Two years!

And once again I come in just under the deadline!   I thought my blogiversary was tomorrow.  But no, it's today!

Sharing our lives, and in return, gaining friends around the world is an amazing bargain--I definitely get the better end of the deal!  It has been quite a bit of fun getting to know you.  Some of you have been here for a long time, and others are new to the Shenanigans world.   I know many of you are lurkers or occasional visitors.  I'm grateful to each of you who takes time to read a little something here.

My goal for blogging is two-fold:

1. To share some things in my life that might be of use to someone else--whether that is tangible, concrete help, or just a vague shift in expectations.
2. To cover up the fact that I will never ever make a scrapbook.

Since I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, I'm re-posting a photo montage I posted almost two years ago.   I haven't written much about Hannah's early years.   How sick she was when she was born, how we had to wait years for her to be a surgical candidate due to pulmonary hypertension, waiting to find out if she ever would have her life-saving heart repair.   It was a worrisome time.   But at the same time, Hannah showed us that she could thrive while she was with us.  She brought us out of our worry--away from our what-ifs--and into the moment.  Her enthusiasm for living never faltered.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tonight, at bedtime, a decade after that last picture was taken, Hannah was imagining all the things that she'd like to glow in the dark:  a necklace, a cup (on her bedside table), her pillow, a book, eyebrows (so she could read in the dark), her teddy bear, and a whole slew of silly things, getting more giggly as she came up with each idea.

She completed the list with the best idea yet:  a glow in the dark light bulb.   We both laughed so hard!

I love that she can play with words and ideas, that she has a sense of humor, that she is an interesting person.  And I'm really glad that I can share her with you.

Happy Anniversary!!

Thank you, dear readers! You've been my virtual sustenance for 365 days. Yup, it has been a year since I began this blog. Time flies when you procrastinate like I do!

It has been an interesting year. I've made many new friends, kept my extended family up to date with our adventures, and I've learned so much from the blogging community! I'm always so curious about you--so many of you I don't know at all. Every now and then my ticker tells me that someone from Easton, PA (where I once lived) or Wasilla, AK (Hi Gri!), or some other exotic or mysterious place has come to visit. And it gets my imagination going. Who are you?

So, if you're game, leave me a comment, introduce yourself! You already know way more about me and Hannah than you ever wanted to know, but yet, you keep coming back. For this I am grateful. You listen to me whine, laugh with me when my kid does something ridiculous (or ridiculously cute), encourage me when I'm disheartened, and you keep me behaving. Sort of behaving. I know. It's a hard job. But I appreciate your efforts!

In gratitude, I give you another opportunity to smile:

Hannah's attempt at teaching a school of fish how to dance:

Thanks for a great year!