Celebrating Hannah
We knew there was something different about Hannah right from the start. She was the first baby who needed an induction to convince her to leave the warmth of my womb, the first (but unfortunately not the last) child that cried anytime her eyes were open, and the first to introduce her ice-cream-loving-mommy to the sacrifices of a non-dairy diet. Thankfully, shortly after Hannah’s first birthday, her wails were exchanged for smiles and she hasn’t stopped smiling since.
Not long ago when her soccer coach asked her if she ever frowned, Hannah promptly replied, “Why would I? That just hurts my face!”
We celebrated the smiling birthday girl’s momentous day over the weekend with a spy birthday party and a crew of precious little girls (and a tag-along brother). As Hannah and her friends honed their spy skills, I marveled at just how appropriate Hannah’s chosen birthday theme was for this daughter of mine who consistently opens my eyes to Jesus.
Years ago when Hannah was still the baby of our family, we took an early morning walk around the lake. “Who do you suppose left these footprints?” I asked the kids as we meandered along the muddy nature trail near our home and investigated the marks left by the critters of the night.
“Probably a wild animal looking for a little girl to eat,” Lizzy ventured as she grinned at Hannah.
“God’s footprints would be HUGER than that!” Lizzy argued. Hannah refuted with three-year-old persuasion. Liz countered with seven-year-old rational; then big brother joined the discussion.
“God’s footprints aren’t always big,” Luke suggested with nine-year-old authority. “He walks around your heart, too, ya know.”
When it came time for “T” show and tell last spring, Hannah excitedly packed her Bible in her backpack.
“Honey,” I reminded her, “Bible starts with B. That’s not going to work for t day. Why don’t you bring your stuffed tiger instead?”
Hannah looked at me with raised eyebrows and shook her head. “Mom, I KNOW that Bible starts with B. God’s Word is my Treasure. And treasure begins with T.”
As we played at the park not long ago, Hannah watched a frazzled mom yell constantly at her small children. Finally, she leaned over to me and said quite simply, “Jesus really loves that mommy. I’m just not sure if she knows that yet.”
And just days before she turned seven, I asked Hannah what had been the best part of her day at school. She cocked her head and thought for a moment. Then responded, “I was sitting in my desk today writing in my journal and I heard someone say, Hannah. Hannah. I looked all around, but all my friends were working quietly and Mrs. Smith was helping Logan in the corner. When I heard it again, I realized it was just God . I mean, He IS sitting right beside me all the time. He probably just wants me to remember He’s right there writing HIS story while I’m writing mine in my journal. Don’t you think, Mom?”Yes, thanks to Hannah, I am learning to spy a God who is writing a marvelous story!
The Overflow: “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.”
-Psalm 34:8
Oh Alicia, I just loved this, made me all teary (and not just because my Abbi is in the pictures). I just love this sweet age they are in, the honesty and the love they have for a God they are just learning about, but that they haven’t learned to fight against yet (like we have). Such a precious time with our little girls.