A few weeks ago, Michael brought home some boxes from school, and made Harrison and incredible fort!  He played in it and love it a ton, but I needed my living room back, and the day came to take it down!  Harrison LOVED helping destroy all of Daddy’s hard work, and his shouts of glee could be heard from inside the fort, followed by ripping cardboard and packing tape!  After pulling and ripping, the demolition moved more toward jumping in, off, on, and through the boxes.  Yes, it was a cardboard paper cut waiting to happen, but Harrison was in his joy.  All of the sudden, Harrison stood up on one the the boxes and started reading us a book, it was so adorable that Michael ran to get the camera and caught it on video!  We have had such a fun few weeks…and it all started with a box!

We had so much fun at our Church’s Trunk-or-Treat this year!  Each family parks a car at the church, decorates their trunk, and the kids walk from car to car (instead of house to house)!  Here are pictures of our Sunday!

My niece Hannah and me carving her Cat Pumpkin!

Nathaniel is 100% first born, and hates getting his hands dirty! He was pretty turned off by the entire pumpkin carving experience.

Hannah, on the other hand, dove right in! She helped Harrison by scooping the "goop" out of his pumpkin.

Daddy helped Harrison carve his pumpkin (which is code for "Harrison ran around while Michael carved a pumpkin")

Hannah was Daphne from Scooby-Doo

Nathaniel was a spy - complete with glasses that help you see behind you!

And here's our little Postman - with a dog biting him!

The joy after he made his rounds and had his "loot"!

I got the idea of a mail man from a Parenting Magazine, and it turned out even cuter than I had expected!

Oh my...he is just so handsome! I can't stand it!

Harrison's pumpkin - an alien from Toy Story

Nathaniel's pumpkin - a howling wolf (he's a Phx Coyote's fan)

Hannah's kitty pumpkin (the lighted pumpkin picture turned out too blurry).

Happy Halloween!

Uncle Christian and Hannah

One of Harrison’s favorite things to do is go to a farm!  He loves the animals and picking pumpkins!  So this year, we made the long trek out to Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek AZ!  (I think most of my PA friends would CRACK up if they knew I drove 45 minutes to see a farm, since for most of my life I lived in front of one!).  We had a wonderful day, and came home dirty and smelling just as we should (not good)!  Here’s some photos of our fun day…

Harrison's super cool Pumpkin!

 

It was a beautiful day to be outside, just starting to get into the 70's! Ahh, it feels like fall!

Harrison LOVED the hay maze, and could have run through it all day!

 

Seriously... one. cute. kid.

 

Inside the barn...getting ready to see some ANIMALS!

...and on this farm we saw a sheep...eieio!

With a moo moo here, and a moo moo there...

Lovin' the goats!

This airplane ride was a "no adults aloud" ride, and Mommy was very nervous to put Harrison on this ride all by himself, but there was a very sweet boy who rode with him!

 

Pumpkin smiles!

Harrison's favorite, favorite, favorite ride!

But, the Choo choo train came in a VERY close second!

OH MY! Too cute for words, if I do say so myself!

The little sunflower garden was so beautiful, and the flowers were taller than Harrison.

It's pumpkin pickin' time!

There were so many to choose from! Harrison had to stop and think about it for a while! 🙂

Harrison's pick!

 

A thumbs-up after a long, fun day!

Ahhh, I’m doing a horrible job of blogging!!!  So, here’s a hodge-podge of pictures, and my pledge to try to do better!

In Phoenix Children's Hospital (during our 7 day 8 night stay in June 2010). Harrison had Pneumonia and Valley Fever (which he's still on medication for...yeah, it's killer)!

Leaving the hospital, Yay! Harrison was in isolation so, this was the first time he and I saw the light of day! A good feeling!

Harrison's new "big-boy" bed!

Helping Daddy paint our window seat!

Takin' a little tubbie in the sink! He's a bit too big, but it was fun anyway!

Watching a movie on Uncle Phee's ipod!

Just a stickin' cute kid!

 

On the 4th of July, he helped Daddy put up the flag!

 

 

Although Harrison’s birthday is a great day, and I have lots of good, then bad, then good memories of that day, his Gotcha Day is the day I finally was able to breath!  June 6th will always bring a feeling of ease and calm at the end of “the perfect storm”!  Harrison’s Gotcha Day is they day we truly became a family, and so in that same spirit we celebrate with family!

Can't wait...just...one...lick!

Harrison singing along to the "Happy Gotcha Day" song!

He has no idea that not every kid gets to celebrate his birthday all week!

His very cool Buzz and Woody Chair! Thanks TT, Brett, Than, and Han!

Sitting on his Toy Story chair, that's on the Toy Story sleeping bag Uncle Christian got him, writing on his new Toy Story magna doodle!! Life is good!

Does this one need a caption??? I think not!

Both sets of his Grandparents (Grayma and Graydaddy, and Grammy and Poppy) bought Harrison a big boy bed!  It is on back order, but we can’t wait to get it!  And I’ll be sure to post pictures of him in a twin bed (isn’t he too small for that?)!!

Wow, it’s been two years – two very happy, busy, fun, emotional, exciting, tiring, but-worth-every-bit-of-it years!  Harrison is such a blessing to us – and I’m sure every parent feels lucky to have their children, but I feel such an appreciation to God for the way in which he gave me my son!  My journey to Harrison was a five-year-long marathon.  God slowly molded me and, at times, painfully chipped away the unwanted pieces of my life that only my Designer would know should not be there.  He carefully created in me a heart that was fully submissive to His will, and then reached down from Heaven to save my son (TWICE) from the abortion clinic…he saved the precious baby, but he wasn’t finished.  God designed Harrison to be a Gray, from his conception God knew where this child was to be placed!  Although Harrison’s adoption was not smooth sailing, God protected him, and gave Harrison’s birth-mother a wisdom and peace that passes all understanding!

As I’m sure you can tell, this week brings back a tsunami of emotions in me that are so real!  But, in true “Heidi” fashion, regardless of emotion we PARTY when it comes to birthdays!  So here are the pictures of our time at the Splash Pad!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! *yelling their heads off*

Getting read for some grub!

Friends and Family at the Party!

Hannah

Nathaniel and Xavier

A gaggle of party-ers!

Colton

PRESENTS **we didn't get very many pictures of the present opening because we had lots of helpers, who also created (what can only be described as a) mosh-pit around the presents!

Harrison has VERY generous friends - and had lots of wonderful gifts to open!

CAKE!! – No birthday party is complete without it!

I was pretty much covered in icing by the end of the day!

DIVING into his cupcake!

Almost done!

The aftermath (and the reason I was covered in icing)!

I have to end by saying Thank You!  Thank you for your prayers two years ago, I am even more appreciative of them today than ever before, and I will never forget that it was your prayers that bombarded heaven on my behalf!  What a humbling thought!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Thank you also for being a part of my son’s life, although I gag a little saying “It takes a Village”, it definitely takes a group of Godly people to come along-side a child to teach him to grow into a Godly man, and it is you who are doing that for Him – again, I’m humbled!  I’m so thankful for each one of you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRISON!

The parting is not over – we’ve still got “Gotcha Day” so keep checking back for more party updates!!  Whoo hoo!

Today was Harrison’s first swim lesson this season (his Christmas gift from Aunt Erin and Uncle Jared, Thank you!). He “graduated” from having me in the pool with him, to being alone with his teacher [enter ‘gasp’ here]!  He did not want me to leave him at first, but after he remembered how fun swimming was, he loved it (as evidenced by the huge smile on his face)!  Here are some pics!

Swimming to the duck he played with all lesson!

Diving in!!

With his teacher, Teacher Beth.

We had such a fun Easter!  The Lord is risen…He is risen indeed!

**Note to self** before next egg dying session, teach Harrison that you need to be "gentle" with eggs!

Beautiful Hannah...

The Egg Picasso!

Egg mush!

Mom, I'm done painting eggs!

Hannah and her Daddy

Cheese...er, I mean Eggs!

HAPPY EASTER!

I’m finally blogging again!  I know it’s been ages!  My camera broke, and I’m not a desriptive enough writer to do justice to any of the crazy antics my son is up to.  But the good news is, I now have a camera that works, and here is my “catching up” blog!  Enjoy the pics!  It’s a hodge podge of all kinds of good stuff!

Some silly daddy time!

Just some random pictures of our cutie!

Drinking Mommy's coffee (not flavored crazy sweet coffee...just coffee)

Always keeping a hand on "his" cup so Mommy doesn't try to steal a sip!

His reaction when I "cut him off"

Snacking on some KFC Cole Slaw! Yum!

Fun with Grayma and Graydaddy!

We have one very daring little boy!

Enjoying a sucker for the very first time (a green one from the bank on St. Patrick's Day)

Watching the fountain turn green on St. Patrick's day

Harrison and Drew riding the Choo Choo Train at the World Wildlife Zoo!

Playin' Wii!

Whoo hoo! He's good!

Easter Egg Hunt

On your mark...get set...go!

Ummm, mom....this kinda feels like cleaning up my toys, and I'm not diggin' it!

Ohhhh, you mean there's stuff inside! Let me check this out!

GOLDFISH....sweet! No thanks, I don't need any more eggs, I'm good!

Yeah for Easter Egg Hunts!

Christmas is always one of my favorite times of year, and this year was just as great!  It was, however, a little more hectic with every person in my family (except my dad) getting the stomach flu sometime during the Christmas week!  We each had our 24 hour bout and bounced back, but the holiday appetites were all a little smaller around our family table!  Poor Harrison had the longest stretch of the virus…but it looks like he is over it now and back to his active self again!

Santa Claus went a little overboard this year when he brought toys for Harrison!  He must have been on the very, very nice list!!  The following are some pictures of our Christmas, and a short video we made for Dixie as a small Christmas gift!

My two extremely handsome boys!

My love bug!! He was NOT feeling well at all this day, and even managed a big giggle with his mama!

Kind of over the whole "taking pictures" thing!

My beautiful family on Christmas Eve!

My niece and nephew, Hannah and Nathaniel

The three kiddos! ADORABLE - if I do say so myself!

Next year's Christmas Card Photo...count on it!

Wiped Out!!

Watching and waiting until they get to open presents!

Christian's excited to get started too!

Hannah's favorite gift this year!

Nathaniel's favorite gift this year!

Harrison's favorite gift this year!