Hannah

How do I start to describe Hannah?

Just like Jason and Micah are all boy, Hannah is all girl. Pink and princessy is all she desires. The frillier the better. Her room is pink. She picks out pink clothes. Even her bike is pink.

I know, I know. This is the trend in girl stuff, but I was never this way. I was a tom-boy, through and through. My daughter wants her nails done and her ears pierced. It hard for me to fathom sometimes...it's almost like raising a child from another planet.

But enough about me and back to Hannah.

I think the thing that strikes me the most about Hannah is her heart. She's very smart and very determined, but her heart is what makes her stand out.

She's the only "typical" child in our family. Surrounded by her brother's special needs, their therapies and appointments, it would be so easy for her to become bitter over time lost with mom and dad.

She isn't though. Not at all.

In fact, she gets mad at us if she feels we are too hard or not understanding enough. She's a peer model in our district special needs preschool this year and has become a leader in the classroom. She has real empathy for her other classmates and the therapists love to work with her along with the other kids. She loves school and even tells us she has homework. Just so she can keep learning more.

Hannah is patient enough to take her time when it comes. We do try very hard to make special time for each of our kids, but during the everyday stuff, the independent, self-sufficient child often gets lost in the shuffle. So, Hannah helps me make dinner, set the table and clean the kitchen. She sits and chats with me when I fold clothes or pick up toys or even try to take a bath. She'll chat with Andy when he works on the motorcycle or the computer or the car. It doesn't matter what we do, as long as she is with us.

She is just this awesome little girl and I can't wait to see what is in store for her next.