When you don't know where to start....

...you just start with what's on your heart!   (does that rhyme?  ha!!)

And here is what has been on my heart the last few weeks....

He Giveth More Grace by Annie Johnson Flint

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;

To added affliction He addeth His mercies,

To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit.  His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

And there it is...so simple, yet so profound to me.  

I don't have to have it all together.

I just have to trust the one who does have it all together!!

Lately, my life has needed more strength and endurance just because of some things going on.

I hope to share those things with all of you very soon,

But for now, just know that He does giveth all the grace we need for each day!

Amen!!

Birthday Blessings

Yes...it's birthday time at our house....

So Happy Birthday to our GA Bulldog lovin'....

God fearin'....

easy goin'....

fun-lovin'...

fish-catchin'....

super talented.....

adventurous...

hard-workin'.....

observant.....

Jesus lovin'...

AWESOME Daddy and Husband!!!

Happy Birthday, Mike~ You are loved!

Black and White Wednesday ~ SJ

I just don't get it

My parents gave me a new camera over a year ago.

I still don't know what I am doing with it.

I have read the manual. Twice. I still don't get it.

Lighting is different for every picture.

Shutter-speed. HUH?

Then there is aperture. Whatever.

ISO is just not in my vocabulary.

But I will press on. Oh yes, I will press on.

In the meantime...

Enjoy this cute picture of my sweet girl!

Another Snowy Friday.....

It's cold. I mean really, really cold. MINUS cold.

It's gray. I mean really, really gray. UGLY gray.

But that makes for a perfect time to "play" with your camera 

while you sit on the sofa wearing multiple layers of clothes and socks.

Seriously...what else can you do when it is so cold?

Happy Friday! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Matched!

Oh yes!  

God is so good!!  

My sweet little ""Lisa" has been matched!  

I just know her family is going to be so blessed!! 

Wordless Wednesday

I have to do something....

We can't adopt her.  I wish we could.  The Chinese gov't won't approve us because of our income.  We have too many people in our family...and not enough money...according to them.  But look at her.  Her name is "Lisa".  Sarah Joy has talked about adopting "Lisa" for years now.  She has always said her baby sister was named "Lisa".  Where did she get that?  And then, twice now, her picture has been right there in front of me through different websites advocating for children with HIV.  So...I have to do something...but right now, this is all I know to do.  Let me introduce you to "Lisa" and if you can help her find a family...oh, I sure would love that!

And here is more information about this sweet girl!

Children’s Home Society & Family Services is urgently looking for an adoptive family for this little girl.

“Lisa” is in Asia. She was born at the end of 2005,

Here is an incredible girl with bright eyes. She has rosy chubby cheeks. She enjoys playing physical activities. She likes to play on the jungle gym and jump on the trampoline. She has great fine motor skills and can build a bridge using blocks and string beads on a thread. She is described as a happy and bright child. She enjoys other people and likes to play with her peers. She is affectionate and gives the younger children hugs and kisses. She can speak in her native language and knows some English words. The adoption coordinator recently met her and describes her as “absolutely adorable!” She waits for her own family because she is HIV positive. Her family will be so lucky to see her smile each day. She has been waiting for a family for almost a year.

A grant of $3000 is available to eligible families through Brittany’s Hope Foundation.

• Single women or married couples may apply
• At the time of adoption study approval, single applicants should be under 45 years of age.
• No more than 2 divorces between couples
• Max of 2 kids currently in home (“in home” means 50% of the time or more).
• No serious physical health issues or mental health diagnosis including depression
• No criminal history including DUI/DWI
• No history of alcohol or chemical abuse
• Program fee $7500

Lisa Trinh, Waiting International Child Specialist
Children’s Home Society & Family Services  | 651.255.2252  | ltrinh@chsfs.org
1605 Eustis Street / St. Paul, MN  55108  |  chsfs.org

Resolution Retreat

Last year, Life Action Family Camp started doing something new.  They added another "camp" to their schedule for 2 days leading up to New Years Day.  They had a great response to the retreat...and so this year, we were able to be a part of Resolution...

Mike played the bass guitar in the band......
nothing like singing praises to Jesus as you bring in the New Year!

We celebrated with food and lots of games....

....We bonded more as a family....

....and we thanked God for all of the blessings of 2010!

Happy New Year from the Harris Family!!



Created for Care and more!!

I have no idea what God is up to.  Several months ago, I saw a post on another blog about an adoptive mom's retreat in February.  I sent my friend, Robyn, a Facebook message and told her we should go.  Without hesitation...she was in!  We have dreamed about doing something like this since I moved away...and I am still in shock that it is really going to happen...and I couldn't be more excited!  I think God's timing is perfect (it ALWAYS is) for both of us to have some time to just hang out and talk with each other and new friends...get this.... ALL about ADOPTION!!  YIPPY!!!  Mike thinks I am not going to have a voice after the weekend...oh well!  It will be so worth it!

I just took a look at the breakout sessions...and they all look amazing!!  So check it out....Created for Care Retreat! I can't wait to see what God has planned for me!  And don't you just love the t-shirt designed just for the retreat??  If you would like to purchase one..just go here.

And then just a few weeks later, I will be traveling to Illinois for another adoption/orphan conference.  Do you think God might be up to something with all of this?  And 2011 is just gettin' started!! 

I Don't Want to Waste It!

It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating 2010...where, oh where, did this past year go??  James 4:14 says that we are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Our lives are short!  We don't know what tomorrow holds...but thankfully I do know the one that holds tomorrow!

2010 was a great year for the Harris family...our oldest member turned 40 and our oldest son turned 13.  We saw God's provision for our family in ways we never expected.  We were able to witness the miracle God performed with our friend's son as they brought him home from China and got him the care he needed.  We saw the beauty of sunsets at the beach with our parents and friends.  We saw God continue to bless our church and grow us through that ministry.  We had sweet fellowship with God as we walked down an unknown road to learn more about orphans in the US.  We saw God open doors  for us to visit homes all over the South and see Him at work.  We committed to walk in obedience to whatever God calls us to do in 2011...whatever!

But as we start a fresh new year....I am reminded how quickly this one will pass if we are not intentional about each day we are given.  If you continue to read on in James, you will see that he says we are to commit each day to the Lord's will.  Not ours.  God's will.  And I love the last verse "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."  (James 4:17)

So my question for myself and for you is...what is it that you know you ought to do...but you are not doing it....that you need to get rid of in your life...or start doing??

You don't want to waste your life!

Whatever 2011 holds for my life and for our family...I pray that will bring God glory...that it will stretch us and push us closer to our Father...that we will fall more in love with each other and with Him.

So 2011....bring it! 

....just came across this video and loved it!  John Piper nails it!  Happy New Year, my friends!

Merry Christmas!

Teach me your way, O Lord,

and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart,

that I may fear your name.

I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;

I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me;

You have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

Psalm 86:11-13

Graham H. Grade 7/8

OK...this just makes my brain hurt...but here it goes.  I wanted (for my own records) to make a list of what I hope Graham accomplishes between the third week of August and January.

When I first started homeschooling 4 years ago...I only used Sonlight!  I still LOVE Sonlight and all that it has to offer...and would certainly recommend it to anyone!  However, over these years, I have been adding to Sonlight and really developing my own curriculum based on the strengths/weaknesses of my children....as well as their interests!  We gotta keep it interesting around here, right!

So here it goes (you have been warned!!)

Bible:  Bible Study Sampler from Sonlight
           Live Like a Jesus Freak: Spend Today as if it were your last

History:  Story of the World Volume 3 along with the tests

Reading:  (not in any order)  getting all of these from our local library!
1. Maniac Magee
2.  Year of the Impossible Goodbyes
3. Peter the Great
4.  Amos Fortune, Free Man
5.  Stowaway
6.  Betsy and the Emperor
7.  Streams to the River, River to the Sea
8.  Only the Names Remain:  The Cherokees and the Trail of Tears
9.  I am David
10.  Nory Ryan's Song

We will be doing "unit study/novel study" type activities with each book to reinforce comprehension and vocabulary.  I have been spending many nights on the computer looking for ideas to download.  If you have any ideas, PLEASE let me know!

Science:  Physical Science Abeka 9 (bought this used...really cheap...hope it is good!)

English:  Finish Rod and Staff English 6 book, worksheets, and tests

Math:  Saxon Algebra 1 with Dive CD

Additional Language Arts:  Analogies 1 and Wordly Wise 3000 Book 8 (both purchased from Sonlight)

Competitive Robotics Team:  Computer class via Stanford University- cs106A (no college credit, though)
Weekly meetings to discuss class and assemble robot for competitions.

Piano and Guitar Lessons

I sure hope I am not leaving any holes or gaps in his studies.  If any of you see or know how I might add anything we are lacking, PLEASE leave me a comment!

Hope your head is not hurting too bad after reading all of this!  Blessings, Leigh Ann

Every Family Needs One

That's right...every family needs one of these....someone who loves the Lord and then loves his family, who is level-headed, who is loving and gentle, who doesn't easily jump to conclusions....

who makes wise decisions for our family, who is compassionate, who is loyal, who works hard, who knows how to relax and have fun.....

Our family is beyond blessed to have this man in our lives!
We love you, Daddy!

The Crafty One

Meet Grace.  Certainly The Crafty One in our family.

Usually her crafts involve a big mess of paper, glue, paint, play-dough, scissors, markers, etc....but lately these very simple, very clean, very neat friendship bracelets have caught her attention.

You will most often find her doing exactly this....and lovin' it!

I sure am glad there's one crafty one in this family!

A Few Things I Love...

I don't really have a lot of time to blog...but I was just cooking dinner (tacos...yum!) and thinking about all of the "little things" in life that I love....
Like....

clean laundry....especially when that laundry has been folded and put away!

the smell of cookies in the oven

flowers blooming in the summer

my shirt from 147 million orphans

Michigan cherries

clean toilets

anything from Chick-fil-@

and adoption videos....

This one happens to be one of my favorites.  I hope you love it as much as I do!

Friend or Foe?

 In the winter, Lake Michigan is just not my friend.  

We get so much "Lake Effect" snow...it really is not funny.

But in the summer...that same lake becomes my very good friend.  This weekend we spent some time with my friend (Lake Michigan) and our good friends, The Whitlow's, at the Venetian Festival. 

 Sarah Joy is always happy if the pink blanket is around!

Still not sure where this handsome young man came from!  HA!

 Grace and Taylor had a lot of fun together!

We cooled off with Snow Cones!

And enjoyed a beautiful evening with friends!

Tent Camping...Oh Yes!

So here is the proof that I actually did this....and if I hadn't been so sick with a
sinus/allergy/something, I REALLY would have enjoyed it.

We spent the weekend with about 60 friends from our local church...the kids rode bikes, made bracelets, did face painting, played games, went on scavenger hunts, ate s'mores....but mostly just bonded and made memories with each other....

In fact, I don't think any of us will forget the fun we had....

...we talked, we laughed, we cried, we sang, we ate...

and we are looking forward to doing it all again next year!

9 pounds!

Some of us (well, OK, talking about myself here!) wait all year for this day...

blueberry heaven (aka Blueberry Ranch).....

....and thanks to my really great helpers.....

....who are very particular about which blueberries go into the bucket....

...but look so cute while they are pickin'....

....we brought home 9 pounds!

Happy Friday, Friends!