The Life of the Richardson's

Oklahoma City Memorial

2011-10-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

While we were in Oklahoma we were able to visit the Oklahoma City Memorial. This memorial was built after the Oklahoma City bombing took place in 1995.

The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of 6,^[1] and injured more than 680 people.

There is a chair for every individual that was killed in the bombing. Each chair has that person's name engraved on it and at night the bottom of the chairs light up.

On a corner adjacent to the memorial is a sculpture titled "And Jesus Wept", erected by St. Joseph's Old Cathedral. St. Joseph's, one of the first brick and mortar churches in the city, was almost completely destroyed by the blast.

For more about the Oklahoma City bombing copy and paste this into your browser: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing

The morning after

2011-10-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Kirk and I woke up to the sweetest sound. Andi Grace was squirming in her bassinet ready to eat. I look at her and cannot believe we are in Oklahoma and now have a newborn. The planner in me is freaking out but the mommy in me is enjoying the moment one by one.

Today Andi Grace gave Ema a little surprise for being such an awesome big sister. I am so proud of how Ema is handling the whole baby thing. She is doing great and loves to be a big helper.

Ema is offically the Big Sister!!

2011-10-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

The last week that we shared with Ema before we got Andi Grace was kinda bittersweet for me. All kinds of fears ran through my mind. I wondered how Ema would adjust to not being the center of attention. I wondered how she would do having me dedicate a lot of my time to a newborn. As usual she rolled with it and proved to Kirk and I that she was a "big girl" and she handled it with grace. She has her moments don't get me wrong but each day is better and better. She is a great BIG SISTER!

The moment she had been talking about. She could not wait to hold her.

I love the smile on Ema's face in this picture! She looks so proud!

Our newest addition!

2011-10-04T14:41:00.001-07:00

As most of you already know the last few months the Richardson home has been a little crazy to say the least. I started my new job and so far it has been great. I left for my dreaded 3 week training in Nashville at the beginning of September and I just completed it. OK so where my life completely turned upside down was last Friday. This is how it went. I get done in Nashville and I'm on my way home. Kirk worked from home that day and I wanted to be in Covington in time to pick Ema up from school. I walk in the door around 1:00 and Kirk's phone rang. It's Jeanna - the lady that had been helping us with our adoption process. She called to tell us that "our baby" was born Friday September 23rd around 7:30 am. Kirk and I stood in the living room looking at each other in shock. She continues to tell us that we could come to Oklahoma anytime to see her but she would not be able to be discharged for 7-10 days because she was a premie weighing in at 4 pounds and 15 ounces. Oh the questions that were running through my mind.

1. I have a new job that I haven't even finished training for- How will they feel about it?
2. I am no where near ready to bring a baby home.
3. I have NOTHING for a baby.

I had to begin to prioritize. First I had to finish my training. I only had one more week and that could not be put off so we enjoyed our last weekend as the Richardson 3 and got the ball rolling on our home study. While in Nashville I registered at Babies R Us and did a lot of praying! I came home on Friday, we completed our final touches on our home study, had a baby shower, and packed (again). Saturday we left for Oklahoma for another adventure that God had perfectly planned out for us. We arrived at the airport around 4:30 pm and our life was forever changed at approximately 5:15 pm when we met Andi Grace Richardson.

When we held her for the first time we both were overcome with emotion. She was so tiny. I don't think I had ever held anything so small. She was 4 pounds and 15 ounces of pure joy!

Nothing to do!

2011-08-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Many of you may know that I had a job from you know where and because I am making this blog for a family scrapbook I am not going into any more detail than that.

I was blessed to be able to give my 2 weeks notice last week and was blessed again to be asked to leave immediatly leaving me with a 2 weeks paid vacation. So whats a girl to do with a paid vacation - I was able to take Ema to school and pick her up each day, I have ran almost every morning, and I have cleaned my house from top to bottom. The only part about this new job I am dreading is that I have to go to Nashville for 3 weeks ( home on the weekends ). I cannot stand the thought of being away from Kirk and Ema for that long of a time. I REFUSE to cry this early because I promise I will not stop. So if you guys could use a little extra prayer time PLEASE add me. I am praying that the time flies and that I am able to focus and learn as much as I can. I am also praying that my HUSBAND is reading this and comes to visit me on each WEDNESDAY night after Ema gets out of school. I am a serious homebody and I love to be with my family so being away is going to be hard. There are times when I think " you are going to be fine, you can do this" and then times like today when I am thinking "You will never make it." So enough of my moaning and groaning.

Today Ema and I hung out all day. No cleaning, phones, fussing just me and her playing. We watched DVD's and popped popcorn and snuggled! That is my kind of day! I love this kiddo!

First day of 4K

2011-08-10T14:28:00.001-07:00

Ema's first day of 4K went surprisingly well. We had been preparing her for months about going to school so I figured she would do ok. Getting her out of her routine can be a bit challenging so I was prepared for the worst. Tuesday morning she got up and was ready to go. On the way there she kept saying "I'm a little bit nervous mommy" and "You are going to stay with me Right? Cause I don't want you to leave me" . I thought, Oh brother, this is going to be a nightmare. We got there and I assured her she would have a great time and that all she wrote. She recognized her teacher from her testing session a few months ago and immediately gave her a big hug. I was so thankful.

Walking into school. Look at the expression on her face. She was so excited!

Ema and Ms Lindey

I put her necklace around her neck and Ema says "Thank you mommy. Don't worry I'm going to be ok."

Ema-
Taking you to school was a lot easier then I imagined. I guess you being so strong willed and independent helps a lot. I worried about little things you might encounter at school. (how will she get the straw in her juice pack, what if she can't wash her hands after she goes to the potty, how will she wash her hands before lunch) As soon as I picked you up you said "mommy I don't need hand sanitizer because my teacher gives us germ x before lunch." I asked you about the straw in your juice pack and if someone helped you and you responded a little annoyed by the question "NO mommy, I did it all by myself." I love that so far you are very confident and you don't mind admitting that you may be a little nervous. I love you so much and Ba' and I are so blessed to have you in our lives. I am so excited for you and this upcoming school year! I hope you have the best year ever! You make us so proud!

Love-
Mommy

Ema's request

2011-08-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

Preparing for our first day of school was so much fun. I asked Ema if she had any special request for her lunch box She responds "chocolate oatmeal cookies". So chocolate oatmeal cookies it was. She has loves these since we brought her home.

Ema eating peanut butter straight from the jar. I swear its like I gave birth to her.

She can hardly wait until they are dry. She "checks" them often!

Another 1st!

2011-07-24T08:57:00.001-07:00

Well we have had another 1st with Ema. She walked out onto our porch and was stung by a wasp. Oh my... I really don't think I have ever heard her scream like that. What you cannot see in this picture is the swollen place. Its was swollen for days. Poor Baby!

Camille's Trip 2011

2011-07-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Every year we are blessed to have Camille visit for several days.
I am always amazed at how much she has grown in a year. Kirk and I have known Camille since she was born. She was and still is a very special part of our lives.
I remember when Ken and Kellie moved - I think I cried for months. I was use to seeing Camille everyday it seemed and I could not imagine going months or years without seeing her. I have to say that Kellie and I have kept in touch through the years and allowing Camille to come and visit is something we always look forward to.
Ema adores Camille! Its funny at how much Ema reminds me of Camille when she was her age. We had 5 days of nonstop beat downs playing Wipeout on the Wii, Camille showed us her cooking talent and baked us peach cobbler, we took Camille and Ema to the Lady Tigers basketball court and toured their facilities, lots of golf cart rides and pool time.

This is the face that Camille used to get ice cream at 10:30 pm! She must know what it takes because we all loaded up and headed to Sonic!

FYI: Camille is a great cook but she definitely does not take after her mother with her housekeeping skills! (Just Saying)Half way through I was wondering what I had gotten myself into!

Ema modeling Camille's clothes after they had been shopping with DeeDee

Sending Camille back home is dreaded from the moment that she arrives and I think we can say that neither Camille nor I are good at saying goodbye.

We LOVE you Camille Grace Johnson see you soon!!!!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July is always a day that I can get emotional over.
If Ema was still in Vietnam she wouldn't get to celebrate this holiday. She wouldn't get to see the fireworks like we have here, no big family get together with lots of yummy food, and most of all she would not have the freedom that we have here.
I will always be so grateful to Vietnam for allowing us to come there to get our daughter. We were treated with nothing but kindness while there for 13 days but living in the USA is something that many in Vietnam dream of.
I still remember some of the girls there touching Ema and saying "Lucky baby".
Having Ema with us here in the USA is the greatest gift and makes this holiday more special to us than it has ever been.

You have to know what she was doing here. She was given some of those poppers that you throw on the ground and they pop. She loved to pop them right beside your foot to scare you.

Pickwick 2011

2011-07-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

We were asked to join the Smith's and the Sampson's for a fun filled weekend at Pickwick.

I have to admit that I was a little nervous about this trip for a few reasons.

I am not a "roughing it" kind of person and when I think of the lake/river- I think of roughing it.
Ema is only 4 years old and she cannot swim. I do not allow her to swim unless we are with her. What if she gets out of my sight.
Ema sometimes is fearful of the pool so she will never get in the lake and what will I do with a 4 year old that will not get in the water.
I know there are snakes in that water and NO lake is big enough for me and a snake!

So those thoughts ran through my mind while we drove to Pickwick. Once we got there I suddenly realized we would not be "roughing it" at all. (Thanks Chad for not giving us directions to a dump house)

The next morning we loaded the kids up and off to the lake we went.

Christopher, Ema, Maddie, and Benjamin

This was when my third fear that was proven to be unecessary.

Ema LOVED the water. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't jumping off the boat or anything but she loved swimming around. I couldn't believe it! She swam around like a little fish!

That's right! She even got on the tube (or whatever its called) She was grinning from ear to ear. I think I have a little daredevil on my hands!

What a cute bunch of kiddos!

I have to admit that I did not see any snakes but we did see a raccoon. This raccoon lead to a very interesting conversation amongst Leigh, Susan and myself that proved my friend Leigh's intelligence about wildlife. This is how the conversation went...

Susan: Look at that raccoon!
Leigh: Raccoon's won't bother you. Raccoon's are like cat's they cannot swim!

The following day at breakfast Leigh says "You know I have been thinking about that Raccoon. Raccoon's can swim. They have to swim to build all those damns in the water."

Emily: That's not a raccoon that is a beaver!

Thank you Leigh for inviting us to the Lake! I learned a lot at the lake.

Never take your phone to the lake!
If you take your phone make sure you have a bag of rice at the house
Wear cheap sunglasses not Ray-Ban's.
You know nothing about Raccoon's or Beavers!

Happy 4th Birthday Ema!

2011-07-23T13:51:00.001-07:00

This year we tried to do a simple party so we decided to have a pool party at the CCC. It was HOT and the perfect place for the kids to run, play, and swim. Ema wanted a mermaid party so that is what triggered the idea to have it at the pool. We cooked out and had cake and ice cream and everything was wonderful. I always stress when it comes to Ema's Birthday party and in the end I stress for nothing because it always turns out great.

Ema's Gift Table

Ema also wanted the mermaid on her cake to look like her so YES we had a mermaid that had black hair. Yummy right!

Smile for a group picture! Everyone seemed to have a great time! Thank You guys for celebrating Ema's Birthday with us!

We have a tradition that doesn't just happen at Birthday's but anytime there are balloons. Dayton ( our God son that is now in heaven) LOVED balloons but for one reason. He loved to let them go. So now that he is not physically here with us, anytime Ema gets a balloon, she lets it go. She thinks it flies to Heaven to Dayton. So here is our picture of us letting our balloons go! We love you Dayton and miss you so much!

ONE MORE THING.....

Ema-
Your Ba' and I are so proud of you and we love you SO much!
We are so thankful that God placed us together as a family. Watching you grow and seeing your personality blossom right before our eyes is amazing.
You continue to be strong willed and independent and VERY competitive. (I have no idea where you get that from) We pray that God uses that big personality of yours in a big way and that you grow up loving the Lord with all your heart.
You fill our home and our hearts with NOTHING but joy.
We love you Ema Li Yen Richardson and we hope you had the best Birthday ever!

Love-
Mommy and Ba'

Dancing Girl!

2011-07-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be

She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see

Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teentie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the blanket she wanted to stay

Ema always has been and I guess she always will be a performer. She LOVES dance class and her recitals are always so much fun.

Congratulations Ema Li on completing another dance recital. You always know how to make us smile. We are so proud of you!

Destin 2011

2011-07-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

This year we were able to go to the beach in Destin. We loaded the car up and off we drove the whole 8 hours with Ema in the back watching her DVD's. Oh how I needed a 7 day vacation at the most peaceful place I know. This trip was mainly for relaxation and to get away from the craziness of life. There was no shopping (can you believe it), No cooking, and LOTS of memories. Ema loved the beach. She loved the ocean and made sand castles and sand mermaids everyday. Now that Ema is 4 it seems as though she is more comfortable with the ocean and doesn't mind the sand as bad as last year. We had so much fun and it was a much needed getaway.

2011-07-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

OK so where do I begin? A lot has happened since my last post. With work, summer vacation, birthday's, and something else that I will mention later on time just gets away. So lets begin to catch up. First was Mother's Day! Ema is always gets so excited when therey kind of holiday. I guess she gets that after me. I LOVE getting together with friends and family and who doesn't enjoy getting sweet surprises. Every year we go to my mom's house and eat lunch after church. Its always nice because my grandparents are there and we have Ema as entertainment.

I love this picture! I am so blessed that both of my grandparents are still living and are in good health. I have some great memories with my grandparents!

2011-07-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

Well as you can see we have under construction. I cannot wait to share all that has been going on with the Richardson's this summer!

Our Royal Wedding

2011-04-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

How exciting to be able to watch the Royal wedding with Ema. She has been looking forward to this since she heard that a Prince was getting married. I decided to have our own little "Royal Wedding Party" while we watch it together. I have to say that I was just as excited about this as she was. I have grown up listening to my mom talk about watching the wedding of Princess Diana. She was married days after I was born and my mom talks about being at my grandmothers house watching the most beautiful wedding ever. I wanted this to be something special for Ema. She may not get the chance to see this again in her lifetime. I went all out-we decorated the living room, we had a small wedding cake. I surprised Ema with a dress up wedding dress, crown and veil. She even had her own bouquet. She was amazed!

He Lives!

2011-04-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

This year our Church had an Easter program. I have to say that I was a little nervous because the last church program we had turned comical when Ema and Cade got into a screaming match. I was mortified and so embarrassed but I had no control. So this program we told Ema - NO SCREAMING- Just do what Alexander does. Alexander is a good kid. He seems to be a rule follower where Ema is usually the rule breaker. They did very good. Singing and dancing.....

I love this picture of her! Such a blessing from God!

UNTIL....

Yep! It had to happen! I think Alexander was the leader this time. Who care? It was a cute moment !

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

What kid doesn't love to hunt Easter eggs. Well its even better when you get to hunt Easter egs with Alexander . Ema and Alexander are really close friends. Alexander is such a sweet boy. We joke that if they end up together we would not be disappointed.

Ema thinks all eggs should open up and have chocolate inside it.

Here are a few pictures taken in front of our church. The azalea's were in full bloom and were too beautiful not to get pictures of.

It wouldn't be Easter without a picture with the Easter bunny!

Hoppy Easter!

2011-04-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

I love Easter! We always have family over to our house so that the grandparents and great grandparents can play with Ema and help her hunt Easter eggs.
I am very blessed to have both sets of grandparents still here and healthy. This year has been a little rough for me but I have to say that during the trials that I have gone through I am learning a lot. God has blessed me in so many ways. I have a great family, great friends, a wonderful daughter that is constantly making me laugh, a husband that is out of this world, and a heavenly father that LOVES me more than I can imagine. So this Easter that is what I focused on, no matter what is going on around me, there is someone that see's the real me. He loved me so much he allowed his son to die on the cross for ME.
Here a a few memories from Easter 2011. We hope you had a wonderful Easter holiday!

Mother Mother, Ema, and Nanny

Easter Bunny Surprise!

2011-04-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that I have registered Ema for school. I know it is only preschool but It seems like yesterday Kirk and I were on our way to Vietnam to bring her home. She has gone from a shy and timid little girl to a very outgoing little lady. She brings so much joy to my life! I know she will LOVE school but I know that she will grow up so fast. I thank God everyday for placing her in our lives and I pray that he uses her BIG personality to glorify him as she grows up. Here are some pictures from her preschool testing.

Ema getting ready to take her test!

(Sorry for the grainy picture. I had to take it through the window)

And then she was done! Way to go Ema Li!

Go Lucy Go!!!!

2011-03-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

I felt that this was a blog moment! I was putting my sticker on and I noticed that I have sweet Lucy's sticker and my race team sticker and they pretty much say it all!

I believe that people can beat what statistics say. Look at me! To be able to get out and run like I do, I thank God. Kirk and I joined this team (Team 413) last year before our half marathon in Nashville. This bible verse became "my verse" after I was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis). It's on my shoe tag, its engraved Kirk's wedding ring, and throughout my house. There are times when I forget I have it and there are times when it is obvious to me and to no one else. I WILL NOT let it rule my life but it has made me more grateful. My life would be totally different without MS. Without it I wouldn't know my daughter. I don't know why I was blessed with MS but that alone is enough for me. You may think I am NUTS but I BELIEVE that one day, I am going to be healed of MS. I believe that with all my heart.

I said all that to say- I believe that Lucy will be healed as well. I believe we serve a God that is still in the miracle making business. I pray that God gives Lucy JOY, COMFORT, and PEACE in the upcoming days. I pray that he gives her the spunk that all 5 year old's should have!

Happy St. Patricks Day

2011-03-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have the best mom ever! She remembers EVERY holiday and always go all out to make it special. You would think that since Kirk and I are "adults" that the excitement might fade and but it doesn't. Now that Ema is here it is even more fun!

Everything in these baskets were GREEN! Green razors, Green shaving cream, Green Lysol (for me of course), Green gum and a four leaf clover charm for our bracelets! Thanks mom, you are the best mom and Dee Dee EVER!!!

The Lords Prayer 2011

2011-03-18T11:55:00.001-07:00

Sunday when we were in church, we were saying the Lord's Prayer. Ema was sitting in my lap finishing the ends of the sentences, or at the time I thought that was what she was doing. Later that night, I started saying it and she again began to finish my sentences. I was shocked. I had no idea she knew that prayer. SO we have practiced and practiced and this is what have! I am so proud of her !

You may have to go to the bottom of my page and pause my music to be able to hear her.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Love Birds!

2011-03-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

When we built our house, a mockingbird built a nest in our gutters. It was a very smart place to built a nest because it never gets wet due to where she built it. After she had her babies, the next spring, a Dove moved in and had babies there. Now, every spring a set of Doves come and have babies in that same nest. Monday morning, I woke up and was laying in bed praying for Erik, Kate, and Lucy and I heard doves coo'ing. I didn't think much about it but when we left to go to work this is what we found....

That's right! They are back! Meet Sally and Fred!

Gotta put your hands up

2011-03-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

This was the first year Ema has played a sport. Well, I wouldn't say she played but she was out there and that is all that matters! Ema was asked to complete a team that was lacking enough players to have a full team. Ema is 3 (almost 4) and the team was 5 and 6 year old kids.

In the beginning it was difficult to even get her to go out there because she would say "I don't like it! They are all bigger than me." Eventually she warmed up to it and did great. The referees did a great job at showing them the basics of the game. Ema got to take the ball out A LOT and they would pick her up and allow her to make a free throw so she could score a point too.

I really hoped she would have started guarding someone by the time it was over but that never happened. I tried to tell her that when the other team had the ball to take it from them and Ema says "NO mommy, we have to share". What do you say to that? Pretty much every game, this is what Ema did...

She may have not been the best basketball player but the referee's loved her and seemed to enjoy her company!

2011 Champions!!!

I will have to admit, it was a great way to spend you Saturday morning! We laughed a lot, went to the bathroom a lot, drank a lot of poweraid and the most important part was WE ALWAYS WON! (that's what we told Ema)

Thank you Molly for being so sweet and for asking us to be on your team! Ema had a great time and is still sporting that medal!

Ohhhh T- I- G- E- R- S Tigers!!!!

2011-03-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows Kirk knows he LOVES basketball. Some of our best times together involves going to TIGER basketball games. When Ema came into our lives, she tagged along with us! Now we have quite the little tiger fan on our hands. She loves the cheerleader and sometimes even loves pouncer!

I wish I knew this cheerleaders name because Ema absolutely adored her. She would watch them cheer and would try to do exactly what they were doing. The best is when the band plays "I'm So Glad, I Go to the U of M". while we were in Vietnam That was one of the songs I would sing to Ema to get her to go to sleep. To this day she loves that song. When they play it she stands up and sings it proudly!

Looking forward to Spring

2011-03-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

As I write this I am looking out my window and watching the birds eat from their feeder and looking at the beautiful flowers and tress that are loving the sunshine. This was not the case about 2 months ago when we had snow on the ground every week. It was beautiful, but I love what I am seeing now! Ema has NEVER been a fan of the cold weather. Every night she ask- Mommy and Ba' - in my morning (that's in the morning) is it going to be winter or summer? Not that we can control the weather but she has to know.

This is how Ema prefers to enjoy a good snow day:

But every mommy HAS to have a picture of their child in the snow:

Our First Dance Recital

2011-03-02T17:18:00.001-08:00

So all of you who know Ema would probably agree that she is a performer. She is the happiest child if she is dressed up in what she calls "clickity clackity shoes" (high heel shoes) and a tutu. Because she loves to dress up , dance, and sing, we decided to see how she would do in a dance class.

I thought maybe it was a little early because she is only 3 and I had my doubts about what she would really remember when it came down to it. I have to say I was very surprised at her first dance recital! She did very well! It was very clear that she was in her comfort zone. I expected her to get stage fright and do nothing or maybe even start to cry once she realized tons of people would be watching. Nope, not Ema she danced like she had been doing it for years. It was the funniest thing! Here are a few memories from her recital!

Gotch Day

2011-03-02T16:57:00.000-08:00

Yes I am a little behind! OK! I am way far behind and yes it stresses me out. Every weekend I say I am going to catch up but life gets in the way and I am back to where I started, stressing out about my blog. So here I go...Let's play catch up! We celebrated Ema's second Gotcha Day in November! I cannot believe it has been 2 years! I still remember Vietnam like it was yesterday! I remember the anxiety I had that morning as I woke up and looked out my window and saw this

I remember going to visit her and expecting her to just KNOW that we were her mommy and Ba' and getting everything but that. I remember having dreams that when we met that she would hold her arms out as if she just knew that we were the ones. Boy were we in for a major surprise.

I am amazed at how fast she has grown and become my little southern Vietnamese child. I never knew how much I could love a child until Ema was placed with us. We are so blessed to have her. She keeps me laughing and there is never a dull moment at the Richardson home.

The Imagination of a child!

2010-10-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes she is a princess, sometimes she is a cook, and sometimes she is a musician. Today she was both. Today Ema was very quite playing quietly in her room. I went to check on her and this is what I found. Ema the chef teaching her Tinkerbell how to play the pa nano (piano)! Too Cute!

Tiger or Bulldog?

2010-10-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

Well the answer to this question would be Bulldog because we stunk it up during this game! Ema and Maggie had a lot of fun so that's good. Actually I have to say that Mag's was leaning towards the TIGER during this game. She didn't care that they were loosing. Ema yelled "YOU CAN DO It!" The innocent minds of a child. Who cares who is winning it's all about the mascot!

This is Ema before heading to Starkville

Ema's and Maggie BFF's

2010-10-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Ema and Maggie always have a great time when they are together. Wednesday, Maggie brought Ema a cookie that she had made Ema at school. Maggie had to make a cookie for a friend and she picked Ema. I hope these girls grow up and continue to be friends. (Maybe some of Maggie's calmness will rub off on Ema)

Ema's partial dream come true!

2010-10-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

Recently we bought tickets to Disney on Ice. Ema is fascinated by Snow Wipe (White). She LOVES this movie and everything about her so we knew Ema would love this show. After Kirk had seriously hurt his ankle and endured me driving him to Memphis and having to pay to park in the garage (all of which he is against) we finally made it. Unfortunately Kirk had to jump down about 50 steps and back up them when it was over but the show was worth it. Ema pretty much sat amazed during the entire show. She kept asking me to have Snow Wipe come shake her hand. This didn't happen but she loved it anyways!

Meet Sully our Jack o Lantern

2010-10-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

We have the first Richardson jack o lantern. His name is Sully and he lives on our front porch.

Ema for some strange reason kept saying "Let's eat him" I'm not sure why she thought we would eat the pumpkin but she did. Sully is so cute at night lighting out our porch.

Follow the yellow brick road

2010-09-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

This years theme to our Heritage Day Festival was from the Wizard of Oz. Everyone decorated their wagons and got their kiddo's dressed up and paraded around the square. This year Maggie and Ema rode together and I have to say, they were the cutest little Dorothy's around!

I have to give a shout out to mom for making their dresses at the last minute! Thanks mom, what would I do without you!

Happy Birthday to ME!

2010-08-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Yeah this is a little late but well worth the post!

This year for my birthday Kirk had the ultimate surprise planned. I have to give him credit, he is an awesome gift giver. He always puts so much thought into everything he does. The morning of my birthday he had a gift bag with this attached.

Inside was our flight tickets to Myrtle Beach! Yes this was great and I couldn't wait to get away for a while but the best part of the whole trip was waiting at the airport. Kirk surprised me by having some close friends there waiting on us!

Krista is one of my very best friends! We haven't known each other very long (3 years maybe)but it feels like a lifetime. She had moved to Memphis and had started working with Methodist. She was placed with me for and introduction to homecare and for training. I still remember picking her up in Millington at the Dollar Tree, talking about how I was waiting to adopt Ema, and eating at McAllisters everyday. She has since moved back to West Virginia and I miss her so much. This beach trip was awesome. I got to meet her new baby Maddox and he is PRECIOUS!

Even though we don't get to see them very much, it's like we just pick up where we left off. That's what is so great about our relationship! I love ya Krista and can't wait to see you soon!

Happy Birthday Dayton!

2010-07-28T03:26:00.001-07:00

Today we are celebrating Dayton's 10th Birthday! For those of you who did not know Dayton, he was the strongest little kid I know. He faced many challenges in his life and overcame them one by one. We have SO many memories of him and we will always cherish them. We miss this little guy so much. It still seems unreal sometimes when we think of him not being HERE but we KNOW that he is safe in the arms of Jesus. Praise God that we can find peace and comfort in that.

Chris and Amy- We are praying for you today. I cannot imagine the highs and lows that you must go through on a daily basis. We cannot Thank You enough for letting us be a part of Daytons life. Thank you for all the memories that we have shared together. We love you guys and hope God gives you both peace and comfort today and in the days to come.

Call me crazy if you want to !

2010-07-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

This summer Camille and her little brother came to visit us. That's RIGHT.....I had a 3 year old, a 5 year old and a 10 year old all at the same time. More importantly......I survived and so did the kids! Don't get me wrong, there were times when my patience was tested (by the two younger kids) but at the end of the day everyone was semi happy! Ha Ha Ha! We had a great time really! Golf cart riding , swimming, shopping, dancing, was just a few of the things on our agenda. Camille always looks forward to seeing Abey and Raygen.

It is a must that theses girls get together. They always try to talk me into having a sleep over but lucky for me, softball got in the way of these plans. Anyways, we always enjoy their visit to Tennessee and hope this tradition continues for years to come.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

Having the 4th fall on a Sunday seemed like a great thing however there wasn't enough time to get everything to fit into our schedule. We started out Friday night celebration with the firework show in Munford. I have always loved to watch fireworks. We never buy them because it always seems like a total waste of money so having someone else pop them is defiantly the way to go.

Saturday we turned down a REALLY fun race to have dinner with some great friends and Sunday was church! After church and a much needed nap, we were off to the pool. Ema is not really a fan of the water but today she was very comfortable with Ms' Sheri's float. Usually she only wants to sit on the steps and watch everyone else play. After the pool we went to my grandparents for some good food and family time.

Pat Pat the tiny footed guitar player

2010-07-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

Pat Pat came to visit Ema on Sunday after her party and brought Ema her birthday presents. As usual, Ema dressed up and Pat Pat dressed up and Ema's imagination ran wild.

You probably had to be here to see exactly how funny Pat Pat looked with the tiny boots the tiny cow girl hat and the guitar. She looked like something you would see at those shows at the fair. The ones that you pay $1 to see something funny!

Happy Birthday Ema!

2010-07-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Well my baby girl is now 3! I cannot believe how fast she is growing! It seems like yesterday we were in Vietnam and she was just a baby! Now she is a little girl that is full of life and has her own little personality and attitude!

We started our morning off with Birthday wishes from Ms. Sherri! Ms. Sherri is our neighbor and Ema LOVES to yell at her while she is walking.

Then it was off to the ice cream and cake party! This year I tried to do a simple party but seriously, is any party ever simple. The most important thing is that Ema had a great time! She got lots of great gifts and enjoyed dancing and playing.
Ema has always loved BIRTHDAYS! This year she learned "My Birthday come June 5th" and she made sure that everyone knew it! This year was exciting because she actually understood that it was her party and that she was 3!

After the party, we went to the pool because Amy and Molly had to work! Ema let a balloon go for Dayton! (this was something he LOVED to do)

Ema Li,

I cannot believe how much you have changed since the first time I met you! You have grown into a sweet child with a sweet spirit! I thank God everyday that he brought us together as a family. You are living proof that God exist! He placed us together even though we were on opposites ends of the world and what a perfect match! I love you so much and I am so proud of you! I pray that God does wonderful things with your life!

Love, Ma'

Saddle Up!

2010-06-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

This was Ema's first year at vacation bible school! Mom took her to Mt. Lebanon and Ema loved it. Each day she had to dress in cowgirl attire! Well you know she had to have PINK cowgirl boots, PINK cowgirl hat, and a PINK guitar! She was the cutest cowgirl around!

Every night she would come home singing "shoooo fly don't bother me" and " I will cast my cares on the Lord". She made a craft and was always so proud to show it to us. Of course the Brown Horsey picture was her favorite because my mom makes up stories and has a Brown Horsey story that Ema LOVES! She can almost recite it herself from beginning to end.

Anyways,if you haven't seen Ema preform you are really missing out. She puts on quite a show!

Memorial Day

2010-06-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

We spent Memorial Day at the pool and at my grandparents cooking out. As usual Ema had to have bubbles! She absolutely loves bubbles! Me writing this on my blog will not do it justice but we experienced a first with these bubbles. My mom would blow the bubbles and Ema would say " I want to do do do do it!" It was hilarious! I think she was trying to say "I want to do it" and it came out "I want to do do do do it

Ba' the Builder

2010-06-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

Kirk did a beautiful job building our pergola! It feels like a new room added to our house. Ema encouraged Kirk while he worked by singing "Ba' the builder , he can fix it!" Thank you Ba' for working so hard! I am sure we will have lots of memories and great family time spent under our pergola!

Before:

After:

Zoom through the zoo

2010-06-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Zoom though the zoo has always been a favorite race of mine! 4 miles is a great distance and running through the zoo provides good scenery. Ema and mom had a great time dodging the snakes (wink!) while Kirk ran in the extreme heat!

Summertime Fun

2010-06-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

After going to Mary Claire's birthday party and having a BLAST in her swimming pool we had to get one ourselves. Ema loves the water. As you can see she LOVES to water my flowers which is fine with me because they are normally in need for a good drink.

Go Chargers Go!

2010-05-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today we got up bright and early to see the Lady Chargers off to Murfreesboro. We had to see Molly to wish her good luck before she left. So if you are reading this Molly, GOOD LUCK! We love you and will be listening to the radio tonight and the nights to come! Have fun!!!!

We are ADOPTIVE parents and are loveing every minute

2010-05-25T09:47:00.001-07:00

I stole this from a friend's blog! This is too cute not to post!

You Know You're An Adoptive Parent IF...

1. The fact that there are 147 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.
2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love & family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without tears.
4. The fact that, if just 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.
5. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who've experienced the blessing of adoption.
6. It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's "real" parents.
7. You were "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth.
8. You'd no idea how you'd afford to adopt, but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing he'd provide.
9. You've taken an airplane half-way around the world to meet your child.
10. You believe God's heart is for adoption.
11. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart & family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.
12. You know what the word "Dossier" means & you can actually pronounce it correctly!
13. You've welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.
14. You shudder when people say your child's so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you're the blessed one to have him or her in your life.

Fun Times

2010-05-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Some of my greatest memories as a child was those spent with my Nanny and Pawpaw! I remember Nanny hanging clothes out on the clothes line in the summer and I loved running through them. They smelled so good and were cool so it felt good. I loved riding my bike all over their big yard, helping nanny in her garden, or just relaxing. Seems like now, life is so busy, we forget about the simple things in life that makes you feel good on the inside. This past weekend, we went to Nanny and Pawpaw's and I remembered all the good times that was spent there. As usual they were planing veggies in their garden, working in the flower beds, etc. Ema has such a good time there. She runs a plays and keeps everyone laughing.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

This Mother's Day was a little different for me for many reasons. I have two special people in my life that make mothers day mean a little more to me than it usually would. Don't get me wrong I had a wonderful day but this year I had two other people on my mind throughout the day. First, I thought of Ema's biological mother a lot. I thought about how she was a very selfless person and how she gave me the greatest gift.....Ema. I don't know if they celebrate mother's day in Vietnam but I couldn't help but wonder if she thought of Ema today. I am committing myself to pray for her daily. I pray that the God of peace and understanding will give just that. I pray that somehow she know that Ema is loved beyond her comprehension. I pray that God will give her peace about the decision that she made to allow Ema to be adopted. I don't know if we will ever know her or if Ema will ever be able to meet her but she is a very special person to us!

Second,I thought of my Amy! God love her, mother's day will always be hard for her! We miss Dayton so much and mother's day really hits hard. Amy, if you are reading this, We love you and you know we pray for you daily and I personally find it exciting to see both you and Chris staying so strong when I think I would fall apart. You were a WONDERFUL mother to Dayton! Thank you for letting us be his God parents and for all the good memories that we share!

OK, now I have to give Kirk and Ema credit because they surprised me this year with two beautiful white rocking chairs for my front porch. I love sitting on our front porch watching the golfers play and waving at the people driving by. Kirk always said he likes the back porch better but Saturday he got up a little earlier than I did and I couldn't find him. He was rocking and drinking coffee. :) We visited with family on Mothers Day and then spent the rest of the day together. It was a great day! Thank you Kirk and Ema for making Mother's Day such a great day for me.

Oh, my sweet little Ema

2010-05-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

Today I was doing the usual, cooking dinner, cleaning,etc and I heard Ema in her room talking up a storm. I glanced in and this is what I saw......(Ms. Pat if the last post made you laugh you better get ready)

I am not real sure why the chef's hat, high heel shoes, and the iron but that's My sweet little Ema's imagination! It always keeps us wondering!

Ema's Birthday Tree

2010-05-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

Every year we have to get a picture of Ema beside this tree. Our neighborhood gave us this tree on Ema's birthday during the long wait of our adoption. Ema calls this her birthday tree and was SO dissapointed when the pink flowers fell off. Jan Hensley, how dare you get us a tree that doesn't bloom all year. Ema cried for atleast an hour when she saw that there were no more flowers! :)

Our future racer.....

2010-04-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

To our surprise, Ema LOVES running in races with us. She loves to be pushed in her running stroller but insist on getting her own bib and race chip for her shoe. The Youth Villages 5k was her first race this year and she had a blast!

Easter Blessings

2010-04-07T07:02:00.000-07:00

We started our Easter celebrations off with Palm Sunday. Ema got to walk out with the other kids at church waving palm leaves. She did so good!

Dying Easter eggs was quite an experience. These pictures may look a little redneck because she has her shirt off but I didn't want her to get egg dye on her outfit. Ema loved dying eggs. She liked the pink and "Tiger blue" eggs the best. The orange dye was "Yucky Orange".

Sunday Morning Kirk and I got up early to see the sunrise then Ema got up and got her Easter basket. She was so excited.

NaNa made Ema a homemade bunny! She opened it and said "Ohhhhhh my goodness! "

This year Easter dinner was at our house. I believe that this was the most beautiful Easter that I can remember. The weather was wonderful for hunting easter eggs. She got an Easter basket from everyone that came over which was so exciting for her.

What do we do on a nice sunny day?

2010-03-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day last Wednesday. I was off with Ema and we spent most of the day outside. It was too pretty to spend inside. When Kirk got home Ema wanted to go ride on the golf cart and play gold with Ba'. If she grew up to LOVE golf he would be so happy!

What a way to spend St. Patricks Day!

2010-03-27T06:26:00.000-07:00

Before Ema holidays like St. Patricks Day were not really that important to us. But now I feel this need to celebrate ALL holidays. So for St. Patricks day we made white chocolate covered pretzels with green sprinkles and gave them to grandparents and friends. (thanks Amy Beasley for the idea) :) Ema had an extra special day because her Pat Pat came and watched her while Kirk and I had to go out. Naturally, Ema got lots of prizes (that is what Ema calls presents)and had a blast. Thank you Pat Pat for watching Ema, she misses you so much!

Milestones

2010-03-24T12:18:00.001-07:00

Well I do believe that Ema is GROWING UP! You would think that would make me happy but really, it makes me a little sad! You guys might think I am crazy but I can see her changing right before my eyes! First it was potty training- don't get me wrong I was glad to be done with diapers but that was the first step to her becoming a "big girl". Second was sleeping habits. Getting her to sleep in her own bed has not been easy. From birth she has had someone in her bed (so we were told). Bringing her here set her back a little and the crib thing just never really worked for her. After the toddler bed it was better but her staying in her bed all night was a problem. See, Ema is a rocker! She loves for me to ROCK her for naps, bedtime, and just for pleasure. I can see her now as an old woman sitting on her porch.....ROCKING! Our routine every night is dinner, baths, and rocking. Most nights it takes me rocking for 2+ hours and sometimes she is still awake. On nights when she does drift off to sleep, she goes into her bed, but if she is still awake, she is in our bed. This is mostly because by this point I am TIRED and just cannot rock anymore. Everyone keeps telling me, "When she is ready, she will get out". I never could put her into her bed and let her cry, if she wanted me to rock her I would and I actually love rocking her! I just didn't want her to be 6 and still sleeping with us. I may be speaking too soon but I think we have reached another milestone this week. Ema has slept in her own bed ALL NIGHT for 4 nights now! She is so proud in the mornings when we get her up and she is still in her bed! I swear, she will be going to college before I know it! :)
And today- this is what inspired me to post this! We ate lunch with my dad and when we got back home it was nap time. Ema crawls into my lap and like usual she says "rock the baby mommy", so I did. After about 2 minutes of rocking she kisses me on my cheek and says, "MOMMY, Ema want to lay down and she points to her blanket that I had ready on the couch" I put her down and off to sleep she went!

She is a big girl!

Can someone help me find my baby girl!

2010-03-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

Today while I was off with Ema, I could not help but notice how much she is growing. Where did my baby go? She use to be the child that was totally dependent on us and that could barely speak English. Now she is a VERY independent little girl with a type A personality and who constantly tells me "I do it myself". She runs around here singing, cheering, and dancing and always makes me laugh even when I don't need to because she is being aggravating. She finds is easy to tell us "NO" but somehow cannot remember the meaning of NO when we say it to her. She is a never ending bundle of energy and I cannot remember nor do I want to remember my life before her.
I took these pictures today. As usual, she was wanting more Cadbury eggs after I told her no, so she gave me this look. She has been doing this a lot and has learned that it is too cute.

Happy Valentines Day

2010-03-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day has never been a bog deal to Kirk and I. We might go out to eat and get a card for each other and that about it. This year, like everyone else, we felt like we needed to celebrate it for Ema. She was so excited when she got up and had presents. Who wouldn't be? Here are pictures from Valentines Day morning.

Ema's Prayer

2010-03-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

Saturday we enjoyed our last Memphis home game. Ema had a blast this year at the games. She made it to all but three. Everyone around us loved watching her cheer ohhhhhhhh......T....I...G....E...R....S- TIGERS and her all time favorite song I'm so glad! We worried before getting Ema that she might not like going to the tiger games. Not a problem! Saturday when we got home we were getting our baths and Ema looked and me and Mommy Ema want to pray. SO I said OK and she began......

JESUS....um...um...thank you for mommy, Ba, Dee Dee Pops, Amy and Kiss (that's Chris)...Jesus Ema no more Titee games... no no...thank you Titee games. Amen! So Sweet!

Made me want to cry!

Family Night at the Richardson's

2010-02-20T07:57:00.000-08:00

If you asked me what is something I enjoy doing with my family, I would have to say, spending time at home playing the Wii and listening to Ema laugh. Last night we had one of these nights. Kirk and I played the Wii and Ema joined in as usual. She is a little young for the Wii but her creative mind never ceases to amaze us. Everyone knows what a Wii controller looks like, right? Ema gets her pretend flat iron and that is her controller. Can you see the resemblance?

Kirk loves to play basketball and golf on the Wii. Ema joined right in. It was so funny because she would watch Kirk and then tried to copy everything he did.

She really thought she was doing something. She would say, go Ema, then she would say to Kirk, High 5 Ba'!

She is growing up so much. This time last year she was so little and very overwhelmed by all the new surroundings. She has come such a long way and has developed her own personality that brings us so much joy.

Our Surprise Snow

2010-02-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

What a surprise, more snow! Now that Ema has her new boots, she can go out and play! We built our first snow woman. Ema wanted to name her Ducky. I am not sure why, but that is her name. She was a small snow woman but she was BEAUTIFUL.

Originally she sat on the ledge around out air conditioner but Kirk moved her under our Japanese maple tree right outside our breakfast window. Every night, Ema would go to the window and tell her good night!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRK

2010-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Kirk's Birthday on Tuesday. Most of you probably don't know this but Ema LOVES telling you HAPPY BIRTHDAY. We think it is because her birthday party last year was the most exciting thing she had ever been to so she loves Birthday's. For example, at night she will say.... I Love You Ma', Happy Birthday Ma'. I Love You Ba', Happy Birthday Ba'. It's really sweet. We think her saying Happy Birthday is like the ULTIMATE I Love You! She was thrilled when I woke her up and told her it was Ba's Birthday. She couldn't wait to get to him and give him her card!

SNOW DAY #1

2010-02-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

Ema loves the snow this year. Last year we had just gotten home with her so she wasn't to crazy about it but that is not the case now. Our first snow day was not that great because Ema was getting sick and we wouldn't let her go out. At the time she just had the usual runny nose but that progressed into a low grade fever, then to a very high fever I could barely keep down, then to trip to the pediatrician on Monday to find out we have the FLU! It's one thing to be snowed in but to be snowed in with a VERY sick baby is another thing. Before she began running fever we did let her go out on the patio for about 2 minutes just to feel the snow since snow is rare here in Tennessee. Here are our pictures from our first snow day in 2010.

Ema kept telling me lay down momma! She wanted me to make a snow angel. Then once we came inside she wanted to call her Nanny and PawPaw to tell them that she went outside. She said Ema put hat on, Ema put gloves on, Ema put jacket on. Ema have no boots. So guess what.....Ema now has a cute pair of cotton candy Croc boots! That girl already knows how to work the grand and great grand parents!

2009-12-19T07:14:00.001-08:00

This post is way out or order but it is too cute not to post. In the fall, my mom went out of town and my dad was going to take Ema to church while Kirk and I ran in a race. I had everything laid out for him so he would not have a hard time. When it was time for them to come home, Ema was asleep in the car seat and to my surprise this is what I found.......

That's right! My dad didn't know that the E went in the front and the buttons went in the back. Yes, the shirt had tags! And all I was worried about was that he would forget to put the hair bow in. Next time I will label FRONT and BACK! We still laugh about this!

Ema's Gotcha Day Party

2009-12-18T16:59:00.000-08:00

These days it seems like all of my post should begin with "Lets play catch up"! I am not sure why God speeds up time when you get a child but MAN I could use a little more time in my day to CATCH UP!

Anyways, Here are a few pictures from Ema's gotcha day party. We had a great time with everyone. We had all of Ema's favorite foods:Chick Fil A chicken nuggets, chocolate oatmeal cookies, homemade banana nut bread mini muffins without the nuts, Nana's chex mix, tootsie rolls, M&M's, and Hershey kisses. We watched our video from Vietnam and literally could still remember everything like it was yesterday. Thank you to everyone who could make it. You all helped in making Ema's day special!

Happy Gotcha Day Ema!

2009-11-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

OK as I post this I can't tell if I am nauseated or excited. I think it is little of both. This week is FULL of sentimental moments for Kirk and I. This week, a year ago, Kirk and I were walking the streets of Vietnam. We had met a precious baby girl and were getting ready to sign those papers to legally make her ours. I cannot believe it has been a year. I never knew how much I could love one person. She has grown up so much in a year. I remember Vietnam so vividly. And I can't believe I am about to say this but Kirk and I miss Vietnam. (Kremers...you told us we would say that) Life is somewhat simple there. We had nothing to do but spend time and bond with Ema. No housework, no cooking, no real world stuff. Just enjoy our new addition and show her that we love her! Who wouldn't love that? We met some wonderful people there and think of them often. We are so grateful to Vietnam. They treated us so wonderful while we were there and made our trip as pleasant as they possibly could. So I have posted some pictures from our trip! Enjoy

I always say I hope I never forget our trip to Vietnam so I decided to write something to Ema about the points that I especially don't want to forget. Sorry if this seems crazy but I want her to know as she grows older what our experience was like.

Ema,
I hope I never forget what it was like meeting you for the first time. I remember being in the room with the orphanage director drinking green tea and seeing the reflection of you and the orphanage worker in the mirror. For the first time in my life I was speechless. You were little person and no longer a picture or a child that I only saw in a dream every now and then.
I hope I never forget how you screamed and kicked because you were terrified of us. You had on an orange jacket and pants with astronaut things all over them. You had on socks that were HUGE. You were the most beautiful thing to us! I hope I never forget the day that they called us to come and get you. How your Ba' and I rushed frantically around the room FINALLY packing a diaper bag for you. I hope I never forget how your orphanage worker brought you out shielding your face from the sun with the hat that they wear there and how you were holding the ladybug toy that we had given you the day before. I hope I never forget how you sat in my lap in the bus with your legs straddled me (you still sit on me that way) and had your head buried in my arm as I sang Jesus loves me over and over to you. (it's something about the name Jesus that is comforting)I hope I never forget how wonderful it felt to finally have you in my arms. Ema, I hope I never forget bringing you back to our room and changing your diaper and dressing you in the kissy kissy outfit with pink flamingos on it and how you cried and cried and cried. I hope I never forget how once you finally went asleep, we ate dinner LATE and in the bathroom because we did not want to wake you. I think I slept 3-4 hours because I would wake up and just watch you sleep. You slept most of the night on your stomach with your booty sticking up in the air. Ema, you will never know how much you have changed our lives. We love you so much and pray daily that God will help us be the best parents to you that we can possibly be. You have come so far in a year and I am so proud of you! You are such a blessing to have! We love you!
Ba' and Me'

Leave, Leaves, and more Leaves!

2009-11-15T16:54:00.000-08:00

We had a yard full of leaves last week and couldn't pass up the opportunity to get some good pictures. Ema wasn't sure what to do with them but once we began running through the piles that Ba had created she had a blast. Now we are paying for it with a runny nose but it was sorta worth it. All kids need to have fun in the leaves don't you think?

Happy Halloween

2009-11-08T14:59:00.001-08:00

In years past, I have always made cupcakes for all of our trick or treaters. I had decided this year that I was not doing all of that this year. Well I got to feeling guilty and ended up keeping the tradition.

Thursday before Halloween, we attended the carnival at the sports splex. Ema was a bit scared of the clowns but caught on really quick on collecting candy. Ema absoultly adores Amy so the best part about this night was seeing her and of course the tiger sunglasses.

Halloween was a first for Ema and for Kirk and I. I personally think that the whole trick or treating thing was a bit disappointing. We were too pressured into getting to see everyone to enjoy anything. Ema was so strung out on CHOCOLATE that by 6:00 she was irritable and done with trick or treating. She was a pretty cute Minnie Mouse though!

Basketball is here again!

2009-11-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

It seems like yesterday that Kirk and were taking Ema to the tiger game and she was just a baby.
3/7/2009
Well I guess these pictures say it all. She is no longer a baby. Atleast she doesn't think she is. She thinks she is about 10 years old. Little Miss. Independent, she is. She has grown up so fast. She has always enjoyed the tiger games. She especially loves the cheer whoaaaaaaa T-I-G-E-R-S tigers!

Do we have a nurse/doctor in the making?

2009-11-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

Last week we all were plagued with the stomach virus. Kirk had it the worst by far. Wednesday when he was finally able to get out of bed, Ema decided she would make him all better. She pulled her little chair out and got to work doctoring on Ba. I thought this was so cute because I have a picture of me doctoring on my dad when I was about her age.

2009-10-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

We are official members of the Memphis Zoo. Ema loves going to the zoo so Kirk and I took a day off and enjoyed a day there. Ema's favorite of part of zoo is the TIGERS of course and the farm animals. The weather was great and we had a lot of fun hanging out together!

Let's play catch up?

2009-09-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

OK Ema is napping and I finally have a moment to catch up on my blogging! What happens to time when you get a child.

Heritage Day is always a lot of fun. This year we participated in the wagon pull around the square. The theme this year was cowboys/cowgirls and Indian's. Ema dressed up like and Indian and rode in her wagon with a tee pee on the back. Thanks to my mom she looked so cute.

Go Chargers Go!

2009-09-22T04:06:00.000-07:00

Ema got the chance to experience a parade this past week. CHS (covington high school)had their homecoming last weekend and Thursday they had a homecoming parade. Ema got all decked out in her purple and gold and boy was she looking cute. She was a little overwhelmed by the loud noises and all the people but eventually she warmed up and was fine. It was really neat to see her dressed in our old school colors. It seems like yesterday Kirk and I were in school and going to the parade together this time we were taking our child. Wow, time flies when you are having fun!

Happy Fall/Grandparents Day!

2009-09-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

This year was my parents and Kirk's parents FIRST Grandparents Day! We are so blessed to have such wonderful parents that absolutely adore Ema. Both sets of parents cannot get enough of her. She loves her Dee Dee and Pops & her RoRo and Jan Jan. For grandparents day this year of course I did not have to spend a great deal of money because they are both fine with a picture of Ema. Because of the beautiful weather, I thought something fall looking would be great, so I got Ema in a cute denim dress,we got in the wagon and with PatPat's assistance we got some great photo's at Ms. Annette Maxwell's house. It was so funny because I had called and could not get her so we went up anyways. I felt like I was stealing or something. I was so happy with the results.

It wouldn't do for PatPat to walk home. Ema wanted her to ride in the wagon with her so what do you think PatPat did.................................

Summer Memories!

2009-08-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought we were not going anywhere, Kirk decided that we should go to Florida to let Ema experience the beach. So the reservations were made and the bags were packed and off we headed to Perdido Beach. This trip was intended to be relaxing. We did not want to go and be busy all week. That's what life is like at home. We were so thrilled when Amy decided to go with us. She has been through so much and it was a nice getaway for her as well. We reminisced about the past on a daily basis. Dayton always loved the beach so it was hard not to. There was a lot of laughter and many tears. It was good for all of us! We are blessed to have Amy. Ema absolutely adores her.
We were able to see dolphins on several occasions which was very nice. Now the part I dreaded was how will Ema react to the sand and ocean? I knew one of the two would happen, Ema would either love it or hate it. I figured she would hate it since she is not one to enjoy getting dirty. I dreaded the thought of a screaming child that only wants to stay at the pool. I was half wrong and half right. She indeed HATED the sand and the ocean. She wanted no part of getting in the sand and building a sand castle. She only liked the ocean if she was sitting in her chair with her feet drawn up under her chin. While she did not enjoy the beach she did not want to stay at the pool either. She was very content with just sitting in her chair with the biggest blanket we could find under the umbrella and drinking her nook nook. (Trihn I know the spelling is wrong) Everyday around 10:30 or 11:00 she and Kirk would lay down under the umbrella and take their nap. I thought this picture was too cute not to post.
Overall, for a two year old who wanted nothing to do with the sand, she was very pleasant, she never really whined or cried the entire trip.
Here are other pictures from our trip.

Yes this is our family photo! We did not even take outfits to have our picture taken. I said it was relaxing!!! :)

My two favorite girls what could be better?

2009-08-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Camille finally made a trip to Tennessee and got to meet Ema for the first time. I will admit, I was a little nervous about how Ema would react to Camille being here and getting some of my attention. I was very pleased when Ema latched right on to Camille and Camille treated Ema like a little sister. Camille was such a big help to me! As you can see she brought presents which Ema loves. Camille and her family are Disney freaks and of course brought Ema Mickey and Minnie baby dolls, Minnie Mouse ears which she wears daily, and some adorable clothes. Thanks Camille, for coming to see us and for helping me with Ema. We always love your visits with us and cannot wait to see you again. You have grown up to be an awesome kid and you will always hold a VERY special place in our hearts. We love you very much!

Celebrating the fourth!

2009-08-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

Let's play caatch up! Celebrating the 4th of July is always a lot of fun. We didn't do anything special but we did go to the pool and Ema got to enjoy a frozen treat. Ema loves going to the pool. She has become quite the little fish. She is so funny, she will lay down almost anywhere and say WOOK WOOK! I wimmin! (Look Look! I'm Swimming) She really things she is something! Too Cute!

Happy Birthday Dayton!!!

2009-07-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

I will always remember Dayton as a happy child. A child that I feel God placed here on earth for 8 good years to bring us many many smiles. Dayton overcame many obstacle's in his life, and none of those obstacle's ever stood in his way. He was an inspiration to many people and his story, though he never got to share it, will live forever in us. I have tried to think of ways to make this day pleasant. I have yet to find a way.
Right after Dayton passed, I was at the gym running and just thinking about everything that had happened. I thought about today, and how hard this day would be for Chris and Amy,the grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. I began trying to find a way to make it easier. I thought seriously about writing an article in the paper to help celebrate his life. But just the other day Amy made a comment that when she cannot sleep, she looks at my blog. What a disappointment that must be since I have not been posting regularly :) So Amy, if you are reading this, Kirk and I want to thank you for allowing us to be a part of Dayton's life. Thank you for all of the beach memories, the Halloween memories, and the birthday memories. Dayton was a special little boy and he will always hold a special place in our hearts. We know where Dayton is now. We know that there is no more heart problems, no more surgeries, and best of all NO MORE SCHOOL! Dayton is happy, healthy, and alive in the arms of Jesus. We pray daily that God provides peace and comfort to you and Chris and that you go to him to find strength and encouragement. Gods tells us , "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you". 1 Peter 5:7 We love you and hope that you have overwhelming peace!

Happy Birthday Dayton Payne!!!! We love you and can't wait to see you again! If you were here, Ema would give you a big kiss!! :)

Kirk, Emily, and Ema

2009-07-27T20:22:00.001-07:00

Ema's First American Holiday

2009-07-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ema will always be Vietnamese. No one can or wants to change that. We celebrate Vietnamese holidays and we try to keep her culture alive. We are so grateful for Vietnam and for them allowing us to adopt Ema. This Fourth of July was very special to us because we waited 2 1/2 years to get Ema and she is now an American citizen.

Ema's 2 year old pictures

2009-06-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

Anyone who lives around here knows the name Phil Ramsey. He is the most awesome photographer I know. If you have ever taken your child somewhere to take their photo's yourself, you will soon know how good he is. It takes patience and a lot of creativity. I always get frustrated because Ema wont smile or she wont sit still and phil still ends up getting awesome pictures. If you haven't already plese visit his blog and watch the video of Ema. It was at the zoo and like he said it was HOT that day. Ema has on her Vietnamese outfit that we bought while we were in Vietnam. It was a lot of fun and the pictures turned out GREAT! Now I just have to choose which one I want. We would love to hear your suggestions!

Happy Fathers Day BA

2009-06-21T12:58:00.001-07:00

Sunday was Kirk's first fathers day. I had a special weekend planned for Kirk and Ema. Yesterday Kirk and Ema got all dressed up and went to Marlo's. I had made them reservations just for the two of them. Kirk was so surprised and had a great time. Ema had picked out a card with Minnie Mouse on it and he opened at the restaurant. I thought this might be the start of a tradition for the two of them. This morning I had got him the picture from our first photo session with Phil Ramsey. It was one with Ema and Kirk, the way she was looking at him just melts my heart every time I see it.

Kirk,
Thanks for being a wonderful husband and father to us. Ema absolutely adores you! Thank you for all of the hard work you put into the adoption process. You worked so hard to get Ema here and she has added so much joy and excitement to our lives. Thanks for all you do for us! We love you very much! Happy Fathers Day!

Emily and Ema

The Lord has Great plans for me

2009-06-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis almost 5 years ago. This was one of the first life changing moments that Kirk and I experienced together. We had just gotten married, I had just graduated nursing school, and had just started working as an RN at Baptist. I was really just getting my life started (i thought). I was terrified of what my life was going to be like and how Kirk and I would deal with the outcome of having MS. After about a year, I learned that if you try not to think about it, it might not be real, so that's what I did. That worked until I had to have my first MRI, and the MS progressed (got worse). This is when I got angry, at MS and at God. Getting angry at God was something I had never experienced. I wasn't sure if you were allowed to do that. After talking with my preacher and getting wonderful advice from the BEST neighbor in the world, I realized that you CAN get mad at God. He is BIG enough and wants you to tell him your frustrations. The hard thing to grasp is, he wants you to tell him and he wants you to place your trust in him that he is BIG enough to handle the situation. It may not have the outcome that you want but ultimately it is the outcome that is best. That was the hard part for me to swallow. It took years for me to get to where I am today. MS is no longer troubled waters for me. I look at MS as a stepping stone for my ultimate purpose that God has planned for me. MS has allowed Kirk and I to draw closer to the Lord, it has allowed us to travel to Vietnam and see a part of our giant world that I would have never seen without it. Most of all it has allowed us to FINALLY meet our beautiful baby girl. I would NEVER change my life. God has blessed me with MS and he continues to bless me everyday with some new experience. I am able to tell my patients about living with a disease that is disabling. I relate to them in ways that most nurses couldn't. This year I was asked to speak at Dyersburg State and tell my story of living with Multiple Sclerosis and how The Lord plays a huge role in my life. The blessings are never ending. I said all of that to say this........I had my MRI Wednesday a week ago. I got my MS treatment this past Wednesday and.....DRUM ROLL PLEASE! One of my lesions was gone!!! Absolute miracle from God. I give him all the glory for that. I was amazed when Dr. Stein said " you MRI showed no progression however the lesion on your brain stem is no longer visable." That was the most awesome feeling to hear that. I cannot wait to add that to my speech next year! :)

Thank you Lord!
Emily

Phillipians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Ema's first Rainbow

2009-06-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

I realize this is way out of order but posting on my blog just isn't as easy as it use to be. I am having to play catch up. These pictures were from a few months ago when it stormed and afterward there the Lord provided us with a BEAUTIFUL rainbow. Ema had never seen a rainbow and she was amazed. She talked about this rainbow for weeks. She would point up where it was located weeks later and say .... bain bow, bain bow?? Afterwards, we had to jump in puddles, what little girl doesn't like to jump in rain puddles?

All Girls love Lipstick

2009-06-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

I decided to take off work with Ema Friday while Kirk was out of town. Ema and I had a great day going to Memphis, having lunch together, and of course going shopping. On the way home Ema fell asleep. I thought, here is a great time to clean out my car while Ema is asleep in her car seat. So that's just what I did. About 30 minutes into my cleaning, Ema woke up and decided she would pretend to drive and talk on her cell phone like her mommy. I obviously was not paying attention because she got out with the cell phone attached to her ear and with her lips/face painted in my favorite lipstick. She had eaten half of it and that why she is making the funny face.

Summer Fun

2009-06-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

We took Ema to the pool for the first time this past weekend. Ema wasn't real sure about the pool at first but after gradually introducing it to her she loved it. Ema especially loves splashing and getting everyone else wet.

Ema's first Birthday Party

2009-06-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it, Ema is 2! We have known Ema for 6 months and she's 2 already. Words cannot describe how happy we are to get to spend this day with her. Last year we celebrated her 1st birthday without her but this year we are celebrated it with a BANG!!!
Ema got a beautiful swing set from Dee Dee and Pops! Her birthday party was centered around this. We also had a giant princess bouncy thing (thanks Adam). Ema had the best time with her friends and family.

Turning 2

2009-06-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe I am the mother of a 2 year old. This time last year we (Dee Dee and Pops, Kirk and I) were hoovered around a beautiful birthday cake WITHOUT our birthday girl. Ema was still living in Vietnam and as we blew out the birthday candle we wished that we could be united with Ema. Kirk's bank had Kirk a shower but it was mostly a birthday party for Ema. There are times that we still cannot believe that Ema is here. Here is a picture from Friday! Happy Birthday Ema!! You have brought more joy to our lives than you could ever imagine. We have only known you for 6 months but it feels like we have had you forever. There is not a day that goes by that you do not make me smile and laugh. You always have a way to brighten my day. I am so happy that the Lord picked you out especially for us. You are an amazing little girl and I pray everyday that the Lord has something BIG in store for you. I pray that the Lord will help your Ba and I raise you to Love the Lord and place your trust in him in everything you do. We love you so much and are very proud of you! We hope you have the best birthday ever!

(getting a 2 year old to smile is hard and this is the best I could do! Maybe next year)

Runner in the making ....hopefully??

2009-05-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

As all of you know, one of mine and Kirk's favorite past times is running. I love the adrenaline rush you get when you are standing in the starting line getting ready to torture yourself for 3.1 miles, 6.2 miles or the occasional but my favorite 13.1 miler. I rally hope Ema will enjoy running like we do. I love the thought of me and my girl getting up early one morning and going out for a jog together. Ema joined us at the zoom through the zoo 4 miler. My parents went with us and strolled her through the zoo while we ran. Kirk and I were very pleased with our finishing times. Kirk finished at 30:29 and I finished at 35.46. My goal is to one day speed past Kirk when he is least expecting. :)Anyways, Ema didn't run with us by she seems to love the atmosphere and she enjoys cheering for the runners that pass by. Here are some pictures...Enjoy!

The wonders of a toddler bed

2009-05-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have always thought toddler beds were silly and goofy looking until Ema climbed into one at Baby Time and said "night night". I bought that bed on the spot and brought it home. Ema has slept all night in her toddler bed ever since. It is a miracle. Sher loves her big girl bed. Everyone that comes over has to see it. She is so proud that she has her own bed, and so are Kirk and I. To sleep all night without a kicking /crying little girl in the middle is so nice. If Ema slept with us but allowed me to cuddle with her it would be different, but she is like sleeping with an animal the way she kicks. I am thinking that Ema associated her crib with Vietnam and maybe it brought back memories of leaving the orphanage something. Here are pictures of the morning after sleeping in her bed. She was so proud of herself. It was also our first night of 8 hours of sleep in almost 6 months. I am not sure who was the happiest....Kirk and I or Ema?

Nguyen Kim Yen becomes Ema Li Yen Richardson

2009-05-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

Yes we have had Ema for almost 6 months but believe it or not she has been Nguyen Kim Yen this whole time (legally). Today we went to court and adopted Ema AGAIN and she officially became Ema Li Yen Richardson. It was sort of a bitter sweet ordeal. I knew this day would come but it is kinda like her name was the last piece of Vietnam that Ema held on to and now it's gone. We tell her about Vietnam and her adoption story almost on a daily basis and we hope to keep that alive forever. I want her to know where she is from and I want her to know what it took to get her here. Here are pictures from our name changing ceremony!

Notice, she may no longer have a Vietnamese name but she still squats like a Vietnamese. I hope she never looses this, its kinda neat.

Our Vietnamese sweeties!

2009-04-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend was jam packed with excitement and I am so excited to be able to share this with you guys! About a year ago, we were contacted by a couple from Colorado who adopted a little girl from Vietnam. They had already gone over to Vietnam to get their little girl (Maria) and thought they had pictures and a video of Ema. We were so excited that someone could tell us a little about her and what she looked like. We had already seen pictures but it was nice that someone had actually seen her and that she was actually real. (Does that sound crazy) I guess after waiting 2 years for her you begin thinking she might not be real or something. Anyways, We kept in contact with them and once we got the word to go get Ema they were able to give us a lot of information on where to eat and things to do while in Vietnam. They helped us with knowing what to take and not to take as far as packing goes. Well, this weekend we were able to get Ema and Maria together. The last time they were together was in Vietnam at Ba Vi. It was wonderful to see them interact together and play together. Surprisingly, they had a lot of similar traits. The first thing I picked up on was their temper. Both girls really know how to have a tantrum. :) They are both TINY, have the same little scar on their left arm from some injection they receive in Vietnam, and both are very beautiful. I am so glad we were finally able to meet the Kremers and hopefully this will become a tradition to get the girls together. How often do you get the opportunity to see another child that was adopted from the same orphanage as your child. I think that Ema and Maria will really appreciate this more as they get older.

Ema's first race

2009-04-26T06:26:00.001-07:00

My life before Ema was pretty boring. It went a little something like this. Get up, go to work, come home, and get ready to go to the gym. Work out for an hour or two, go home, cook, eat, go to bed. Tiger games were squeezed in here and there and most importantly RACES were #1. It might sound boring to you, but we loved it. In July of last year, I dedicated myself to running a 5K everyday until we got Ema. I kept my promise to myself and I did exactly that. We completed all of the Road Race Series races and became road warriors. I said all of that to say, I miss running races so bad. I am very competitive and the adrenalin rush that you get when running races is CRAZY! Since Ema running is something I have to MAKE myself do. It's not that I don't want to, its just that at the end of the day all I am ready to do is see her. We have gotten back into our routine with working out and I have kinda gotten back into my routine of running. Friday night we tackled our first short run in Germantown. It was the Nike for Kids 5K. Pulling up into the parking lot and seeing all of the runners out brought back those butterfly's. Ema was matching from head to toe. She had her sun glasses, her snack and juice, and she was ready. Getting in the finish line was awesome. I found quickly that there is something that I DO miss about my life before Ema. RUNNING RACES!!!! It was a lot of fun. I did a lot better than I thought I would do since I have not ran outside since the half marathon we ran before leaving for Vietnam. I have done most of my training on a treadmill. It was hard to control my breathing due to all the excitement but I managed. My goal was to run it under 30 minutes and I did, my time was 28.05. I could have done better but since I haven't been running outside I was happpy with my time. I am ready for the next race already! Here are some pictures from Ema's first road race.

Ema's first Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

Ema's first Easter egg hunt was at her babysitters (Ms. Patty). My grandmother helped her hunt for eggs. At first she did not quite understand the concept but caught on quickly. Unfortunate now she thinks all eggs open in the middle and have chocolate inside. :) Here are some pictures from the Easter egg hunt with all of her friends.

Ba and Ema's first tent

2009-04-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

Close your eyes and go back to your childhood with me. Picture yourself with your mom's quilts and blankets stretching them from one piece of furniture to another. Now, break out that imagination that you had as a child. Are you going to be a pirate, a princess, or are you just going to take your babies inside and take care of them. For me, nothing was as much fun as making a tent in the house and staying in it all day. I loved to stretch blankets across my room and allow my imagination to run wild. Ema's first tent experience was more fun for me to watch. Kirk and Ema got in and out of the tent thousands of times. Kirk put so much thought into it. Ema did not understand it all but she loved knocking it down. She would throw her juice cup on top of it and laugh when it fell. The picture of Kirk on the floor is a result of Ema throwing her cup down and it hitting Kirk's foot. I had to take a picture :)

It's beginning to look like spring

2009-04-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that spring is finally here. I love all of the beautiful colors that spring provides. The dogwood trees are absolutely gorgeous and the tulips, buttercups, and pansies love this weather as much as I do. What is even better is Kirk surprised us with a new porch swing and Ema loves it. I was able to get these quick photos in our backyard one day. I thought they were too cute not to post.

This dogwood tree was given to us last year on Ema's Birthday. Our neighborhood gave it to us as a money tree and to help us on our trip. We have never got to see it bloom so this year we were able to enjoy it with Ema. Jan was so worried that it would not survive the heat of the summer but with a little TLC we got a beautiful reminder of how caring our neighbors are here in the Links. Thanks to everyone who pitched in to get us this. It is beautiful and every time we look at it we will remember you guys!

Let's take a road trip

2009-04-20T03:55:00.000-07:00

Posting this brought tears to my eyes. I still cannot believe that basketball is over again. Last year we followed the tigers all the way to the championship game and we had planned to do the same this year. We all know that didn't happen. We did get to go to Kansas City with Ema to watch the TIGERS and had a blast. Ema was a perfect angel. I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about taking her but I could not stand the thought of leaving her here and us being 8 hours away. We decided it might be fun to take her along, so we packed her bags and loaded her into the car and off we went to Kansas City. We did not make it into Missouri before she had found a way to squirt all of her tea out onto her clothes. She rode most of the way without pants. Once we got into St. Louis I thought Chick-fil-a sounded good. We put it into our GPS and before we knew it we were in East St. Louis and there was no Chick-fil-a in sight. So at 9:45 PM we ate steak and shake. It was Ema dream. Anyways, here are some pictures from our first road trip as a family. Enjoy!

True Tiger Fans

2009-04-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we love the TIGERS! While in Vietnam, Kirk drilled TIGERS into Ema's brain and yes...this was her first English word. She loves watching the tigers play just like the rest of us! These pictures are from the the Conference Championship game. We decided to watch it from the comfort of our home. Ema was decked out in her tiger gear all the way from her blue hair bow to her blue sparkled purse. (thanks Ms Sheri)