Post Adoption Update 2013

Since we filed our last yearly report on Hana in 2013, we have seen Hana continue to make amazing strides in her total development.  Over the past year Hana has reached all of her age associated milestones.  She is in Kindergarten and is reading, excelling at math and enjoying school and her classmates. 

Over the past year Hana has also continued her social development.  She continues to develop and demonstrate strong bonds with our family.  Her siblings, Haley and Ian, continue to cherish her.  The three of them continue to love to play and spend time together Hana started kindergarten in August of 2013.  She is in a university model school where children are taught critical thinking skills and study habits that will prepare them for their future educational endeavors.  Hana’s positive academic growth was demonstrated when she finished second in a regional speech contest.  Hana continues to receive educational enrichment activities at home.  When not in school, Hana is in the constant care by one of us.  Hana’s social growth includes many opportunities to develop by attending community events with family and friends.  This includes trips to the library, park, museums, sporting events and other child based programs. 

Hana’s sports training in gymnastics has been a great success.  She recently switched to a gym that allows her more practice time.  She has been promoted to the age appropriate team and will continue to train and prepare for the upcoming gymnastics season.  She is currently spending 9 hours per week in the gym and her coaches continue to believe she has great potential.  Gymnastics continues to provide Hana with a wonderful opportunity to shine personally.  She is very proud of her accomplishments and continues to demonstrate a strong personal determination to succeed.

Over the past 12 months we have also provided further opportunities for our entire family to bond.  We spent a week in Portland, Oregon for a family trip that allowed her to visit the American Pacific Northwest.  In addition, Hana traveled with the family to Washington, DC where she participated in programming supporting the historic Disney children’s program Doc McStuffins.  Hana has been featured in many news stories with her mother Myiesha in support of the groundbreaking program and its importance in providing a role model for all children. 

We also continue to expose Hana to her native culture by routinely visiting with members of our local Ethiopian community.   We have never lost focus on the importance of allowing her to connect to her home culture and our entire family has adopted a strong connection to Ethiopia.  Hana is proud to share with her Ethiopian heritage and routinely expresses the beauty and significance of Ethiopia to her teachers and classmates.  She is very proud to be both Ethiopian and American and shares that with everyone she meets.

Hana’s health continues to be in perfect condition.  Since she returned to the United States fiveyears ago we have been able to nurse her back to health.  Hana is on her “curve” and is making wonderful physical progress.  She is able to do anything physically expected of a five year old.  Gymnastics has allowed her to expand on the development of her physical abilities and has helped her adopt a healthy living style that will serve her well for the rest of life.She receives yearly medical checkups and dental visits.

As we start a new year, we look forward to watching Hana continue to grow and finish her first year of formal schooling.  We are committed to continuing to expand on her educational, travel and athletic activities.  We look forward to reporting back to you in 2015 on another successful year for Hana.