Great day...parade in downtown Olathe....Jordan appears to be sleeping while marching...

Jarrett and his BIG drum

The entire band wore these arm bands to honor Rosa Bussard, our band director who suffered a spinal cord injury this summer and wasn't able to return to school this August.  You can read her story at Rosa'sBeat.com

And very, very good to see this good friend of mine...home to play soccer at MNU.  

Beautiful weather, great friends = Fantastic weekend!

Marching band is taking over my life....

but wait till you see my little men in their uniforms.  Cuuttteee....you'll see on Saturday!  You know you want to.

that is all.

I smiled today at a lady and she backed up and asked if she could tell me something...Of course I say yes..

Out pours her story...it's sad and lonely and desperate.  She said she told me it was because I smiled at her.  You might say, stop being so nice.  It wasn't a long conversation, I think she was genuine.  She wasn't asking for money, she just needed to say things out loud.  I listened, prayed with her and then wondered did I do enough?  

I am always telling my youth and my boys to be the person who shares light with someone...you never know what is going on in someone's heart.  The hurt, the loneliness, depression, deep sorrow that someone is facing.  We are good at covering up the hurt aren't we?  

The Lord is good and gracious, rich in compassion....I'm trying to be the same.  

Summmeerrrr....

Summer is over for us.  It was perfect and difficult and full of blessings all at the same time.  Here's why...

the most hopeful...

Doctors in St. Louis think Papa Bill is right where he's supposed to be! He even ate some pizza last week and has started walking and getting out and about.  It's been a long and difficult road, and we are done yet...but thanking the Lord for his goodness and faithfulness.

the hardest...

We lost this guy.  Leo had been with us since March of 1993.  19 years.  VERY long time....so he became one of us.  Went to Springfield with us, stayed at Mama's house when we were gone, was in charge around here.  To not have Leo around us anymore is very strange.  And to have to experience putting him down was awful.  We miss him.

the biggest blessing...

This is Reyna.  She belongs to Henry and Estella in Mateare, Nicaragua.  Our adopted family in this little village.  My family has such a heart for the Nica's.  We enjoy each minute we are there.  It's hard to see them living like they do, but they are grateful for their lives, families, a relationship with Jesus.  A job, a copy of Scripture and time with us.  The things that really matter.   I struggle living in Johnson County...

the most fun (and seriously cool)

Camp Revolution!  500 and some worshipped hard, played hard and learned like crazy!  Best year of camp so far...

We participated in a program called Feed My Starving Children.  God worked out the nearly impossible details to get them to Arkansas and we surprised the kids on Thursday morning.  It was an incredible experience for them.  They made meals to feed the poverty stricken in countries like Nicaragua, Haiti or Niger.  109,000 meals made by our students in one day!  Children received them in Haiti and Niger!  How cool is that?  Hard to even explain the impact this had on some of our kids...

the most relaxing....(and most beautiful)

Siesta Key, Florida...notice this sand.  It was like flour...perfect!

We decided to visit Harry and Hermonie...saw Ron too.  He made it snow on my head.  Very cool.

Now we are back to school.  Blah.  But this summer will linger in my heart.....

Parents

livingtopleaseGOD....

 make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,to mind your own business...

to work with your hands,

so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Our parents have taught us the honored characteristics of hard work, avoiding idleness, value of a dollar and treating with respect those we walk life with and work with.  1 Thess. 4:11-12 always reminds me of our parents and grandparents.  Brian and I are GRATEFUL for this legacy.  

But the quiet part....

Brian's dad...the quietest, gentlest man I know.

He has been diagnosed with cancer of the sinus cavities.  He is in the beginning stages of chemotherapy and radiation treatment in St. Louis and is struggling.  But we are so hopeful!  We will know more as the treatment begins to work.  For now, we are praying that Papa is comfortable, not in pain, and would feel our love, but mostly that he would feel God's presence.  I have seen the Lord work in so many ways thru cancer...and we are confident the Lord will be present and faithful to Bill.  He is able...we praise God for his life.  

You are so loved!  

Sydney takes over!

Hello to all of Sharla's blog friends and welcome to this super special edition of The Richardson Zoo blog, with your host, Sydney Tenney! I have the honor of being the guest blogger on my sweet friend's blog and I am going to give you a glimpse into the life and history of Sharla and Sydney.

It all started with this sweet face. Holly and I knew eachother from school and she persistently invited me to church for about a year. Probably because she knew I needed to know Jesus, and also because she was concerned that I wore really short skirts. Honestly....ask her. I finally went with her and that is when I first met Sharla. 

I knew I had found a friend when I met Sharla. She has the kindest heart and a way of making people feel so loved and important, all the while, still maintaining her sassiness....truly a Sharla trademark. 

The last 6 years of my life have been better knowing Sharla.

We started off our friendship by conquering a corn maze together (along with baby Bryan Taylor)...

...she taught me the proper form of mouth opening width when going to the dentist...

...her sweet, lovely little cat leo ferociously attacked my head in the middle of the night on the day this picture was taken...luckily, I survived to tell the story...

...she convinced me that I would be a natural skier because I was athletic...that day we learned she sometimes isn't right about everything...or at least that...

...we spent great times together at camp...I have been so blessed to worship with her, learn from her, and have someone like her pour truth into my life...

...we toured the beautiful New York while also getting to serve on a missions trip...

...we watched plenty of 24 episodes together...

...had LOTS of fun with our Holly and amazing friends...

...spent precious time preparing for and being part of Holly and Tavis' beautiful wedding...

...took some good pictures together...

...and took some not so good pictures together...

...and you better believe we smiled a lot, and learned how to smile HARD.

It's hard to put words to how you feel about some people. Sharla really is one of the most genuine, faithful women I know. She has walked through some really happy times with me and some really hard times with me. Even in the hard times she stuck with me and was an encouragement and a strength in my life when it may have been easier to let a friendship fade. Her life and her love convinced me that there was more to life and more to God.

The thing I love about her the most that really loves the Lord and really knows how to pour out His light and His life. One of my most defining days was sitting on the floor in her living room, listening to her read 1 John 1:9 to me. That day I saw more of who God was, how faithful HE is, and decided that I wanted everything that God had for me.

I love you Sharla! Thank you for being you and for loving people so well!

Sydney

New

Life is BUSY!  Jace came home sick today, the 3 extra hours I had today was a gift!  I've been wanting to share about my summer but haven't found the time to sit down and do it.  I'll be brief...

Nicaragua was a HUGE experience for me. The Lord used me in ways only He can.  I was challenged to do things and to love people like I've never done before.  I met our sponsored child, Carlos.  He was an absolute delight...he reminded me of our boys, full of joy.  It was an honor to meet him, a lot of people never get the chance to meet their child.  We took him to McDonald's and it was like Disneyworld to him.  He wants to name his first children Brian and Sharla.  Poor kids.

A new job came open at school, one I knew I was highly unqualified for, but the challenge intrigued me.  I loved my job in the library and love my librarian, Mesha so I was hesitant to leave.  And it was full-time, it would require traveling to 23 schools, leaving the kids I had invested in so much and working with special needs kids.  While in Nicaragua, Ted Burden had written a daily journal entry for us to study.  One day he wrote about loving the unloved, the cast aside, the unnoticed...while he was talking about the Nica's...it changed my heart and I knew right away I would take the job loving the kids...while they are not unloved...they are sometimes treated differently.  I started in August ready to take on whatever!  I was so excited and good grief...I LOVE my job.  It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  My favorite...Jack.  Calls me Miss Cardinals.  He want's me to come to the game this Friday night to watch him be an honorary coach and so he can introduce me to his parents.  One of many stories...Life is good.  God is good.  Another reason I am at the job...walk the journey with my friend who is struggling, but she has been a HUGE blessing to me and has taught me so much already.  Grateful she took a chance on me.  Thanks B.  

Also, there was a birthday...it was painful.  But I lived, and we shall never speak of it again. Understand?  Good.  ;)  Oh yeah...Coke sent us to Disney World and gave us a cooler full of coke.  I drank it all up.

Lastly, I am singing in a funeral this Friday morning for Amy Hopkins, 23, daughter of Don and Cindy.  She was a beautiful little red head who had a brilliant mind for medicine.  I'm singing My Chains are Gone...she really is free now.  Her parents are crushed...but trusting God's great peace and His plan.  Say a prayer for them to feel His love.  

You are SO loved!  S