Sunday, January 15, 2012

Hannah


I thought it would be fun to start introducing our crazy kids! Since it's the week of Hannah's birthday, I thought I'd start with her.

so...

Heeerrrre's Hannah!



Where to start...

Hannah is the oldest girl...a fact that she is very proud of. :) Being the oldest is also something she takes very seriously. Being one of the oldest in a big family is hard in many ways. Especially if you are the oldest girl. But, Hannah has handled it with a bit of her own Hannah magic. From day one she has played a critical role in our family and has cemented a very special place in my heart.

Back to the beginning...

After a couple weeks of talking to Big Daddy on the phone and on the computer, we decided it was time to actually meet. So plans were made, a ticket was purchased and it was all set in motion. I was excited and nervous at the same time. When I got off the plane, I made my way down the FOREVER LONG walkways in the airport...getting more nervous as I walked along. Then I saw him. But, he wasn't alone. He had brought back-up!! NO FAIR! That was the first time I met my sweet Hannah and I'm so thankful that my first memories of this experience include her.

Hannah had no idea what to do with me at first. I've tried many times to put myself in her shoes and have tried to imagine what it must have been like at the age of 12 to have a new stepmom move in. I instantly felt a deep love for Hannah and in a strange way felt very connected to her. It's hard to explain, but it felt as if she had always been in my life. She has been much more than a daughter to me. She has become a treasured and beloved friend. She is someone that makes me feel like all is right in the world when she is around.

What are some of my favorite things about Hannah? I literally could talk your ear off for days about that question. I will do my best to describe her. Since she is away at college, my emotions feel very close to the surface, so bear with me if I get a bit too mushy.

I do have my box of tissues right here, so I'm ready to go.

...sniffle, sniffle...

HANNAH


She is a hard little creature to describe. She is unique in so many ways and doesn't really fall into one category. She is gentle, sweet and compassionate, yet she is a force to be reckoned with and is incredibly strong willed. She cares deeply about the people in her life, yet she doesn't let what others think about her dictate her actions and choices. She's goofy and quite hilarious (at least I think she is), but she can be very serious and contemplative. She will lay on you, hang on you and have no regard for your personal space, but she requires her own personal space or she goes crazy. (heeheehee..I love you Hannah). She is really, REALLY fun to scare, but she's also REALLY good at scaring me. I don't like that part so much.

Remember I mentioned that Big Daddy was gullible? Well...so is his daughter. Actually, that is an understatement. She is REALLY gullible. And I have completely taken advantage of that...many times. Come on! We all have to have a little fun in this life! Right?

Well, one of my favorite tricks I played on Hannah involved our sweet little Luke. When we sat the kids down to tell them we were having a baby, we talked to them about names. As a joke, we told them we were going to call him Dwight if it was a boy. Well, through the whole pregnancy we had Hannah believing that his name was Dwight. At the beginning of my baby shower, Hannah ran up to me and said, "Veronica! You need to let everyone know his name is Dwight! They have Luke written on everything!" 
AHH-HA-HA-HAAAA!
Needless to say, I still have a hearty gut giggle when I think about that. 

I know! I'm so mean!!!

Hannah is absolutely wonderful! She is a loving sister, she is a total daddy's girl (she's just like him in MANY ways), she's a great listener and someone I always feel safe talking to. She is patient and forgiving. She is adventurous and is never afraid to try new things. She has great courage and there is nothing I can think of in this life that will ever be able to hold her back from accomplishing really great things. She is my favorite chic flick buddy, especially Pride and Prejudice...ahhh...Mr. Darcy! 

I think she's beautiful in every possible way. 
How could you possibly not agree?

Hannah, I love that you sing at the top of your lungs. I love that you are confident, yet humble enough to recognize that there's always room for growth. I love that you believe in people and in life. You make me laugh harder than anyone (except for maybe Dad) and can make me cry in an instant. I am grateful that you love your Father in Heaven. And I am grateful that you love Dad the way you do. It has been fun to watch you figure out your own life and to learn to make really good decisions. You have been responsible and cautious about the right things, and that has been a great example for your siblings. Thank you for making the choice to make room for me in your life and in your heart. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for deciding that I was worth a chance. I miss you more than I can express and love you more than I ever thought was possible.

That's my Hannah.


...thank goodness for tissues. 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

She sure is a beauty, inside and out!

Robin Jordin said...

Oh my gosh...I need a tissue, too!! Veronica, I love your blog :) I check it out from time to time and I enjoy the way you write.

And as if I didn't already think you are amazing, after reading your entries, I'm sure of it!!!

Veronica said...

I love you Robin! :) And I think you are just as amazing. You are a sweet mama to your little cutie! I'm grateful for your friendship.

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