I remember the day I found out that I was going to have our first girl. After 5 boys, you can bet I was pretty excited. She was born after my shortest labor ever--slightly longer than an hour. She has been setting her own pace ever since. She has many great qualities--hard-working, ambitious, kind, adventurous, always wanting to do the right thing. She has always been eager to show she can keep up with her brothers and do what they can do. I think she's proved that!
Susanna is currently serving a mission in California, speaking Spanish. It's been challenging but she has continued to work hard and has learned a lot. We enjoy speaking with her twice a week and hearing all about how she's doing. Susanna has been a huge blessing to our family. We love her a lot and hope she has a great birthday!
Christmas 2004
With her friend Sage Gurney
Susanna loved to imitate the people she saw walking around with their Nordic walking sticks--very big in Germany
Turning 5 in Germany--she picked split pea soup for her birthday dinner
Kindergarten spotlight for her 6th birthday
When she broke her arm after climbing on a stool on top of a pillow
Dressed up for her kindergarten play
Turning 7, 7 days after Camille was born
Age 8, at her baptism
Right after her baptism
Age 9
Turning 10
Turning 11
At David and Stephanie's wedding
Age 12
Visiting her Grandpa Broadbent to get her patriarchal blessing, age 13
At Niagara Falls, age 12 1/2
Turning 14
Zion National Park, 2014
Susanna ran cross country for 4 years in high school
Turning 18
Going to prom
Graduation
Turning 19
Leaving on her mission, January 2020
Here's a video of her playing the piano at Christmas time, a few years ago:
This last week, my brother and his wife lost a very precious son, just 13 years old. He collapsed while running with a cross-country team and passed away before he could be revived. Everyone that knew Drew is broken-hearted at this loss. He was the happiest, most agreeable kid we knew. I remember him being at my house without anyone close to his age to hang out with, so he found our Duplo blocks and started building even though it is a toy that boys his age don't usually enjoy. He was so content. He didn't complain that I ever remember. His mother always called him the perfect child. He will leave a big hole in not only his immediate family but our extended family as well. Here is a poem my aunt shared that seems fitting: Leave Taking How I would have liked to wave goodbye and watch until you turned and smiled and disappeared on the horizon. You who taught me to dance and let me teach you, who laughed at my stories and winked at me when I was sad. I can just see you trav
This weekend we celebrated Drew's life. On Thursday night, we gathered as an extended family and had a dinner then sat in a big circle and talked about our memories of him. I took some notes and here is what people said. Grandpa (Gary Hansen): The last time we saw Drew was last week on the 4th. I remember all the cousins on the trampoline, bouncing up and down and playing basketball. Grandma (Susan Hansen): I asked Drew to come over last winter to teach my Activity Day boys how to make origami stars. He was very patient in working with them even though they were pretty clueless. Eventually they all went home happily with their stars. Paula: This last winter we invited Bruce and Michelle over for dinner and we didn't have anyone his age for him to hang out with. I remember that Drew found the Duplo blocks on his own and played with them all by himself, quite cheerfully entertaining himself. I asked him if he wanted to play with a different toy--maybe something more sophistica
Yesterday was the viewing for Drew and then today was the funeral. There were a LOT of people at the viewing. Bruce and Michelle greeted people for almost four hours yesterday and then again this morning before the funeral. Bruce said that if weren't for Drew's death, it would be the best week of his life with so much love being shown to them. Friday actually began with a family run in Drew's honor. We started at a church by the new Lindon temple and ran to Bruce and Michelle's house with breakfast following. Friday night was the viewing. There was a very nice display of all things Drew. This was one of the pictures displayed and I recognized someone I know: We stood in line and the paramedics who worked on Drew stood in line behind us so we got to talk to them. Here's a fun fact: They cover both Orem and Vineyard but Vineyard gets a lot more 911 calls than Orem per capita. It's a younger population and they are quicker to call. They said it's hard when the
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