Hello from beautiful Bountiful, Utah!  

This is your friend, Hanna B., writing.  I am now nine years old; turned nine years old back in January.  

Life within our community keeps us grounded.  Schoolwork (I am homeschooled), church duties, and taking care of my younger brothers and sisters (as well as my younger step brothers and sisters) keeps me very busy.  Don't have much time to do much of anything other than family or church (and of course, school).

I am more than ready for spring to start here.  We have had much in the way of snow; we are way above average.  I don't mind the snow, but I am ready for flowers to start blooming and the temperatures to start warming up ... but then, if it gets warm too quickly, we could suffer catastrophic flooding, and that would not be good AT all!

More snow expected by tomorrow.  Just what I did NOT want to hear!! :(

We just had Easter.  We celebrated by having special services at our home church and hosting a special lunch for the people of our community.  We all had a wonderful time.  The grownups talked and prayed, and we kids ran around until we got tired; we then went home.  

Next is Mother's Day.  We older children will cook for all the mothers and watch the kids for them while they relax; it's our way of saying "thank you" and giving them a day off.  I know my mothers (Mom, Mamma, and Mommy, as well as Mee Mee, our grandmother) will be pleased as punch to know that they will finally have a day all to themselves!

Then after that will be Decoration Day.  We will all go to the cemetary behind the church and pay homage to the Veterans by laying wreaths and flowers at their graves and having a moment of silence as we remember the brave sacrifices made in battle.  After that, we will have a picnic lunch and enjoy each other's company.

I just hope the weather warms up by then!

I have three baby brothers.  Triplets.  My second mother (Mamma) had her babies last month; they are the cutest little things!  They all have fire-red hair, big blue eyes, and fat chipmunk cheeks.  They look like three peas in a pod.  Mamma named them Isaiah, Ishmael, and Israel.  They are all tiny, but I'm happy to report that all are in good health.  Doctor Pratchett, our community physician, took very good care of them, and they are all doing much better now, which is a huge answer to our prayers!

Mee Mee, meanwhile, is pleased as pie.  She has three grandsons she can spoil!  So can my other two grandmothers, NeeNee and NaNa.  They will spoil them rotten; I just know they will, as will the grandfathers (Gramps, Grampy, and Gampa)!  Father is especially excited: he has been showing off the triplets to anyone he meets, his strong chest stuck out like a banty rooster!

I have been helping my big sister, Becka, at the community store on Saturdays.  I help stock the food on the shelves and keep tabs of how much we have.  I have been doing this now for about a year, and I really enjoy it.  I get a little money, and I spend it on candy and paper at the store after I am done working.  I work anywhere from 2 to 5 hours on Saturday; if it's slow, I don't work, but I usually do.  I love having some spending money; that way I don't have to keep bugging my parents!  LOL

Well, I am going to go.  Homework beckons.  I hear it calling my name:  Hanna!  Hanna! Come and do your work! it calls out to me.  LOL  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Hanna saying so long!  May the good Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly!

~Love, your friend in Utah, Hanna B. 

~To be continued.~