The Richardsons

Here's an updated version of the video. It's the final version that we have sent to the children.

This is the DVD that we're sending to the AFAA house so the children can see photos of their families. We're sending this...since there has been such a delay in processing these children and nobody has been able to visit in quite some time. We know they'll love it! Enjoy.

SWIMMING AT THE YMCA We finished our last swimming lesson. Abegail's last lesson didn't go cause there was a pipe leaking, (so glad that happens to other people too). We are going right into the next session, both Abegail and Eman can swim on their own! DOING DISHES Eman's new passion is to do the dishes. He stands at the sink and washes every thing he can find. Annie has gotten in on the action too! MOHAWK FOR MINUTES Scott gave E-man a Mohawk because he wanted to look like his buddy Junior. Then we remembered he had school photos the next day so we went back to his shaved head. ANNIE Our three month report is in the mail. Our social worker said some very wise things, she said you never know your breaking point until you've past it and when adopting your primary concern should be the children already in the home. With that said I can't say enough good things about Annie and her adjustment, definitely the best of any of us. She is so accepting and comp...

These aren't the formal photos, but photos taken in class and at recess. Abegail is having a great time at school thanks to an awesome teacher, Mr. Suzuki, with a lot of energy! They are holding a 48 in their class picture because that is their room number.

My good friend Marlene came to visit us on Sunday. Marlene and I met 15 years ago when us two East Coasters headed west and waitressed on a Dude Ranch in Peublo, CO. The only difference, I was a Yankee and she was a southerner and we never really could hold a conversation without saying, "what?" I haven't seen Marlene since she was a bridesmaid in my wedding six years ago so needless to say we were both excited for our reunion and had a wonderful time, catching up like we had never been a part. You might notice my daughter's name is Annie Marlene and while it is a combination of both her Grandmother's names (Marian and Charlene), I like to think it also comes from Marlene. We took the kids to Underwater Adventures at Mall of America, the first time for them to the big Mall and then to Lego Land. A great day and time was had by all. Abegail can't wait to go back and ride the rides at the Mall!

Abegail had a tooth pulled yesterday...so we told her to put her tooth under her pillow and the tooth fairy might come to take it and leave her some money. She was SUPER curious about the tooth fairy all day. Question after question..."Daddy, what does the tooth fairy look like? What will happen if I wake up while she's there?" Then after about the 15th question, I realized it was probably a bad idea to even mention the tooth fairy. By 8:30 last night, EVERY child was scared to go to bed because they were terrified of the tooth fairy creeping into their room while they were sleeping!! Abegail put the tooth under her pillow and then refused to sleep in her bed. She wanted to sleep on the floor...and then so did the other two. An hour and a half later, I walked into their room and A & E were asleep in E-Man's bed with the blanket pulled up over their heads. And Annie had sneaked away to HER bed. I asked Abegail this morning if the tooth fairy came. She said...

Sue's story on Emmanuel Johnson aired yesterday morning on WCCO. Here is a link to the story.

We had a great weekend going to the pumpkin patch and then carving the pumpkins (ok Daddy did most of the work). The highlight of the weekend was the corn maze where we thought we'd never find our way out. Abegail told Scott, I think we should call 9-1-1. To which Scott said and say what? We're lost in a corn maze???

The firsts never get old! It's cold enough for a fire in the fireplace which was quite alarming to both A&E! Abegail asked if it was for cooking and Emmanuel didn't like it until Scott explained it to him. Abegail has finally gotten into TV but has to stand right up to it to make sure she doesn't miss anything, kind of reminds me of how Grandpa Chuck watches baseball! Quotes from Emmanuel: Set the scene: Scott is at his wits end at dinner, I tell him c'mon Scott, "we're living the dream." Later that evening Emmanuel comes up to me, "Mommy, you living the dream?"

We were lucky enough to have dinner with Emmanuel Johnson Jr. and his Mom, Lorpu, last night. Also his new Auntie Georgette Gray and her son Elvinson. Georgette made it possible for Emmanuel to come here for surgery. Emmanuel is doing so well. You would never know he had been sick. He crawls around and is on the verge of walking. He still has his colostomy bag which will be taken down in two weeks. After six weeks without complications Emmanuel (who they also call E-man) and his mom can return home to Liberia. Right now they are looking at January. Here are some photos, I couldn't stop shooting because he is so cute!!!

Yup, that's right as of Wednesday we will have been home with the kids exactly three months. In some ways it's flown, in some ways it seems like three years and I can't remember life before. We had our three month meeting with our social worker today, who I love. It may be partly due to the fact that she said we are exactly where we should be at three months and she thought things were going well. Of course we put the fear of God into them before she came so they were on their best behavior, I was having flashback to our Embassy interview when they didn't flinch. And Annie napped the whole time. But it was fun to tell her some of our experiences and her to nod as if she's heard it a million times! She even said she drove without a car seat with her son (adopted from Korea) because he screamed so much. Whew!! Our social worker also told us some interesting things about adoption. We all know how adopting girls from China is popular, because the country allows...

Last night at 10, the story we shot while in Liberia aired on WCCO . Sue captured what's going on in Liberia today...as well as our adoption story. We both think the most poignant part of the story is where she says "Alexander Davis came to see what his 4 and 7 year old children's life would be like. He's my children's birth father." It catches you sleeping...you say to yourself, "WHAT?" As Sue says in her story, most of these children are being adopted from families who are still alive. We didn't expect that when we began this process a few years ago...and we're still getting used to the fact that these two beautiful children still have family (whom they know and love) back in Liberia. It's a bit unsettling...until you look at the reality this IS Liberia today. Eighty-five percent unemployment. Very limited infrastructure. A government that is still trying to establish itself...and struggles with instability while fighting accusa...