Congratulations, Henry!

Almost two weeks ago Henry sat for the Principal's Academic Excellence Scholarship test at Bishop Machebeuf and today we found out that he was awarded a four year, full tuition scholarship! Matt and I are so proud of him, but even better than that, Henry is so very proud of himself. He is the most humble young man and never seeks out the spotlight, so to see him walking a little taller on his own merit today has been incredible!

Henry, congratulations, my boy!! We love you so much and can not wait to see how bright your light will shine!

Full Circle

I first meet Steph in December of 2005 when we were both stationed in Incirlik. We were instant friends. It was more than that though. She and Sean became instant family to us. That happens when you're stationed overseas. You make friends fast and you make them for life. Sean and Steph didn't have any kids at the time but wanted them desperately, and she I spent many hours and days talking about what the future looked like for them. Month after month was a struggle. Matt and I had the boys, and regardless of what Sean and Steph were going through, they were absolutely all in with Maxwell and Henry. For our two years in Turkey, it was the six of us -- Matt and I, Maxwell and Henry and Sean and Steph. We were a package deal.

It wasn't long after Matt and I left Turkey that I got a phone call from Steph. When I asked what she was doing she said, "oh you know. Just sitting here being pregnant". It had finally happened. Thanks to Seamus and Sullivan our "family" of six had turned to eight.

Today, I saw this...

Seamus and Sullivan 

November 2016

Those two jackets were passed down from Maxwell and Henry. It might seem silly and insignificant...two jackets. To me though, it's a full circle. Four boys, wearing two bomber jackets from Turkey, 11 years apart. Wished for and oh so loved. 

Maxwell and Henry 

Istanbul, Turkey 

November 2005

WisdomLess

Last Friday Maxwell had his four wisdom teeth removed and for the week beforehand he was totally and completely freaked out. He YouTubed every "wisdom teeth removal gone bad" video. He researched the risks of IV sedation to include the death rate associated with it. He was pretty certain he was going to die right there in the dentists chair. In the event that he did cheat death he worried that he was going to say crazy, racist things when he was coming out of the sedation. I'm not even kidding. He thought the sedation was going to turn him into a racist. Whaaaat??

He woke up Friday morning and had lips the size of Texas. Again, not even kidding. A couple of months ago we had to take him into the doctor because we thought he had developed a food allergy to something unknown. Every couple of weeks his lips would swell and he'd complain of an itchy throat. Those symptoms earned him an EpiPen and a food diary. And then Friday happened and we realized that his giant lips weren't food allergy related at all. His giant lips were stress related. Giant, stressed out lips.

Once we got to the dentists office at noon he was spun into the ceiling. Still YouTubing wisdom teeth removals and trying to decide what his last meal should have been. He played dead twice when the dental hygenist was prepping him for his IV and then kept holding his breath to see if he could "flatline". It was entertaining stuff.

In the end, he didn't die or become a racist. Not even a little.

Election Night 2016

Vivian: Well, I didn't win (class president). Enrique beat me 10 to 4.
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, Viv.
Vivian: It's ok. Even I voted for him!

The Longest Week

Three kids puking in the middle of the night over what seemed like a lifetime of days made for a long, long week. Henry started it off, Maxwell and Viv followed and Matt and I were thrown in for good measure. The stomach flu hit and it hit hard...times five.

Six days later though, we were rolling again. Once everyone was healthy(ish) there was a lacrosse tournament to be played and a ridiculous amount of Halloween candy to be had.

Rock Creek Farm with my girl 

(the day before the black plague of death hit)

Haha! Love this look

Maxwell's football season ended on Friday night and his fall lacrosse season started bright and early Saturday morning. He still wasn't feeling 100% but he hung in there. Dynasty Lacrosse played 5 games over two days and won four of the five. The final game on Sunday was the championship game and they lost 9-8 in overtime. Moose played a little of everything -- face off, middie, attack -- and by the looks of it, it's going to be a fun couple of months!

Hanson (in the whites) #9

Second from the right

Dynasty Lacrosse Academy 2016

And then it was Halloween! I had forgotten what it was like to be on an AF base for Halloween. We must've had 200 kids come through our cul de sac in just a couple of hours. The neighbors all pulled out their tables, chairs and pounds and pounds of candy and we set up shop in the middle of the street. It was a great night and a great way to put an end to a rather crappy (pun intended) previous 7 days!

Henry's mask was so creepy...and oddly appropriate 

Happy Halloween! 

Buckley AFB 2016 

Machebeuf Football - Games 8 & 9

Bishop Machebeuf - 8
Kent Denver - 32

There really wasn't much good to say about this game. The boys had it in there heads all week that they were the underdogs and no one expected them to win. They were and they didn't. Moose was out on concussion protocol all week so he watched this one from the sidelines. It was a big bummer all the way around but thankfully, he was symptom free by game day and was back at it the next week. Back at it until the stomach bug hit our house and tried to kill us all. Kill us all might be a slight exaggeration, but only slight.

Bishop Machebeuf - 44
Elizabeth - 14

The final Buffs game ended with a strong win against Elizabeth and gave Machebeuf a 7-2 season record -- something to definitely be proud of! What a great season we came into and we're already looking forward to watching two Hanson young men on the Machebeuf field next year!

Let's go Buffs!!

Bishop Machebeuf Football - 2016

A True Homecoming

Bishop Machebeuf - 53
Sheridan - 0

We've never been part of a school event this exciting! On Tuesday of last week the athletic director at Machebeuf was told that the game set for Friday night -- the homecoming night game -- was going to be forfeited by the other team. There had been security concerns about playing on the field that Machebeuf usually plays its home games on. It a field at a public school because Machebeuf only has a practice football field. As the story goes, our AD jokingly suggested that the game be played at Bishop Machebeuf. And so a field was born...

From Tuesday night to Friday night school officials and students worked their tails off to transform their practice field into a field that a varsity football game could be played on. If we build it, they will come became a three day mantra. Lights had to be rented, an entire fence had to be torn down, the field itself had to be leveled out and painted and of course, swag had to be ordered.

I can't remember the last time Maxwell was so excited about something! The football team worked to help prepare the field and then to play the first true home game in school history -- the first true home game on their true home field in 58 years -- was something special. We were so lucky to have been a part of it and we really felt like we belonged there. The sense of community was absolutely fantastic.

At this point the team was lined up, holding hands inside the hallway of the school. There was a statue of  St. Michael in front of them that had a sign above it that read, "St. Michael, protect us in battle". Moose said that every one of the boys touched the sign as they ran out and that it was the coolest feeling ever. 

I love that he had this experience!

pre-game hype

C and Maxwell

this one had a Homecoming hangover the next morning

the next night, another great time was had by all

This Friday Machebeuf will play it's toughest game this season. A game that they are definite underdogs going into. A game that if they win, takes them to the playoffs. I may have to pull out the cow bells for this one. You know, go all Texas football mom...stay tuned.

And as always...LET'S GO BUFFS!!