Hannah-Bear

This is the kind of thing that happens in film....but usually doesn't happen in real-life.

You just hope in your imagination that it will happen this way, because you want your kid to look and feel as carefree and happy as the kid in the movie appears to be.

But on this day, it happened this way;

As soon as we got near the shore, Hannah took off running. This is my favorite picture of her!

Are you jealous?

I AM!

What I wouldn't give to run along the shore with such abandon!!

And then she sloshed through the water to find several stones, and played in the sand for awhile.....

then tossed some of those stones.....(nice arm, right??)

She did some cartwheels....and gave herself all 10's.

Sometimes I can't believe how fast the time passes me by....and it doesn't seem that long ago the day she got on the bus to head to Kindergarten, and turned around just before stepping up through the big yellow doors and

turned to wave bye.

She has grown into quite a beautiful young lady, and I look forward to the woman she will become one day.

But for today, she still runs with squeals of delight on the shores of Lake Michigan. She still wants me to "come tuck her in" and kisses me lots and wants to cuddle. She's still afraid to be home alone without having every light in the house on and the doors locked (we just ran to Home Depot!) and she still wants me to go shopping with her.

She has discovered the joy of reading novels for pleasure, and makes a better egg in a basket than I do. She is so much prettier than I ever was, and can run faster than I ever could. She's the fastest kid in her entire school....but as far as sports go, could take it or leave it. I love that about her!

She's a darling, with a serious pms mood swing; and has a delicate way of disappearing when there's work to be done. We call her "Hannah Houdini" from time to time. The good outweigh the sass, no doubt about it.

She has declared that in 2 years when our youth group goes to Africa again, she wants to go. She has already made plans on how she is going to raise the money (that is, after she buys her digital camera.....) and is anticipating finishing up her babysitting course so she can work this summer for all the families in the neighborhood.

She gets up early every morning, even now that school is out, and takes KC out for a long walk. She brings down her laundry and does it herself. She's lousy at doing the dishes, but great at folding the wash and putting it all away. She still hasn't decided if she likes her new contact lenses or wants to keep her eye glasses.

She busted her butt in school this year, and made really decent grades. I'm so proud of her.

I love this girl from the very bottom of my heart.