Posts
August 2011 Update for the year 2010 to 2011:
The last year has been a challenge and a time of growth and change for our entire family. In July 2010 we sold our home in Riverside CA, and with the help of many friends and with the grace of God we moved to a mobile home where we have been renting. With the goal of living within our means, increasing our means and finding work, we started unpacking and settling in. It was a time of pruning, cleansing, and growing a stronger faith that the Lord indeed had a special plan for us as we let go of the old. Some things were given to our neighbors, some to ministries for Mexico and the poor, some to Goodwill and Salvation Army, some was sold at garage sales, and frankly some was stolen. We practiced forgiving and trusting the Lord to heal us in our losses. In God's grace, he helped us let go, move on, forgive, and give thanks for the blessings we did receive and in the most amazing ways God showed us his love through others both friend and stranger alike. We had Christmas December 2010 with a tree, decorations and holiday cheer. We enjoyed Christmas movies and putting out Christmas cookies and milk for Santa.
As the New Year approached, we new taxes were coming up. With the new law as of 2011 for adoption tax credits requiring prood and documentation of all adopted children and receipts, we new we had a lot of work ahead of us. We were pleased to find out after finally filing that a tax refund was headed our way. And we waited, and waited for months, sent in more documentation, over 100 pages to the IRS examiner, and waited for weeks and weeks more praying that one day the funds would be released and sent to us. God's timing is always perfect though it was often hard to see why we had to wait so long.
The children have all grown. Michael grew about 4 inches on average over the last year with the blessing of Growth Homrone to replace what his body does not make, and now is nearly 5 feet. Height can be such a celebration; praise God. Joseph grew with growth hormone as well. Michael and Joseph both gained weight with additional nutritional support after really struggling and losing quite a bit of weight. The doctors were superb in getting this very medically necessary help for our boys. When authorization came through, they finally were on Boost 1.5 and Elecare formula and began to gain weight. We were even more pleased to be able to receive the formulas in palatable flavors such as chocolate and vanilla. Our doctors and nurses have become like family. Our favorite nurse is Sandra at CHOC who 3 years later still remembers us when we pass her, and we have many doctors like Ellen Schonfeld NP who is as good as they come. Joshua has grown quite tall, and
Shawna has already grown into size 6's even through she is only 5 years old with long beautiful legs. Gabriela is tall and slender with an arm span longer than mom's, which is nice when I need to reach things. Both our girls have started growing their hair out long again and now have it just past shoulder length. Gabriela started back on medication to help with her own ADD, ODD and BPD, and we have confidence in her psychiatrist and treatment as it begins to start making a difference. We started using a new math program for school this year which all the children love and are using (except Shawna because of her age) called Teaching Textbooks. It is a computer based disc based program with lectures and solutions for every individual math problem. The kids like it because they can watch and hear and practice over and over again to master new concepts unlike a traditional lecture based math class. We have seen all of the kids excel.
We were finally able to get Michael a cooling vest and cooling neck wraps to help regulate his temperatures, and at least is having less heat related problems. Michael did start having seizures again, and we are looking forward to talking with a new neurologist on Monday September 12, 2011, whom we have waited literally months for. This follow up was supposed to be for the seizure he had this past February 2011. At least none have been life-threatening, although Michael did end up in the ER with post concussive syndrome after a bad seizure in August. Joseph's heart is extremely stable and his ventricular pressures in his heart which are measured to determine how well his PH is doing are on the high end of normal for a change, which is fabulous for him (the lowest for him ever). Joshua is doing very well in 3rd grade reading chapter books and making progress in school as well. Shawna has decided she loves waterlemons (well watermelons really, but that is what she calls them).
All in all, life is good. The kids all got some new clothes and shoes since they grew. The best news of all was Scott's new security guard job. He is pleased to be with a company who is providing training for a security license, and hopes to be finished with this training soon. God bless you on your journey,Jennifer Richardson
As the New Year approached, we new taxes were coming up. With the new law as of 2011 for adoption tax credits requiring prood and documentation of all adopted children and receipts, we new we had a lot of work ahead of us. We were pleased to find out after finally filing that a tax refund was headed our way. And we waited, and waited for months, sent in more documentation, over 100 pages to the IRS examiner, and waited for weeks and weeks more praying that one day the funds would be released and sent to us. God's timing is always perfect though it was often hard to see why we had to wait so long.
The children have all grown. Michael grew about 4 inches on average over the last year with the blessing of Growth Homrone to replace what his body does not make, and now is nearly 5 feet. Height can be such a celebration; praise God. Joseph grew with growth hormone as well. Michael and Joseph both gained weight with additional nutritional support after really struggling and losing quite a bit of weight. The doctors were superb in getting this very medically necessary help for our boys. When authorization came through, they finally were on Boost 1.5 and Elecare formula and began to gain weight. We were even more pleased to be able to receive the formulas in palatable flavors such as chocolate and vanilla. Our doctors and nurses have become like family. Our favorite nurse is Sandra at CHOC who 3 years later still remembers us when we pass her, and we have many doctors like Ellen Schonfeld NP who is as good as they come. Joshua has grown quite tall, and
Shawna has already grown into size 6's even through she is only 5 years old with long beautiful legs. Gabriela is tall and slender with an arm span longer than mom's, which is nice when I need to reach things. Both our girls have started growing their hair out long again and now have it just past shoulder length. Gabriela started back on medication to help with her own ADD, ODD and BPD, and we have confidence in her psychiatrist and treatment as it begins to start making a difference. We started using a new math program for school this year which all the children love and are using (except Shawna because of her age) called Teaching Textbooks. It is a computer based disc based program with lectures and solutions for every individual math problem. The kids like it because they can watch and hear and practice over and over again to master new concepts unlike a traditional lecture based math class. We have seen all of the kids excel.
We were finally able to get Michael a cooling vest and cooling neck wraps to help regulate his temperatures, and at least is having less heat related problems. Michael did start having seizures again, and we are looking forward to talking with a new neurologist on Monday September 12, 2011, whom we have waited literally months for. This follow up was supposed to be for the seizure he had this past February 2011. At least none have been life-threatening, although Michael did end up in the ER with post concussive syndrome after a bad seizure in August. Joseph's heart is extremely stable and his ventricular pressures in his heart which are measured to determine how well his PH is doing are on the high end of normal for a change, which is fabulous for him (the lowest for him ever). Joshua is doing very well in 3rd grade reading chapter books and making progress in school as well. Shawna has decided she loves waterlemons (well watermelons really, but that is what she calls them).
All in all, life is good. The kids all got some new clothes and shoes since they grew. The best news of all was Scott's new security guard job. He is pleased to be with a company who is providing training for a security license, and hopes to be finished with this training soon. God bless you on your journey,Jennifer Richardson
