Our Little Speedster on the Slopes - April 2012

Giving God Glory
Business Blessing - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6  This is my dad's favorite Bible verse.  The following is a testimony of how the Lord has worked this verse out in my dad's and uncle's lives over the past few years...  In 2003, when my dad and uncle first began to venture into owning their own business, they had their eyes on a plot of land in Monument and had a contract for the purchase of the site.  They were unable to get approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to locate there due to the "Preble Jumping Mouse" which was on the Endangered species Act Protection list.  This lot was located within an area which was considered mouse habitat.  They were very disappointed that the Lord did not have this land for them to begin their bank on.  My dad and uncle sought to trust the Lord and not lean on their own understanding and to acknowledge the Lord as they moved on to a different location.  In 2008, American National Bank received approvals for building one of their branches on this very same spot. :(  My dad and uncle continued to trust the Lord, and this year the Lord blessed them with purchasing this building from American National Bank for a better deal than they would have received back in 2003.  What a blessing!  Sometimes the Lord works in ways that do not make sense to us at the time, but His plans are always best, even if they involve challenges, obstacles, and trials.

What's on the Harrisons' Hearts

Addiction to Choices - Sometimes as parents you do not foresee how a good thing (in excess ignorantly) can lead to bad things...  Wes and I both know and agree that giving children harmless choices (ex. Which shoes do you want to wear today?) is a healthy way of empowering them and also equipping them with skills in making decisions.  However, we never heard or thought about how giving children a lot of choices, especially at a young age, can bombard and overwhelm them beyond what they are developmentally ready for and can end up backfiring.  We learned this lesson the hard way, but we are grateful that the Lord answered our prayers for wisdom (through a book I read) when we sensed something was "off" with Noah.  Once the Lord opened our eyes to the concept of leading kids to be "addicted" (and overwhelmed) with choices, it was amazing to reflect on how many choices we had been giving Noah each day because there were so many that even we felt overwhelmed.  No wonder our precious boy had been acting a lot more rebellious!  We immediately limited the number of choices we gave Noah, and there was very quickly a night and day difference.  I think Noah was relieved since we made life a lot easier for him, which made life a lot easier on all of us! :)  We thank the Lord for guiding us in helping Noah now rather than allowing us to continue to ignorantly overwhelm him with choices over a long period of time.  God is gracious!

Praises & Prayers

Friend's son - Praise for my friend's young son's 2nd surgery going well for his ear.  
Another friend's son - Praise for my friend's young son have a successful heart surgery.

Tami - Continued prayers for the Lord to give my dad and other loved ones His perspective and that God would heal Tami, but ultimately that His will would be done.

Paul - We are praying James 1:5 for wisdom for the doctors and Philippians 4:6-7 for God's peace to guard Paul & Amanda's hearts during this time of Paul's health trial.  Paul has a rare condition at the base of his brain called Chiari Malformation Type 1, and he will be having surgery May 22nd.

Our Family - Praise for wonderful time together as a family and for precious memories that we made.

Wes - Praise for the Lord continuing to grow Wes through his Bible classes.  He has been learning a lot and has really been enjoying his classes this quarter.  Continued prayer of 2 Timothy 1:7 for the Lord to continue to give Wes discipline and perseverance in completing the work for his classes and to continue to impact Wes' heart through his studies.  

Christina - Praise for the Lord connecting me with homeschool groups/Bible studies in the Springs.  Prayer of James 1:5 for the Lord to give me wisdom in choosing the homeschool group/Bible study He has for me to be involved in.

Noah - God would graciously save him at a young age and lead him to walk with the Lord all of his days, if that be the Lord's will.  Praise for Noah rarely trying to communicate through yelling.  Prayer for 1 Thessalonians 5:11 for the Lord to grow Noah in loving others and being kind to others since he struggles with some "bullying" tendencies of hitting, shoving, pushing, etc. when he is around children slightly younger than him (such as Naomi).  

Marriage Memories

This month Wes and I enjoyed growing together as we attended 2 eight hour days of core training that was required for our adoption.  One of the most encouraging aspects at our training was hearing birthmothers' and adoptive couples' testimonies of how they saw the Lord guiding them throughout the adoption process.  All 5 birthmothers who shared at the training mentioned that it was clear to them when they looked at the adoptive couples' profile books which family was their family.  We are excited to see the Lord's plans unfold in uniting us with the birthmother and baby He has for us, whenever that may be. :)

Wes and I enjoyed our annual March Madness bracket battle.  I won!  Winner gets a back massage.  :)

Family Fun

Our first family skiing adventure

Ready to hit the slopes

Staying at a hotel we got for a sweet price since we came late in the ski season - Daddy & son snuggling * Noah's own little room (aka. big closet) * Enjoying his room & air mattress bed

Noah is really into machines, so he was ecstatic when he saw this machine in the parking lot!

Celebrating Resurrection Day

We spent the week before Easter reading this book often to Noah, and he continues to ask to read it, weeks after Easter.  It has been a great resource in helping teach Noah what Easter is all about. :)

Unfortunately, Noah got sick on Easter :( , so Noah and I stayed home and rested while Wes went to church to celebrate Christ's resurrection.

After resting in the morning with Mommy, Noah felt somewhat better and wanted to help me make our first family Easter dinner.  

He's stirring the marshmallows for our dessert.

Chowing down on some dessert (Rice Krispie Treats w/ spring sprinkles) - this actually occurred before eating our Easter dinner ;)

This was our first time cooking a ham, and it was a lot easier than we had thought! 

 

Enjoying our Easter dinner - Ham, cheesy potatoes, & green beans * Looking sharp in his suit- Noah wore his Easter outfit to church the week after due to being sick on Easter.  Thank you Great Papa & Great Tache!

Carnival Fun

Noah was really excited about getting to ride in a school bus from the parking lot to the carnival! * Carnival at Glen Eyrie with free fun & activities

Noah was also really excited about getting to "drive" a backhoe! :)

 

Mascot Mania - Noah wanting to wrestle the eagle * Waving at the Chick-Fil-A cow

Yikes!  Running from the bug * Having fun giving a high five

Noah News

Age - 3 years old
Cute Communication - Noah's language skills are continuing to grow, and he is beginning to use compound sentences.  ex. "Daddy, I had a sna (snack) in the baybay (basement), and I played in the baybay (basement) last night."
     Noah is also asking more kinds of questions.  ex. "Where did our Life Group friends go?" The good old "Why?" (our response)... "Why?" (our response)... and so on discussion has begun. ;)  Noah can now explain what smoke detectors do and what he should do if one goes off in his bedroom - fire evacuation plan - as a result of one of our repetitive "Why?" discussions.
     Other quotes that make us :) -
*It's a nice day out!" - when it's warm & sunny
*"Ewwww...stinky!" - when he farts
*"These are my friends!" - he says about any kids, even if it is the first time he has seen them
*"Whoa!"
*"That's just about right!" - when checking the temp. for his bath water

*One of our 5 year old neighbor boys said in reference to Noah with some serious shock and awe to his mother one day, "Mom!  He talks!...  He talks just like us!"

Latest Loves
Reading - especially his preschool book & Easter book
Song - "My best friend is Jesus!"
Wrestling Daddy, Mommy, & neighborhood boys
Sword fighting
Playing with & lining up his little cars
Making comparisons  ex. Mommy's shirt is green like Frankie & Bob (his pillow pets)  ex. big vs. little
Ants - he is fascinated by them
Machines - backhoes, bulldozers, cranes, etc.
Playing in his little kitchen
Sprinkles
Riding in his friend's jeep
Mac & Cheese - he calls it Ma-ma cheese ;)
Firetrucks, police cars, ambulances, helicopters, motorcycles, etc.

Having fun with his little kitchen that he bought all by himself for $5 from a neighborhood friend & he purchased it with his own fun $ - it was a super cute transaction between 2 young boys with parents supervising ;) * Cooking away * Daddy tasting Noah's tea

 

Noah's new neighborhood friend who lives farther down the street but is closer in age - Cruising down the street * Playing together in the sandbox

*Video - "Wrestling" with the neighborhood boys

Sprinkles!!! * Having fun lining up his little cars

Noah sprawled out & fast asleep - precious! :)

For my record - The following 2 videos occurred last month in March...

*Video: Noah saying his name - "My name is Noh (Noah) Haison (Harrison), yeah!"

*Video: Cookie jar jingle - "Who ae (ate) cookie... jar...  Who me?  Yes you.  Not I.  Who?... Frankie!"  Frankie is his frog pillow pet. ;)

Bringing Our Baby Home - Our Adoption Journey
*Adoption Training (see Marriage Memories section above for additional info) - Our adoption training was excellent, and we also enjoyed a lot of encouraging fellowship with other adoptive couples at our training.  We are thankful that our adoption agency is definitely a strong Christian agency in practice and not just in name.  We know that all the staff is praying for everyone that works with them - birth families and adoptive couples, which is very encouraging that we are all seeking the Lord throughout the adoption process.

     So what all do you learn in training for adoption?  (It's amazing how much you learn in 16 hours!)
     - Expectations & the Adoption Process
     - Colorado Adoption Law
     - Child Growth & Development
     - Discipline & Boundary Setting
     - Medical & Health Issues
     - Issues in Adoption
     - Attachment & Bonding
     - Adoption as a Lifelong Process/Parenting a Child of a Different Cultural or Racial Background
     - Adoptive Parent Panel
     - Newborn Baby Care
     - Birth Parent Panel

Where are we at in the adoption process?

The process for adopting an infant in the U.S. involves:

*completing an application & being accepted - 11-22-11

*home study process/training & being approved - 4-24-12

*being in the waiting pool - our profile book about our family (which birthmothers look at to choose the parents they want for their child) being shown to birthmothers - WE ARE HERE

*waiting anywhere from approximately 2 weeks to 2 years - AND HERE

*being chosen by a birthmother

*meeting the birthmother and confirming the match

*birth of baby

*bringing baby home with us from the hospital

*4 days (more like 1 week logistically) legal period in which the birthmother can change her mind

*after 6 months the adoption is legally finalized in court

Praying for our adoption journey

Praises:

*Peace in the waiting

*God giving us His perspective in the waiting

*Prayer partners and words of encouragement

*The Lord's continued financial provision!  

Ongoing Requests:

*Ephesians 3:21 & 6:18-20 - The Lord to be glorified and the gospel to be shared

*Galatians 5:22-23 - The Lord to begin preparing Noah (and us) for welcoming a little one into our family.  One of the aspects we are praying for is the fruit of the Spirit.

*John 6:44 - The Lord to begin drawing the birthmother (if she does not know Christ) and the baby He has for our family to Himself in salvation

*James 1:5 - For the Lord to give all the birthmothers and adoptive couples wisdom and to make His will clear as He unites families through the adoptive process.

*Matthew 25:19-21 - For us to be wise financial stewards and for the Lord to provide for our adoption as we seek to save, to take advantage of extra income opportunities, to pursue grants, to provide fundraising opportunities, and however else He desires to.  We hope to be adoption debt free by the end of the entire adoption process, but we are holding this desire loosely and know that it may take more time.

*Philippians 4:19-20 - God's perfect timing with our adoption... the adoption tax credit that would immensely help out with our adoption expenses expires at the end of 2012.  We know the Lord will provide either way, whether through a tax credit or other means, and we are thankful to have a game plan for either scenario.

Book on Adoption

This month I read The Connected Child.  This was recommended by our caseworker and also by one of the adoption grants we are applying for - Show Hope (the ministry organization founded by Stephen Curtis Chapman.  The concepts in this book have probably been the most eye-opening and new-to-me out of all the adoption books I have read.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who has or is pursuing children from other countries and cultures, from troubled backgrounds, or with special behavioral or emotional needs.  Karen Purvis (author) includes perspectives, approaches, and practical strategies/methods that are "out-of-box" ways of doing things (and typically not used in traditional parenting), which may be needed when you have a situation or a child who does not fit the traditional background or mold.  Overall, Karen seems to have a pretty balanced approach because some people can be a little extreme when it comes to attachment issues.  Here is the basic description (from Amazon):

"An extremely useful parenting handbook... truly outstanding ... strongly recommended." --Library Journal (starred review)
"A tremendous resource for parents and professionals alike." --Thomas Atwood, president and CEO, National Council for Adoption


The adoption of a child is always a joyous moment in the life of a family. Some adoptions, though, present unique challenges. Welcoming these children into your family--and addressing their special needs--requires care, consideration, and compassion.
Written by two research psychologists specializing in adoption and attachment, The Connected Child will help you:

• Build bonds of affection and trust with your adopted child
• Effectively deal with any learning or behavioral disorders
• Discipline your child with love without making him or her feel threatened

"A must-read not only for adoptive parents, but for all families striving to correct and connect with their children."
--Carol S. Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child
 "Drs. Purvis and Cross have thrown a life preserver not only to those just entering uncharted waters, but also to those struggling to stay afloat."
--Kathleen E. Morris, editor of S. I. Focus magazine
 "Truly an exceptional, innovative work . . . compassionate, accessible, and founded on a breadth of scientific knowledge and clinical expertise."
--Susan Livingston Smith, program director, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
"The Connected Child is the literary equivalent of an airline oxygen mask and instructions:  place the mask over your own face first, then over the nose of your child. This book first assists the parent, saying, in effect,  'Calm down, you're not the first mom or dad in the world to face this hurdle, breathe deeply, then follow these simple steps.'  The sense of not facing these issues alone--the relief that your child's behavior is not off the charts--is hugely comforting. Other children have behaved this way; other parents have responded thusly; welcome to the community of therapeutic and joyful adoptive families."
--Melissa Fay Greene, author of There is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children


Movie on Adoption
At our adoption training this month, we saw a documentary film on the challenges that can occur with different cultural/racial adoptions when a family emphasizes to a child "You are just like us" and does not acknowledge, discuss, appreciate, or value ways a child is culturally/racially different.  It was very thought-provoking and even a little disturbing at times...  Wes and I learned some important principles that we will be able to apply to whatever kind of adoption the Lord may have for us.


Memorable Moment of the Month
Our little speedster on the slopes...who knew!?! - We took a risk in taking Noah skiing at the age of 3.  This had the potential to be a wonderful time together or a disaster...

Noah ready to show those slopes what he's got * Scoping out the scene * Looking cute in his little skiis!

The bunny slopes "lift" known as "The Caterpillar" or "The Magic Carpet Ride" - Noah getting on * Daddy giving son a pep talk

*Video - Our Little Speedster - this was our second run when we picked up the speed

On our first bunny slopes run, I had Noah ski between my legs, and we went slow since it was his first time and also my first time of having a small child ski with me.  Well... Noah said he wanted to go home after that run.  What we hoped wouldn't happen did... the driving, the bundling up, the cost of ski tickets (fortunately we got a great deal and got 2 of us in for free), skiing for 3 minutes, and he was done.  We took a snack break in hopes of Noah getting recharged and a renewed desire to get out there again.  Wes had a breakthrough when he asked Noah if he wanted to ski really fast because immediately Noah was super excited to go again.  Apparently, I had been boring Noah because we then made several runs (with Noah using a harness and "skiing" beside me) - including several long green runs, and he loved it!  He kept saying "Whoa!...Whoa!" with thrill and excitement and "Do it again!" every time we got to the bottom of a run.  All our son wanted was some speed! :)  So, our skiing adventure ended up going well above and beyond what we had hoped, and we did have a wonderful time together and made many priceless memories!

Daddy & son * Mommy & son enjoying some snuggle time on the lift

Noah crashed on the way home!

More Memories

Noah & Naomi having a blast on our stairs - Climbing up * Cruising down * Smiles & laughter

Omi & Ollie - our 2 adorable kiddos we care for 2 days a week

Noah feeding Ollie some baby cereal ;)  Noah is a wonderful helper!