My, how fast they...

I decided to go ahead and get this out of my system. I've been lamenting over it for some time, but if I hold it in until the last minute, I may implode.

This is Hannah as a baby. An amazingly intelligent baby, and toddler. She did EVERYTHING early, according to the stacks of Parent's and Parenting magazines that were delivered to the apartment of a teen mom living with her parents.







Growing into a sweet little girl that handled the births of man siblings with much grace and tolerance. Most children surely would have become total asses when faced with all the changes that occured in the 2 years before she started Kindergarten.
First, her mommy that use to spend all of her time and attention on her started dating, and then married a man. Next, she became a big sister for the first time. Not just a big sister, but a big sister to a child that had a mystery illness that required constant hospital visits, and took all attention away from her.
Next, her "papa" finally got caught being a screw-up. He was a total jackass to me growing up, but a pretty decent grandfather to her. He was put in prison for many years for selling marijuana to an undercover agent.
Finally, her "nana", who had always been an alcoholic, and we still laugh, (even while cringing) at some of her drunken stories. Like the time Hannah was staying the night with her, but couldn't wake her up. So she called us at the age of 4, to come get her. We didn't wake my mom. We just took her and left. My mom called my sister when she woke up to see if she knew where she was. This was actually a pivotal moment for our whole family. I told my mom that Hannah could not see her anymore. My mom got sober, and has been since August 7th, 1994.
Three more children were born after that, but this story is about Hannah....




*sniff*
This is my baby almost all grown up. CRAZY smart, and amazingly mature.
She's graduating high school this spring. She got an impressive score of 27 on her ACT.
She's going to the coast for an aquatic science competition in the next few months. I'm very proud of her.
Yet...
Despite the fact that we live very near a College, she wants to go to a college farther away, in Denton.
We only recently started letting her drive without one of us in the car. She hasn't had a job yet, she CAN'T be ready. How can she be ready? *sigh*



I'm certainly not.





Oh yeah.. I'm putting this in here just in case he ever happens to google his name, maybe he will find this.
Hannah would like to meet her father. She's not expecting a great relationship after how things went when I met my real father, and stories she's heard from friends that met their dad.
She just wants to meet you. She's also curious about other half siblings she may have.
So.. Frederick or Fred Gillman Carpenter, Birthday September 20something, 1971. From Lubbock, Tx., Plano, Tx., and possibly the Sugarland, Tx. area. Please contact me.

Thanks