Adventures in Our Home & Hearts: Hitting the Highlights ~ June

*Sidenote ~ It's been awhile... ~ There is a direct correlation between when we got pregnant and my blogging needing to be put on hold due to a majority of my free time going to naps and an earlier bed time. ;) We have recently cut back in some of our responsibilities in preparation of Samuel’s soon arrival, so I am hoping to get back to blogging

(and at some point to “back blog” with details on these months that I am highlighting in this post).

Giving God Glory

God is the Creator & Sustainer of Life ~ A few passages I have meditated on and prayed over the past several months as we pleaded with the Lord to sustain our baby's life:

Psalm 139:16 - Your eyes have seen my unformed body and in Your book were written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.
Deuteronomy 32:39 - See now that I am He, and there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
Psalm 54:4 - Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
1 Timothy 6:13, 15-16 - I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things... which He will display at the proper time - He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords... To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Watching the Lord Grow Our Little Guy

8 weeks 11 weeks 13 weeks

17 weeks 30 weeks

What’s on the Harrisons’ Hearts

Growing in Trusting the Lord Throughout Samuel’s Pregnancy ~ After having Noah in 2009, 3 miscarriages in a year’s time 2010-2011, adopting Josiah in 2012, having another miscarriage in 2013, thinking that the Lord was calling us to adoption through foster care next summer (2015), the first half of this pregnancy was very trying emotionally, mentally, and spiritually with not knowing what the Lord’s plan was for our little one’s life. I had several miscarriage signs throughout the first trimester, which really messed with my mind and challenged me to constantly take my thoughts captive to Christ and grow in trusting Him - no matter what His will might be for our baby. I remember both Wes and I beginning to anticipate after our gender ultrasound at 20 weeks... “I think the Lord may have for this boy to join our family!” We have been so grateful for the Lord's graciousness with Samuel's life and are hopeful for his arrival into this world and into our arms in March!

Samuel Growing Over the Months

3 4 5 6 7

Praises & Prayers

Adam & Wendy - Praise for the Lord blessing them with the privilege of adopting Nathaniel (June).

Kale & Sharin - Praise for the Lord blessing their family with another healthy boy, Ryker (November).

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. Prayer of 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.

Our Family - Praise for the Lord sustaining Samuel’s life & growing all of our trust in Him throughout Samuel’s pregnancy. Some key aspects we have been praying for over the past several months includes the Lord to be gracious in sustaining Samuel’s life, greater trust in the Lord, faithfulness and wisdom in discipling our boys and serving in T&T (3rd-6th grade program in AWANAs), and discernment with priorities in this season and in preparation for transitioning to our new season with Samuel joining our family.

Wes & Christina - Praise for all the ways the Lord has been growing us in trusting Him throughout Samuel’s pregnancy, growing us in a greater depth of love for each other through intentionally investing in our marriage, & growing us in serving Him through parenting and T&T. Please pray for continued wisdom for us as we transition and prepare for our new season as a fam of 5 (James 1:5). :)

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 that partnering with RMCA’s Homeschool Support Program (1 day a week) has been a great fit for Noah and a big blessing; also praise for the Lord providing FREE speech therapy for Noah through RMCA. A key aspect we have been praying for Noah the past several months is that he would be kind to Josiah and not provoke or tempt him to sin by responding to Noah with a "retaliating defense" (Ephesians 4:32).

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 growing Josiah significantly in his gross motor skills over the past several months! A key aspect we have been praying for Josiah over the past several months is that he would be kind to Noah and not bite or hit him (Ephesians 4:32).

Marriage Memories
A few ways the Lord has been growing us in our marriage over the past several months ~

Serving Together ~ The Lord has blessed us with the privilege of investing in the hearts and lives of 3rd-6th graders through the Truth & Training AWANA program at our church. It has been such a joy to serve the Lord together and use the gifts He has blessed us with to complement each other and build up others.
Embracing Each Other's Different Approaches & Supporting Each Other ~ Wes often approaches situations as a realist and I approach as an optimist. This difference can cause conflict or a beautiful complement depending on our responses to each other. When we found out we were pregnant, our different approaches hit full force. ;) With our miscarriage history, Wes braced for another miscarriage, and I was excited and hopeful (though obviously with some reservations and apprehensions). The Lord grew us in embracing each other's differences and supporting each other as we waited upon the Lord.
Testing Us in Trusting Each Other ~ During the first trimester of our pregnancy, we had a couple false positive tests that had an impact on our marriage and could have easily tempted us to turn against each other. The Lord helped us to trust Him and trust each other in the waiting until these tests got resolved, which we are grateful that the Lord protected us from allowing Satan to get a foothold in our marriage.

Some Fun Memories We Have Made

Celebrating our 8th anniversary ~ We enjoyed a little overnight getaway to Denver for CHEC's Homeschool Conference.

Date Nights ~ Cocoa/Coffee & Hanging Out * After our "Dinner & a Movie" - One Night with the King (Esther) - with our Sunday School Class

Date Night ~ Going Out to Eat at TX Roadhouse for Wes' Birthday

Day Date ~ We enjoyed getting a good deal on a couples massage. :)

Family Fun

We enjoyed a lot of fun in the sun & went on many hikes during the summer!

Wes & Noah ran in Life Network's "Walk for Life"

All set for swimming! ;)

Group Camping @ Twin Lakes with friends from Church

Our Group

Hiking @ Twin Lakes

Fishing @ Twin Lakes ~ Noah caught his 1st fish! :)

While bending over outside one morning, Wes keeled over & was barely being able to move, so the boys & I took him to the ER. :(

We had plans to go to the Harvest Festival at Rock Ledge Ranch later that day, so Noah & I went on a Mommy-son date while both Wes & Josiah rested at home.

Picking out pumpkins for all 5 of us ;) * Having fun painting their pumpkins

Our Fam of 5 ;)

Celebrating Holidays

Father's Day :)

4th of July

Riding/walking in the Monument Parade

Noah's decorated bike * The boys having fun collecting candy

Fall Festival

Don't mess with S.W.A.T. Team Noah! * Batboy Josiah ;)

Neighborhood Friends ~ S.W.A.T. Noah, Navy Seal Liam, Batboy Josiah, Ninja Landon, & Ninja Dylan

Thanksgiving ~ The boys & I celebrated with my fam in the Springs * Wes surprised his fam for his dad's 60th birthday surprise party & enjoyed Thanksgiving with them too

The cousins eating our yummy Thanksgiving meal

Christmas Eve

Brothers ~ Looking' serious * Smiling/cheese'n ;)

Our Fam Christmas Day ~ enjoying hanging out in our pjs ;)

Celebrating with family

New Year's Eve ~ Making yummy food * Playing board games

Noah News

Age - 5 Years Old

All excited about his new bike! :)

Noah enjoyed taking gymnastics at the YMCA - Noah's bridge * His classmates

*Video - Noah's "vault" ~ more like a superhero move or a flying squirrel ;)

Josiah Joys

We enjoyed celebrating this sweet boy's 2nd birthday in June! :)

Enjoying a Funfetti cupcake & his 1st ice cream cone

*Video - Josiah running! :)

Bro Bonding

Blanket pretend play * Snuggling

Reading together

Being creative & silly with their plastic bowl hats ;)

Summertime sandbox fun * Wintertime sock war ;)

Part of the boys' Christmas gift was the privilege to bunk together. They have been doing great! :)

Homeschool ~ & Preschool ~ Highlights

Science & P.E. - This summer we went on weekly Nature Hikes at various hiking trails in the CO Springs area & invited others who were interested to join us.

For our last Nature hike, we visited the duck pond & park near our home.

Playing at the park * Enjoying a picnic & ice cream sundaes afterwards

Noah's 1st day at RMCA (Rocky Mountain Classical Academy) Homeschool Program

Noah goes to school one day each week from 8 am-3 pm, and we homeschool him the rest. :)

Wes & I thought we would shed at least a couple tears when we dropped Noah off in his classroom, but it was Josiah who broke down & got super sad... :(

Noah's Class :)

Growing in areas of challenge ~ Noah has been growing in his speech; we are grateful for the Lord's provision of FREE speech therapy through RMCA * Josiah has made some wonderful progress in his gross motor skills & continues to have occasional physical therapy

Monthly Field Trips ~ We have been enjoying going on a variety of field trips each months & inviting others who are interested to join us. :)

Ex. Visiting Flight for Life, Tour at Patsy's Candy, Historical Harvest Festival at Rock Ledge Ranch, Creating Catapults at the Library, Bank Tour including Hands-on Activities with Money

Pre-K

In August, I started out with 3 ~ Noah, Naomi, & Olivia, and I ended in December with 5 (Brooke & Luke joined us).

History ~ Learning about the Native Americans ;)

Science & Art ~ Learning about the seasons (art project using their hand) * Fall party

Best buds & superheros ;) * 3 Amigas

Watching a Leapfrog Reading Video

Memorable Moment from June - December
Double Family Vacation in Wisconsin ~ In July, we enjoyed vacationing with Christina's side of the fam for a week in the WI Dells at Great Wolf Lodge (waterpark). Then we visited Wes' side of the family in Madison for a week. We made lots of fun memories! :)