michael has a new cast courtesy of Shriner’s hospital to stretch out his heel cord due to his cerebral palsy. Michael has been having pain in his casted leg, and will be thrilled to get it off in a few weeks so he can start back up in gymnastics.

Gabriela has been having growing pains in her legs again; she has grown several inches this year. Gabriela was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and ADHD. Since she has been on medication these last few months, it has been awesome to see her stabilize. It has been even more awesome to see the power of God’s work in her and see her sparkling personality shine. She is a much calmer and happier girl, and a real wonderful and responsible helper around the house. On top of that she is very good about taking her medicine. Even her school grades have improved.

We lost our referral of the three kids we were waiting to adopt from Liberia, Africa. The dad did not know. We are glad that the investigations into these children reunited them with their dad. Please keep them in your prayers for healing.

In the meantime, we will be fundraising more for the adoption and let God hold it in His hands and His timing. God’s timing is perfect in all things – even though we can’t always understand it. I am blessed to see God working in magnificent ways in our family.

On the journey of our adoption fundraising we have started a blog to let others know how things are going. We will be adding links for donating to the adoption fund. As we get them set up, we hope all of you visit our blog again.

Also, we have the ABC Extreme Home Makeover to finish. Yes, we are applying.

Shawna, our youngest, is now saying yes, more please (sounds like moy peas), and thank you (sounds like thanka or thaka). She loves to climb on everything.

And last but never least, Scott and I have been praying like crazy.
Please keep us in your prayers as well as God is working in us !!

Please feel free to share our story and blog with as many people as you can. Our prayer is to inspire you and glorify God.

Blessings, Faith and Hope to You,
Jennifer

Adoption from Liberia, Africa

We are adopting three children from Liberia, Africa through an amazing agency ACRES OF HOPE.

We are the Richardson family. We have three children through adoption. Our adoption journey began out of a heartfelt desire to grow our family. Due to many years of infertility, we were unable to have children ourselves. God's leading has blessed us immensely.

Each of our children are incredible and special. Michael is now 11 years old and was born in Kazakhstan. Gabriela is now 9 years old and was born in the Ukraine. Shawna is now 20 months and was born in the United States.

We are so excited to be adding three more children to our clan. We will then have SIX children.

God has amazed us, left us in awe, inspired us, challenged us, and shown us His miraculous ways. We are honored to be God's instruments.

Thank you for joining our journey.