Hanna's Basketball Season

Senior year. Varsity Basketball. Cardston Cougars.

Hanna had a great senior year basketball season. Their league is tough. There are 5 teams in our league that are ranked in the province. We have loved following and supporting Hanna in her games and tournaments.

The first tournament of the year was at SAIT in Calgary. Hali Leishman and I drove up together to watch. They beat Father Lacombe and William Aberheart. Hanna got player of the game against William Aberheart. A girl on that team said to Hanna, "Do you wear those knee pads so you can flop?" Hanna said, "Yes, how did you know?" Then Madison Leishman walked in between them and said to the other girl, "Don't talk to her." #friendsstandingupforfriends

Then we drove Hanna and Madison back to Cardston so they could take the ACT. Then we all went back to Calgary to watch the Cougars in the championship game. We lost to Western Canada 68-63. Hanna sat half of the game because she was in foul trouble and ended up fouling out. The thing is she still tied for leading scorer with 13 points (4 3-pointers) even though she sat so much of the game. #acouplerevengefouls

Cougar Classic. Home tournament. Didn't go well.

The next tournament was at Chinook High School in Lethbridge. Hanna's team lost to LCI in the championship 65-61.

On to St. Mary's tournament in Calgary. We missed the first game, but she beat Paul Kane and Hanna had 28 points. Everyone told us she played phenomenal. Then they beat St. Mary's - the whole team played so well. They went to the championship game against St. Albert, the number one team in Alberta. Our girls went in with a nothing-to-lose attitude and played so well. They stuck right with them for the first three quarters, but the other team pulled ahead at the end.

This was the third tournament they ended up in second place. Second place teams don't take a picture. They just lost. But I made them gather for a picture because they got silver medals and they played so well.  Hanna was so mad. She was mad while we were taking it. Later she told me she wasn't going to forgive me for it.

This is proof that we were up at halftime against the number one team in Alberta - St. Albert.

Tri-Prov was the next tournament at Harry Ainlay High School in Edmonton.  Once again, our team had to play against Paul Kane for their first game, but we didn't go the first day. We won, but it was a much tighter game. Then our team had to play against Raymond. We had just played at Raymond for a league game on Tuesday. The game on Tuesday was a battle and we ended up winning by 1 point. We were ahead by 1 with a couple seconds left, and so as soon as we passed it in, they were trying to foul Maddie Barfuss quickly, but the ref called a travel on Maddie instead. Worst call ever. Everyone on both teams knew it should have been a foul instead of a travel. Anyway, we still won by one point. So then 4 days later we had to play them again, and we didn't play well. We lost by like 20.  We played in the third place game and won against Harry Ainlay.
It was so super cold in Edmonton like -28. Oh it was cold.

Magrath Tournament and several league games ended the season.
The Cougars ended the season 11-3 placing second in the league. Hanna was the high scorer for her team scoring 212 points in league games which is an average 15.1 per game. Go Hanna!

Austin left a note in Hanna's shoe for one of the games. Then he sent her this text before another game...

No note in your shoe today. So here it is, as lame as texting is. Greatness is not born it is made by hours in the gym, hours of traveling by bus, parents picking you up after practice. People coaching and friends pushing you to be better then you are on your own. 
More then all that greatness is in your mind and heart. You have been great from the time you stepped on the floor. 
Tonight Hanna find purpose for playing. Not just to win, not to points or a season are anything related to the game. A purpose that is bigger then the game. The reason you give all you have everyday. The reason you will do great things. Find that purpose and tonight you will be unstoppable. Love you and thanks for letting me be apart of your amazing journey.
Love dad.

Sweetheart Contest

Hanna was nominated by the JV Girls Basketball team to be a contestant in the Sweetheart contest. She told us she didn't want to, but Austin and I thought she should. A few of her friends were also nominated and didn't accept. She thought that was lame so hopefully she was glad she did it.

She had to create a poster, have an interview with the judges, and then have an escort introduce her and share a talent at the assembly.

Taylor Barfuss was her escort.
He wrote a poem for her:
Now where to start.
From her endless joy to her heart.
Hanna Jane is one nice gal.
She's even willing to accept any of you as a pal.
But she loves her family most of all.
Which makes her cool for the long haul.
She enjoys spending time with those who are in need.
Watching her do so is really quite a sight to see.
She seems to always get straight A's
And she even tutors, that's pretty good, wouldn't  you say?
I've never seen anyone work so hard.
By doing this, she will never be knocked off guard.
She excels at most everything especially basketball and rodeo,
On the court or in her saddle she can put on quite a show.
Now Hanna here is a running for sweetheart queen,
By doing so I find it quite keen.
Because Hanna here is the nicest girl you'll meet.
Her selflessness and compassion and outstanding kindness
Makes her pitch complete.

 For her talent, her friends helped her and they did a synchronized swimming talent. Lucy and Carly held up a tarp and they pretended to be synchronized swimmers. It was so funny.

Feeling Emotional

Just sharing why I have felt a wide range of emotions this week -

A dear sister in our ward passed away on Saturday and had her funeral on Thursday. Francoise Coombs was diagnosed with 4 types of cancer just after Christmas. She was the librarian at the junior high while Austin was the principal there for 4 years. Someone called Austin on Thursday night and said she was dying and he meant a lot to her. So at 10 pm he put on his suit and went to her house to say good-bye. She held his hand and said, you are a good man. She was raised in France so her accent was classic. This is the perfect description that Coralee Williams posted about her on Facebook:
She was grace under pressure with a razor sharp wit. Oh, how I will miss her classy and sunshiny ways.

Doug and Emily had a baby boy on Saturday, February 9, 2019. Doug and Emily battled infertility for 12 years until they had their first baby, Hazel just days after their 12th anniversary. 2 years and 6 weeks later, they had a baby boy, Henry Fenton Waite. Henry will likely be the sole carrier of the Waite name since Doug is my only brother and Henry is his only son. In his first day and a half of life, he is calm and healthy! I am sure Emily is glad to have him come out to play. Pregnancy is not easy for her, but thank goodness for invitro.

These three girls are all leaving on missions this month. They are a year older than Hanna, but she played basketball with them and was friends with them throughout the years. Annie Soper, Ava Hardy and Haylie Holland. Today was Haylie's farewell. She gave a fantastic talk. I am mostly emotional about good friends and influences on my kids and that my kids are also growing up and will be leaving (plus Jill who is in her second year of college).

Hanna is halfway through her senior year. I don't think it is going to be okay to let her grow up and leave. We are starting the firsts of the lasts - last basketball tournaments, last school dances, last rodeos, etc. It has all been such an amazing experience and I am so thankful for the character and spirit that Hanna has. After her tournament in Edmonton this weekend, she decided to stay Saturday night with the team instead of driving home with us since it will be one of her last trips with the team. 

Lucy's Birthday

Lucy turned 14 years old!

The day before her birthday she didn't have school, so we had a friend party at the church. They played ultimate frisbee and softball. We had chicken croissant sandwiches (Lucy's favorite) and ice cream sundaes. Fun girls! The party ended up not being very long because Lucy had basketball practice that afternoon.

Shyann Cook, Skylie Holland, Taylor Heninger, Lucy, Kamree Schaffer, Elena Bevans, Brooklyn Hardy, Hallee Pilling & Allyson Leishman

On Lucy's birthday, we had sticky buns, chocolate milk & bacon for breakfast. Then she had a basketball game in Raymond after school. Her team won the game which was a fantastic birthday celebration! 

We did cook steak when we got home for her birthday dinner.

New Year's Eve

We all brainstormed ideas for what to do on New Year's Eve.

We partied it up.

We played basketball.

We built a fire and roasted hot dogs.

We went to Waterton to go swimming at Waterton Lodge. We timed it perfectly before the crowds came and had a fun time.

Hanna went to the stake dance.

Carly's idea was to have fight club. She was determined and made a tournament bracket. We had 20 seconds to fight with swim noodles and then the other family members voted who won. Austin ended up as the fight club champion.

We lit sparklers at midnight. Good-bye to 2018!

Wisdom Teeth

Jill and Hanna needed their wisdom teeth out - so what better time than Christmas break.

They couldn't eat anything after midnight. We drove to Lethbridge, and I was slightly worried that  they wouldn't do their teeth because they both had pretty bad colds. But they didn't seem too concerned so we went back so they could teach us how to take care of everything.

I started feeling a little hot and nauseous. The nurse walked me to the front and brought me some apple juice. How embarrassing. I wasn't even the one having surgery.

They came out and told me it must run in the family because Hanna almost passed out when they put her IV in.

Then I had to go back again to meet the anesthesiologist. I started to get nauseous again so I went back to the waiting room. I was not okay. I asked the receptionist if I could lay down on the floor. She said she had a special bed for me so she took me back into one of the rooms and I had to ask for a garbage can and I puked. Then I laid there the whole time they had their teeth removed and were in recovery. The doctors and nurses and receptionist kept coming to check on me.

We had to call Austin to come and get us. His parents had to bring him to Lethbridge so he could drive us home. They did head to Taber after that to visit Sarah in the hospital.

When they were both ready to go home, they brought them into my room until Austin got there. Jill was still high from the anesthetic. She was talking really loud and goofy to everyone. I told her to calm down - it was so goofy that it almost seemed like she was faking it. Hanna was just quiet and answering Jill's crazy questions - like where are my shoes? did someone take my shoes?

Jill and Hanna enjoyed some time on the couch, pain killers, and ice bags. They did swell up a little bit and did get bruises after a few days - but no complications.

I guess I am forever fired from being the medical mom.

Christmas

Did Santa Claus come?

The girls were ready bright and early to open presents.

We opened many thoughtful and appreciated gifts to each other. Jill got a curling rod and horse supplement, Hanna got college stuff, and Lucy and Carly got new bedspreads.
Then we were worn out and had a morning nap after Christmas breakfast.

I gave each person nail clippers and a hammer. You cannot find either anywhere in our house. I engraved an initial on each hammer. You might wonder why my kids would need a hammer. Well, it is because they use them when they are goat tying. They hammer a stake into the ground that holds the rope that holds the goat so they can practice. There is not a hammer to be found in this house. If you want to hang up a picture on the wall, you are out of luck. Not anymore. I have my own hammer.

We sent this sweatshirt to Karma for Christmas and she sent us this picture.

We had unusually mild weather on Christmas Day so Austin was determined to rope outside in our arena. It was -2 Celsius/34 F with no wind.  We bundled up and roped. It was fantastic and Austin's dream.

For Christmas dinner, we went to Grandma Nunn's for dinner and games.

Everyone got a new shirt or sweater for their tree gift at the end of Christmas day.

Merry Christmas!