Hanna's Home

In our Hearts

Dear Katie and Landon,

Thank you so much for coming to see us on the weekend and celebrating Hanna's birthday. Hanna was all smiles, as she was very excited to show off all her tricks---her new words, her dancing, her running around, her toys, and her bedroom.

None of us can believe a year has flown by. While time escapes us, our gratitude does not. We feel so blessed to share her life with you. Hanna has blossomed into a beautiful little girl and we are delighted that you continue to express your deep love and affection for her. She can feel this. I'm sure of it. And she adores and looks up to you. I know this.

Thank you also for the gifts. They are now Hanna's favourites. I'll post pictures soon.

Take care and know that you live in our hearts. Always.

Love,
Paula, Brad and Hanna

P.S. Pass along a hug to Grandma Judy. We hope to see her soon!

4X4

What do you think Hanna's hunting/fishing/quadding/outdoor enthusiast of a father would buy her for her birthday?  But of course, an electric quad.

At first, she just admired it.  Then she realized it could move.. real fast...

"Wait a minute," she said. "I can sit on this quad and ride like the pros!"

Dora was a hit.

Then we came home from the lake. Dad decided to show her his quad.

And once she saw the real goods, she said, "That wee thing???"

"Hah! You've got to be kidding!"

"I'll take this one for a spin first, thank you very much."

What did mama buy her for her birthday? Well, mama is a little more practical in her gift giving. Educational blocks - the ones that spell her name at the top of this web page. I had to improvise on a few duplicate letters though. Luckily, we had carrots for dinner!

Our little fish

 

I'm so delighted that Hanna loves the water. At the lake, she loved floating around, kicking her feet and playing with her ball. We tried to teach her the concept of "blowing bubbles" as she put her face in the water but that didn't work so well when her goal was to have a little drink. Lots of sputtering went on, but always followed with a smile.

By the way, did you notice that this little fish is growing curls on her head?

Priceless

A priceless moment... Baba and Dido on the dock with Miss Hanna.

Their visit was awesome. Dido went golfing for the first time in 40 years, while Baba enjoyed every minute caring for Hanna. We played in the water during the day and sat around campfires by the water each night.

Good times.

Those white legs of Dido's got a bit too much sun and were on fire the next day.  Next time Dido, I'll lend you my sunscreen. Mama doesn't let me go outside without it. She also makes me wear my hat, but I usually try to ditch it. Good thing you had your hat on Dido!

Old meets new

My grandfather built one of the first cabins around Crystal Lake. While many renovations have been done to it since then, a lot is still close to original. When Hanna sat herself done in front on this old fireplace, I dashed for my camera. She seldom sits in one spot for more than a few seconds, so I was pleasantly surprised that she parked herself here for a while and just listened to the conversation in the room. 

I'm glad she had a chance to meet the old - to experience the place where I grew up. I wondered what my grandparents would think of Hanna - what my mother thinks of her. Adoption would probably be a foreign concept to them. But, they would come to know that it was the perfect path for us. And, like everybody else who meets Hanna, how could you not just love her to bits?

No fear

I did say that you would see Hanna flying high... didn't I? I meant literally.

Hanna has no fear. She is only too happy to been thrown in the air, dive off the dock or submerge herself in the cool lake water.  We are taming that adventurous spirit only enough to avoid the nasty spills. Otherwise, it is clear sailing from here.

P.S. Looking at this picture, I think the "Finding Nemo" swimmers made it on backwards. Oh well! They did the trick.

Land of the living skies

We've just returned from 10 days at our family cabin at Crystal Lake in Saskatchewan. I absolutely love it out there. In fact, I cried when we left.  Between the gorgeous sunrises, beautiful sunsets bursting with pinks and oranges, and the dancing northern lights, it is no wonder they call Saskatchewan the land of the living skies.

We had a fabulous time with family and lots of pictures to show for it. So check back each day. You'll see Hanna flying high.

one

one...

That's how old you are today.

one...

That's how many there are of you.

billions...

That's how rich I feel in this moment.

Happy Birthday Little Miss Hanna!

Laundry days

Will somebody do the laundry around here? Or do I have to do it all myself?

Rock picking

Hanna is her father's child. She is just as fascinated with rocks as he is. If you've ever seen our yard you'll know that no rock pile within 50 miles of our house has been left untouched. Brad's dragged many big boulders home. I love it.

Habits begin early...