Giving God Glory
God of life & death ~ Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15
One of my favorite friends from college, Sharon (who many of our college friends thought we were practically twins due to our short statures, athletic/gymnast-like builds, spunky personalities, common passions & interests), continues to be one of my favorite friends, even though we are many miles... and states... apart since she lives in Illinois.
The Lord called her father home to Him this month ~ October ~ after his beautiful and faithful life of service to Jesus Christ! Through praying for their family, Sharon let me join in their journey of grieving, celebrating & cherishing his life, and trusting the Lord's perfect timing of calling him home, since it was 14 months from terminal diagnosis until his passing from this earth into the presence of our Lord.
Here are some of the praises & testimonies along the way:
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
Sharon's family (parents & siblings) ~ Sharon is on the right :)
The Lord called her father home to Him this month ~ October ~ after his beautiful and faithful life of service to Jesus Christ! Through praying for their family, Sharon let me join in their journey of grieving, celebrating & cherishing his life, and trusting the Lord's perfect timing of calling him home, since it was 14 months from terminal diagnosis until his passing from this earth into the presence of our Lord.
Here are some of the praises & testimonies along the way:
- "This is a daily trust of God's will unfolding, knowing He's got this... I have marveled at God's provision, care, and personal touch during the past 14 weeks. [My parents] have approached life and death with eyes focused on the Father, daily steps led by the Spirit, and directed toward seeing Jesus. It's touching to see and experience."
- "Though [my dad] continues to grow weaker, sometimes because of his positivity and perseverance you'd swear the doctors' diagnosis is incorrect... All in all this [Thanksgiving] weekend was fantastic and a huge answer to prayer... With a full heart, we joyfully received God's wonderful gifts to us." [One of the gifts was all the family being able to gather together for this Fully Family Photo including Sharon's parents, siblings, spouses, and all 18 grandchildren.]
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
- "My dad is still being a great example. My mom's care-giving is also wonderful and quite serving & self-sacrificing."
- "Early this morning... my dad breathed his last... my mom held him in her arms. We rejoice in Dad's heavenly destination and are grateful for many months our family treasured."
- "We learned how four components can be game-changers when handling life situations, in particular having allowed us the ability to enjoy the many circumstances we experienced: *A positive attitude *A Sense of Humor *The Love of Family *Peace from Jesus Christ Individually, each lightens a difficult load, but in tandem, their combined effect creates an array of wonderful memories."
What's on the Harrisons' Hearts & Memorable Moment of the Month
Reuniting! ~ We were grateful the Lord blessed us with the opportunity to reunite with our dear friend and Josiah's birthmother, Jeana, when we went on a field trip to Miller Farms, which was near the area where she lives. We had a wonderful time with her and Caleb (Jeana's boyfriend)! The last time we saw Jeana was before Samuel was born.
Together again! :) * Jeana & Josiah
Caleb & Jeana
Memorable Moment of the Month
Reuniting! ~ We were grateful the Lord blessed us with the opportunity to reunite with our dear friend and Josiah's birthmother, Jeana, when we went on a field trip to Miller Farms, which was near the area where she lives. We had a wonderful time with her and Caleb (Jeana's boyfriend)! The last time we saw Jeana was before Samuel was born.
Together again! :) * Jeana & Josiah
Caleb & Jeana
Memorable Moment of the Month
Fall Harvest Festival Field Trip at Miller Farms ~ We had so much fun with Jeana, Caleb, Sinclair family, and Breithaupt family on our Fall Harvest Festival Field Trip at Miller Farms, which is a couple hours north of the CO Springs. This was my first non-local / out of CO Springs field trip, and it was well worth the drive! I highly recommend Miller Farms!!! It was a great hands-on experience that made farming and harvesting produce come alive for my boys, plus they were thrilled to dig in the dirt and enjoyed the manual labor too. We came home with 15 bags of produce that we used to make a variety of meals for our family! Thank you to Wes who stayed home with Samuel and had a funny Daddy-son day together. :)
All the kids
Johnnie, Annie, Grace, Sarah, Josiah, Luke, Noah, Adah, & Samuel
Noah sliding down the giant sand hill * Josiah playing in the sand
Towering at the top of the hay bale pyramid
All kinds of fun activities on the farm
Hayride to the fields to pick our own produce!
Picking & digging for produce
Success! Look what I found, Mom! ~ Noah * Josiah
On the hunt for more!
Josiah pulling up some potatoes * Picking out a pumpkin
They had a Cars (Lightning McQueen, Mator Truck, etc.) exhibit that my boys thought was cool!
Praises & Prayers
Friend's son - Praise for a "clean bill of health" for my friend's son's heart.
Friend - Please pray for a friend who has left the gospel and is in a journey of agnosticism. I am praying John 8:32 for her that she would know the truth, and the truth would set her free.
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. Please pray Galatians 5:22-23 that the fruit of the Spirit would abound in Dad's & Tami's lives during this trial. Also, prayer of James 1:5 for wisdom with this trial.
Wes & Christina - Praise for the Lord growing us and uniting us through daily circumstances and also doubt and discouragement in ministry and at work. Please pray Ephesians 6:10 that the Lord would continue to help us stand strong together in Christ and in His mighty power.
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. Continued praise for the Lord growing Noah in loving his brothers, especially Josiah since Noah will sometimes provoke him. I asked Noah what he would like loved ones to pray for him, and he asked for some choices. I shared some ideas, and we talked about how sometimes people will pray for help with things that are hard for them. Noah said, ~ "Pray for Jesus to help me with my reading." Noah has grown a lot in his reading skills this year, but there are still aspects that are challenging for him.
Josiah - 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 the Lord helping Josiah to communicate more often with his words rather than screaming when he doesn't like something. Please continue to pray for the Lord to grow Josiah in using his words to communicate (Psalm 19:14).
Samuel - 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 no major prayer requests for Samuel presently. :)
Friend's son - Praise for a "clean bill of health" for my friend's son's heart.
Friend - Please pray for a friend who has left the gospel and is in a journey of agnosticism. I am praying John 8:32 for her that she would know the truth, and the truth would set her free.
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. Please pray Galatians 5:22-23 that the fruit of the Spirit would abound in Dad's & Tami's lives during this trial. Also, prayer of James 1:5 for wisdom with this trial.
Wes & Christina - Praise for the Lord growing us and uniting us through daily circumstances and also doubt and discouragement in ministry and at work. Please pray Ephesians 6:10 that the Lord would continue to help us stand strong together in Christ and in His mighty power.
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. Continued praise for the Lord growing Noah in loving his brothers, especially Josiah since Noah will sometimes provoke him. I asked Noah what he would like loved ones to pray for him, and he asked for some choices. I shared some ideas, and we talked about how sometimes people will pray for help with things that are hard for them. Noah said, ~ "Pray for Jesus to help me with my reading." Noah has grown a lot in his reading skills this year, but there are still aspects that are challenging for him.
Josiah - 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 the Lord helping Josiah to communicate more often with his words rather than screaming when he doesn't like something. Please continue to pray for the Lord to grow Josiah in using his words to communicate (Psalm 19:14).
Samuel - 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 no major prayer requests for Samuel presently. :)
Marriage Memories
On a light-hearted note ~ Wes blessed me with a date of shopping at Kohls to get some clothing for this time of transition, since my body is inbetween pregnancy and non-pregnancy dimensions. ;)
On a more serious note ~ This month we encountered some spiritual warfare in the form of doubt and discouragement in ministry and in Wes' work and also found ourselves feeling like we were battling against each other at times.
On a light-hearted note ~ Wes blessed me with a date of shopping at Kohls to get some clothing for this time of transition, since my body is inbetween pregnancy and non-pregnancy dimensions. ;)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13
We thank the Lord for helping us to eventually turn to each other rather than against each other! It is easy to struggle against flesh and blood that is right in front of you [your spouse] and forget about all that spiritually is going on behind-the-scenes of daily life. The Lord helped show us that in trying circumstances Satan wants to tempt us to doubt and discouragement, and the Lord wants to grow us in dependance upon Him! We are grateful for how the Lord grew us in standing firm together in Christ and in His mighty power when daily struggles occur!
Family Fun
At Rocky Mountain Calvary Church's Harvest Festival
1st Family "Viking" Dinner
We used some of the produce the boys gathered ~ potatoes, corn, & carrots ~ from our field trip at Miller Farms to have our family's 1st "viking" dinner. Wes learned about "viking" from the firestation. ;) You cover the table in aluminum foil (though we opted to a partial covering this time); put a little dab of ketchup, butter, salt and pepper in each spot and also a roll (to use as a napkin); and no eating utensils allowed! You just grab what you want to eat from the middle of the table and dig in! The boys thought it was GREAT!
Even Samuel's smiling about "Viking" dinner ;)
At Rocky Mountain Calvary Church's Harvest Festival
Ninja Noah * Spiderman Josiah * Lil' Pumpkin Samuel
CSW neighborhood friends
Noah, Dylan, AJ, Xavier, & Jacob
Playing games ~ Noah throwing a football through the target * Josiah at the glow-in-the-dark ring toss
1st Family "Viking" Dinner
We used some of the produce the boys gathered ~ potatoes, corn, & carrots ~ from our field trip at Miller Farms to have our family's 1st "viking" dinner. Wes learned about "viking" from the firestation. ;) You cover the table in aluminum foil (though we opted to a partial covering this time); put a little dab of ketchup, butter, salt and pepper in each spot and also a roll (to use as a napkin); and no eating utensils allowed! You just grab what you want to eat from the middle of the table and dig in! The boys thought it was GREAT!
Even Samuel's smiling about "Viking" dinner ;)
Noah News
Age - 6 years old
Cute Communication
*One day when feeding our dog, Dozer, I heard Noah calling for him, "Dozer... Dozer Harrison!" That was the first time I heard Noah refer to our dog with his first and last name. ;)
*I was trying to explain the concept of agility to Noah since he is very strong in agility skills. Noah turns to Josiah as he moves his feet back and forth rapidly over a line, "Josiah, look! A jiggling... a jiggling!" Agility... a jiggling... close enough. ;)
*Our first time at "Fun Friday" (a monthly get together involving a variety of activities that is organized by Woodmen Valley Chapel's homeschool group), Noah (who is usually a somewhat shy, very observant, keeps to himself in group settings, introvert) shocked me when he volunteered to share about airplanes (which they can share anything they want to about the topic) in front of a group of strangers during their share time. ~ "I see airplanes fly over our house, and sometimes I see them when I am outside riding my bike." Nice job Noah!!!
Latest Likes
Drawing pictures
Legos
Book-It Program for reading :)
Cute Communication
*One day when feeding our dog, Dozer, I heard Noah calling for him, "Dozer... Dozer Harrison!" That was the first time I heard Noah refer to our dog with his first and last name. ;)
*I was trying to explain the concept of agility to Noah since he is very strong in agility skills. Noah turns to Josiah as he moves his feet back and forth rapidly over a line, "Josiah, look! A jiggling... a jiggling!" Agility... a jiggling... close enough. ;)
*Our first time at "Fun Friday" (a monthly get together involving a variety of activities that is organized by Woodmen Valley Chapel's homeschool group), Noah (who is usually a somewhat shy, very observant, keeps to himself in group settings, introvert) shocked me when he volunteered to share about airplanes (which they can share anything they want to about the topic) in front of a group of strangers during their share time. ~ "I see airplanes fly over our house, and sometimes I see them when I am outside riding my bike." Nice job Noah!!!
Latest Likes
Drawing pictures
Legos
Book-It Program for reading :)
*Video ~ Noah tying his shoes
Josiah Joys
Age - 3 years old
Cute Communication
* "Hey Mom! I'm trapped!" Josiah was hiding behind the chairs in the kitchen.
Me - "Is Noah going to save you?"
Noah - "No, I'm not on his team."
Josiah exclaims - "Help me, Jesus!" We encourage Josiah to pray to Jesus for help for various situations (ex. having self-control, scared at night, etc.). So, Josiah thought he should pray and ask Jesus to help him get out from being trapped behind the chairs. ;)
* "Watch this!" We hear this phrase frequently since Josiah likes showing us what he can do. :)
* "I'm sad. I miss Daddy." I hear this often when Wes is at work. I think it's official that Josiah is a daddy's boy, now. ;)
Latest Likes
Balloons
Balls
Dressing up / roleplaying
Cute Communication
* "Hey Mom! I'm trapped!" Josiah was hiding behind the chairs in the kitchen.
Me - "Is Noah going to save you?"
Noah - "No, I'm not on his team."
Josiah exclaims - "Help me, Jesus!" We encourage Josiah to pray to Jesus for help for various situations (ex. having self-control, scared at night, etc.). So, Josiah thought he should pray and ask Jesus to help him get out from being trapped behind the chairs. ;)
* "Watch this!" We hear this phrase frequently since Josiah likes showing us what he can do. :)
* "I'm sad. I miss Daddy." I hear this often when Wes is at work. I think it's official that Josiah is a daddy's boy, now. ;)
Latest Likes
Balloons
Balls
Dressing up / roleplaying
*Video ~ Josiah's summersault
Cute - Josiah says at the beginning, "I want to see me in that picture." ;) aka. I want to watch the video of me.
Samuel Sentiments
Age - 7 months
1sts - Growing in communication with specific sounds or repeated sounds ex. "bah, bah, bah," eating finger food (puffs), feeding himself (puffs)
Latest Likes
Interacting ~ Being read to and sung to, Playing Peek-a-boo, Smiling, Laughing, Screeching
Rolling, rolling, & more rolling!
Putting everything in his mouth
Getting stronger & sitting up longer!
1st time eating puffs ~ Excited * Hmmm.... * Not so sure... ;)
Josiah put a superhero cape on Samuel, so he could join-in on the roleplaying fun! ;)
1sts - Growing in communication with specific sounds or repeated sounds ex. "bah, bah, bah," eating finger food (puffs), feeding himself (puffs)
Latest Likes
Interacting ~ Being read to and sung to, Playing Peek-a-boo, Smiling, Laughing, Screeching
Rolling, rolling, & more rolling!
Putting everything in his mouth
Getting stronger & sitting up longer!
1st time eating puffs ~ Excited * Hmmm.... * Not so sure... ;)
Josiah put a superhero cape on Samuel, so he could join-in on the roleplaying fun! ;)
*Video ~ Samuel talking & being active in his jumper
Bro Bonding
Noah taking Josiah for a crazy-fast ride ;)
Noah & Samuel ~ Snuggling * Noah messin' with Samuel
Helping feed Samuel his puffs
Noah taking Josiah for a crazy-fast ride ;)
Noah & Samuel ~ Snuggling * Noah messin' with Samuel
Helping feed Samuel his puffs
Homeschool Highlights
Bros cooking in the kitchen ~ Josiah on bacon * Noah getting the pan ready for scrambled eggs
Raking leaves
Re-caulking the shower * Noah removing the old caulk
The month's theme was aeronautics, so Noah enjoyed getting to construct and paint a wooden airplane during craft time.
Noah even made a new friend during game time and got up to share about airplanes (on his own initiative) in front of a group of strangers during their sharing time!
Click on these links if interested in seeing more info about the K-8 skills/benchmarks books I use:
Please let me know if you would like to know about the specific curriculum I use. :)
Core Knowledge Sequence: Content guidelines for K-8 (Fyi ~ This is not the same as Common Core.)
What Your [Grade-level of Your Child] Needs to Know ~ Core Knowledge books corresponding to grade-level
Noah participates in a homeschool program through RMCA in which he goes to a school building once a week for a full day ~ 8 am to 3 pm. Noah has a homeroom teacher, Mrs. Campbell, who reiterates reading and writing concepts that Noah is learning at home, and she also teaches some science, critical thinking, and character. In addition, Noah participate in P.E., music, and art each school day, so it is a full day!
Noah enjoys RMCA's homeschool program, and it has been a great fit for our family too!
Reading
Noah enjoys RMCA's homeschool program, and it has been a great fit for our family too!
Reading
This year I discovered that the Book It! program includes homeschoolers, so we signed up for it. Noah has liked it a lot! He enjoys having a reading goal and working towards his own little pizza reward each month. :)
Fall Art, Crafts, & Pumpkin Carving
Noah painting his pumpkin
Josiah painting his pumpkin
Noah's 1st time carving a pumpkin
The finished product ~ Daytime * Nighttime
Josiah showing off his lion craft
Life Skills
Bros cooking in the kitchen ~ Josiah on bacon * Noah getting the pan ready for scrambled eggs
Raking leaves
Re-caulking the shower * Noah removing the old caulk
Fall Harvest Festival Field Trip at Miller Farms
Woodmen Valley Chapel's Homeschool Group Activities
See more in section above ~ What's on the Harrison's Hearts & Memorable Moment of the Month
We tried out Woodmen Valley Chapel's (nearby church) Homeschool Group activity called "Fun Friday," and we really enjoyed it! We hope to continue joining them for their monthly Fun Fridays and also their monthly field trips in the future!
Listening to a homeschool band perform
The month's theme was aeronautics, so Noah enjoyed getting to construct and paint a wooden airplane during craft time.
Noah even made a new friend during game time and got up to share about airplanes (on his own initiative) in front of a group of strangers during their sharing time!
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