The Harrisons
“You Call it Chaos, We Call it Family.” (Anonymous)
Back in the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder it was common to have big families. Now, we get stared at when we all go out in public, like we have 67 heads, which loosely translated means, “it’s less common in today’s society to have a big family.”
Admittedly it’s challenging at times, especially for me on the administrative side. Never in my life have I ever filled out so many freaking forms. Plus, there are two volumes in my house: loud and “soft-loud.” Meals, traveling, scheduling… everything comes with complications, logistics, and it’s own unique set of challenges and joys in a big family. Included in this page are life hacks for big families, plus general Q&A’s about How we operate as a family of 10 in an urban setting and corporate executive lifestyle. My family is my heartbeat, and they are my greatest teachers, the mirrors that reflect my soul’s strengths and weaknesses at the same time. The ones who see me at my very worst, the ones who celebrate me at my very best. The ones who can get the brunt of my fatigue if I’m not careful. They are the real deal- they know and accept my beautiful mess. They’ve received more apologies from me than I’d like to disclose. They’ve heard every story of mine- raw, unedited and unpolished. And yet, they are still here, day after day, offering me unconditional love. (Well. Let’s be honest, it’s probably the free food and shelter and paid cell phone bills that keep them here.) But I’ll take it, and I’ll treasure it.
Amy
Mommy
Amy is a former English teacher turned stay-at-home mom. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Silicon Valley, she’s a California girl through and through. She met Andrew in 1998 and married him 5 months after meeting him. Together they have had 8 kids, 4 quasi-planned, and 4 bonus babies. They are all Amy and Andrew’s kids- no other baby daddies or baby mamas, and no adoptions. And yes Amy gave birth to them all the old fashioned way, no C-Sections. She’s proud to be the executive wife of Andrew, the Chief Commercial Officer of Alaska Airlines, and she’s equally proud to spend countless hours volunteering at her kids’ private school in various capacities and on various levels. She is an advocate for those in recovery from various addictions, and she hopes to change the stereotypes of big families- that they are not all homeschoolers and Mormons. She loves the 80’s, she loves traveling, and she loves the beach.
ANDREW
DAddy
Andrew grew up in Victoria, Australia. He is the eldest of 5 kids, and he survived an over zealous Born Again Christian Mother- and he lives to tell the tale! He’s morphed his background as a base ingredient of the recipe of the man he is today, having given himself permission to customize his faith. A graduate of Melbourne University, he started out as an accountant and worked for KPMG Pete Marwick in Prague, Connecticut, and finally Silicon Valley where he met Amy in 1998. They have 8 kids together, and he is a very hands on-dad. After a phone call with the current CEO of Alaska Airlines in 2003, he discovered many similarities between the two of them, including the fact that the CEO had also lived in Victoria Australia. Andrew started off knowing nothing about the airline business and is now the Chief Commercial Officer of Alaska Airlines. He loves traveling and treating his wife with what he calls “The Princess Package”, which entails everything from joyfully bringing her coffee in the mornings to making sure she is treated with the utmost care and unconditional love. He also loves spending time with their kids, whom he’s been able to provide dual citizenship for. He loves living in the US (most of the time!) and dreamed of doing so since he was a child himself.
Alex
Wicked Smart. Personable. Helper.
Alex is one of those Renisannce kids. He’s a great athlete. He’s got a natural gift of connection and friendship. Because of that, it’s always amazing to me that he is so wicked smart; he can build you a website in 2 minutes. Like his dad, he’s go this amazing natural ability to decide to learn something and immerse himself in it and somehow become an expert in a short amount of time. Alex is a gentleman through and through, holds doors for girls, helps me carry things in from my car, just basically has a kind heart and a willingness to help. He’s authentically charming and charismatic. I’m so thankful to have the wonder of watching him infiltrate this world with his talents.
ASHLEY
Driven. Resilient. Problem Solver.
Ashley is one of the strongest people I know. She handles life with a simple, matter of fact approach and she doesn’t get too complicated or emotionally intertwined with drama and situations. She’s a learner by trial and error, and quickly moves on from people and situations that don’t serve her well. She’s great at figuring gout how to make things work, and she’s extremely prepared and responsible. She is fantastic at not taking herself too seriously, and she can laugh at herself. She’s an incredible self-taught athlete and she has continually amazed me time and time again with her ability to decide to do something and make it happen. She’s an excellent big sister to her her younger siblings, and I’ve seen all of them look up to her with so much admiration. It’s a joy to be her mom.
Austin
Justice-Seeker. Hilarious. Good Sport.
When I’m in a bad mood, I can count on feeling better around Aussie. He’s always got some freaking hilarious, very detailed story to share. He’s a good friend, he’s an excellent big brother and he takes that role very seriously with our little ones. Aussie is like that kid who is willing to try anything, and he succeeds because he has a good attitude… whether it be football, basketball, drama, etc. He’s got a willing spirit and a coachable heart. He doesn’t like being blamed for something he’s not responsible for, so he’s motivated to be the person who sets things straight. I admire that he takes life’s natural consequences like a man. I’m so proud to be his mom.
AVA
Sweet. Tenderhearted. Servant’s Heart.
Ava is like every mom’s dream. She’s loving, kind, a sacrificial helper, and a beauty keeper. She creates beautiful spaces and environments, and she helps people to feel welcome and comfortable. She is an incredible big sister to her younger siblings, and as I always tell her, “She’s a better mother than I am.” It’s seriously true. She’s got patience, willingness, sensitivity, and a heart of gold. I am beyond blessed to be her mom. What a gift she is to me, on so many levels.
ANDERS
A Gentleman. Mischevious. Fascinated.
Anders is just beginning to really get an understanding of the world and who’s in it. He can poke a bug on a leaf with a stick, or play with one tiny little train car for a good solid hour, just examining every single little part of it. He is shy and quiet and smiley and sweet and cute one minute, then the next minute he’s hitting a toddler two’s tantrum with full force. I think the best way I can describe him right now is Iby telling the story of what happened the other day: I took him to the opthamologist. They played this game where the doctor asked him to identify objects to ensure that he could see out of both eyes. A card would flash on the screen and the doctor would say “What’s that up there, Anders?” Anders would get this shy look on his face and he would blush uncontrollably every time the doctor asked him anything. Anders would cock his head to the side and whisper in the doctor’s ear (and in the smallest voice ever), “horse.” Or “car”. Or “bird.” Or whatever the object was. He was completely cracking us up with his little shyness routine. In fact the doctor wrote on his chart that he’s the “perfect gentleman.” That is true, but it’s also true that he can be a bit cheeky, sneaking off at home sometimes to do things he knows he’s not supposed to do. Unfortunately his cuteness tends to override the offenses, making it harder and harder for parents to discipline him especially the further we go down the birth order.
ARCHER
Talkative. Sweetheart. Curious.
Archer is sweet and loving, and sensitive. He loves all things trains and he has a very good natured personality. He likes to sit down with you and tell you every single detail of every story. He’s a very loyal friend, and he’s kind and shares even when he doesn’t want to. He loves to have all kinds of outdoor fun and is excellent at making up creative games. Arch also is passionate about the things he tells you, having two volumes to his voice: “Loud” and “Soft-Loud”. He loves music class, he loves old creepy trains, and he is adventurous and willing to try new things. He treats Baby Audrina with Love and Care, and is becoming quite the kind and sweet little man.
ANNALISE
Silly. Sassy. Sweet.
Annalise is an old soul, and has incredible self-awareness. She told me when I was pregnant with Audrina: “I get mad at you when you go to the hospital to have a baby because I’m afraid you won’t love me anymore.” Drop mic. (Lots of people who can’t identify their reasons for their behavior as adults!) She is a joy to be around- she’s condifent, she shares her feelings, and she has her own sense of fashion and her own signature style, including many variations of glasses. If she’s not a fan of something, she’s gonna let you know. She’s fun, she’s hilarious, and she has a spirit that cannot be missed or suppressed. She’s excellent both at independent play and joint play with others. She’s an excellent leader…especially with her younger siblings.
Audrina
Adorable. Happy. Sweet.
And how is it that we end of the highest note possible? We’ve been so blessed and yet this is how we get to end this grand journey of 8 children? It makes me speechless. Audrina is our cuddly little ball of joy who, at the time of the writing, turned 1 a few days ago. *Of course* I loved and tried my best to savor the time with those precious babies. But this one is just so easy going, good natured, happy, giggly, smiley, she makes a kiss-face and she claps her hands when she sees me. Ugh. Just simply a wonderful baby who brings my heart so much joy! She’s already an excellent traveller, so that’s also very reassuring…. she’s definitely an A-Team Member, as if no one could tell by the baby picture resemblance!