Happy Birthday Hannah

Hannah turns 7 today and she’s having a great day. Our family tradition is that you get breakfast in bed on your birthday (somehow I never get it on my birthday) and get to open your gifts while still in bed. What a way for a 7 year old to start the day.

Hannah is a far cry from the 4 year old child that I first met. She was an angry little girl who screamed at the top of her lungs for eight hours. She was as oppositional as a child could get. She would not let anyone hug her, she would not cuddle with her mom, she tried to choke her older brother and so on.

The little girl I have today is nothing like that. She hugs me every morning when I wake her up, she tells me she loves me several times a day, she asks for cuddle time before she goes to bed and makes me laugh on a regular basis. Her tantrums are age appropriate tantrums.

The thing that I come back to over and over again is that I feel for her previous family. The little girl I have is amazing and brings so much joy to my life. Her previous family deserved this little girl. They worked incredibly hard for her and did everything they possibly could to help her, but she wouldn’t let them. I didn’t do anything amazing to help her, but she let me into her heart. I know that her previous mom is thinking about her today and I know she will be calling Hannah after school to wish her a happy birthday. They still love her and I know this day has got to be hard on them.

They are happy for her that she is doing well and know that she would not have healed in their home, no matter what they did. However, there has still got to be a sense of loss. They DID work hard for her and put all of their hearts into helping her. That impacts your life forever.

Hannah is a better child having lived with them. She did allow herself to learn and gain some things and I don’t take credit for those. This little girl has the most wonderful manners, and I had no part of that whatsoever. She has a beautiful child’s faith in God that was instilled in her before I ever met her. She freely prays for people who are hurt or sick. I love that part of her heart. Hannah would not be the child she is if she had not lived with her previous family. They have helped me to create this amazing little girl.

I cannot fully celebrate with Hannah today. I have a bible study class out of town this weekend. I am surprising Hannah at school to have lunch with her and bringing a treat for her class. Her party is not for a couple of weeks due to scheduling conflicts, but we will enjoy it when it comes. I am happy for my little girl, but at the same time she is growing closer to becoming a young lady and I will lose this part of her. She is my last child (unless God has something up his sleeve) so I know it’s the last time I will go through some of these things. I’m trying to focus on the amazing child she is right now.

Photo credit – Hannah eating her breakfast in bed

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