Graduation Day.....Hannah Colleen Burke..... May 16, 2015..... College of Charleston.....How do you measure the Life of Hannah B???

How do you measure the life of 

Hannah B??

11,596,320 minutes…..

     Tomorrow, Hannah Colleen Burke will graduate from the College of Charleston. The graduation ceremony is unique and filled with tradition. They do not wear caps and gowns; instead the women wear white dresses and carry roses. Men wear white dinner jackets, bow ties and black pants. It is all very southern and very cool.I can’t help but become a bit nostalgic when these big family moments happen, and all that has happened in our twenty four years together as a family. I see the years fly by, our days together fewer, our time together more planned. On the flip side, I see our laughs become louder, our traditions stronger.
     

     In her favorite musical “RENT”, the best known song asks “how do you measure a year”? 

     As graduation day approaches, we ask, how do we measure all of our years with Hannah B?     Hannah B, as we call her, has provided a multitude of memories, emotions, hilarity and charm to her 11,585,320 minutes of her life…..

MINUTE 1 through MINUTE 2,628,000 – The toddler years

     Hannah was born on a hot June day and arrived before the doctor had a chance to get there, there was no holding Hannah B back; she landed with a scowl on her face and a scream that could wake the dead. She had places to go, people to see. Much like today, she wanted everyone to know she had arrived.
     As an infant she was a bit reserved, didn’t like to be held close, woke up every hour or so, vomited each feeding. When we bought our first home in Warwick, RI that fall, she became that bubbly, crazy little girl who stole everyone’s heart the minute they met her.
     She loved to snuggle, and hold you when she was sad. Her big sister Kaylen was her coach and mentor. She would try her hardest to keep her baby sister on the straight and narrow through the toddler years, but as the hundreds of videos will testify, Hannah’s madness would only bring Kay laughter. This scene played out for many years in our home.
     Fourteen short months after Hannah was born, we brought home her baby brother Patrick. She was not happy about it and actually just over the last five years has she come to the realization that Pat is here to stay. It was all very comical to watch and we love to see the three of them together today!!!
     Hannah had her own vocabulary; we called them “Hannah-isms”. Her favorite pizza came from “Pakka Kino’s”, when it rained she always had her “nubrella”, her favorite movies were “Hunchback of Hope De Dawn” and “101 Damnations”.

How do we measure these years?

In laughter, in tippy toes, in dress up, in Hannah-isms, in birthday parties….and Baby and Blankie

MINUTE 2,628,000 - Minute 5,256,000 – the Elementary 

 School years

     Hannah was never a big fan of school, rules and academia…it all seemed rather trivial to her when there was music, art, boys, sweets, fun and dance. “That Hannah is a character,” every teacher would say on parent’s night, “she has a lot of energy”.
     She never did poorly in school, she was just never number one, a place she so desired to be at that young age. She wanted to be the best dancer, singer, artist…she wanted to be the best Hannah she could be.
     Elementary school flew by in a minute and Hannah quickly found that she had a natural talent for sports. Basketball and softball came easy to her and she played to win. Monica used to say that she was great at defense because she thrived on doing whatever it took to get what she wanted. As much as she could hold her own playing ball, she was always a girl’s girl…clothes, jewelry, sleepovers, and dance filled her life. Mon and I marveled at her willingness to try new things, to be different, to stand out.
     It was in these years that we first found her entrepreneurial talents. At her brother’s first communion party, she sold her class pictures, a dollar for the wallet size, ten dollars for the eight by ten. She made $36 that day, all from people who should have had them for free. The next year at her cousin’s first communion, she did it again AND sold her unsold pictures from prior years at a discount. She made over $50
.

How do we measure these years?

In laughter, in Magic Maze, in “Annie”, in Cindy Loo Who, in birthday parties….and Blankie

MINUTE 5,628,001 to Minute 9,494,000 – the Middle and

 High School Years

     If you were to write a book that covers in detail the lives and times of a teenage girl…look no further than Hannah B. as your source.
     Hannah started Middle School in Bethel Park Pa., and without sounding too dramatic, it was traumatic. Like many girls that age, her self-image and personality were awkward, and also like many girls that age she fell victim to false friends and mean girls. She found herself constantly looking for that group of true girlfriends to call her own.
     Fortunately, our neighborhood .,family and friends from Boston, (you all know who you are, and you rock) provided that, but she wanted more at school, or maybe to just be left alone. 

     To this day Monica and I can name the middle school mean girls and trust us, there were many times we wanted to handle it for her. But no matter how many tears were shed, how left out she may have felt, our 12 year old Hannah B always dusted herself off, recreated herself and jumped right back in. Her spirit and spark never left those big brown eyes. I believe that is why she treasures her true friends so much today.
     In the middle of 7th grade we made the move to Fort Mill and Hannah B flourished. She made the basketball team and volleyball team, sang in the chorus, performed in musicals. She gained about eight inches in height, a point or two in GPA and found some of the nicest friends, many who are still close to her today and part of our family.
     She also gave her mother and I gray hair and ulcers. A constant flow of teenagers would arrive at our door, plans on Tuesday for Friday that changed a hundred times, the unending requests to have or attend sleepovers, the constant need for rides.

Chores were a hassle....Communicating with family was not cool....Social media, cell phones and computer time caused family battles with her leading the charge.

     But then, around the end of her sophomore year something miraculous happened. Monica and I stopped being the enemy.
     Hannah’s junior and senior year are a fun blur of us hosting prom breakfasts and Christmas dinners for a few of her friends, (and by few, I mean twenty). It was all about driver’s licenses, homecoming court, boyfriends and a million laughs that far outweighed the tears. It was truly a pleasure watching her become a woman.

How do we measure these years?

In “one hit wonders”, in golden gowns, in Saturday lunches, in nights around the island, in birthday parties...and Blankie

MINUTE 9,494,001 through today

 The College of Charleston

     The day we dropped Hannah off at college will be marked in my life’s history as one of the worst. It was hard to drive away. It felt different than it did with Kay, we felt less sure, more afraid, and I think she did too.
     But soon enough Charleston became her home and college became the “last four years she would have to study”. She remained roommates with her original, Danielle, who has become a sister to her and Hannah has surrounded herself with tons of friends who have given her the fun and love and memories that will live with her forever.
     Hannah B still hates to study and sit and learn in the traditional way, but what she truly learned over these last four years could never be found in a book. She has learned that true success is measured by hard work and passion. She has learned that her family, above all else, is her safe place forever. She learned that mean girls often grow up to become meaner women, and they come in a male version too.
     But most of all, Hannah B learned that she will be fantastic always, she will be successful, her dreams will come true. Not only because her four biggest fans are right there with her like we will be tomorrow, but because much like that newborn who could not wait, much like that offensive player that wanted the ball, much like that “Miss Fort Mill” winner, Hannah has the passion to grab her dreams and fly. 

     We can hardly wait to see where they bring her. We are so proud of the woman you have become Han, and all you have already accomplished!!!

How do we measure these years?

In brunches, in formal dresses, in Lou-Lou Walmart, in chacouteree, in tailgates, in travel, in birthday parties…..and Blankie

And as for the next 75 years

 Hannah Colleen….. 

     Measure your years in happiness and family, in song and in travel, in beach days and friendships, in cool glasses of wine and hot cups of tea, in kindness and in laughter…but like the song says….most important Hannah B, measure them in love!!!

You know we will be there watching and cheering you on….all the way!!! 

HTAA

Love you always.....
Mom, Dad, Kay & Pat…and Buddy the cat…(and Blankie)