Facebook

Hello. My name is Jill Sullivan and I'm a Facebook addict.

Well...maybe I'm more of a Facebook stalker. I find myself checking Facebook several times a day. I rarely post anything myself, but I love reading about what everybody else is up to. I guess basically that just means I'm nosy. But you know what, if I didn't keep up with Facebook, I wouldn't have any idea what was going on in the world. I mean, how would I know when my friends' kids have the stomach virus, or what the best Sonic drink is, or who's having a baby (or a grandbaby), or who everybody thinks should go home on Dancing With the Stars? How could I possibly get by in life without knowing these crucial things?

I spent some time this afternoon perusing Hannah's Facebook page. She started her Facebook membership in April of 2007, when she was 15, and a sophomore in high school. I went all the way back to that point and read through all the entries. I've done this before, but it's been a long time. And once again, I was amazed at my own daughter. The majority of her statuses revolve around doing things with her family...celebrating holidays and birthdays, shopping, hunting, and watching the Razorback football on TV. The rest of her statuses are school-related...homework, test grades, Panther sporting events.

After her cancer diagnosis, she posts frequently about her treatments, but almost always in a positive light. Things like, "Hannah Sullivan is doing good. Thanks for the prayers...I can really feel it!"; "Hannah Sullivan is a much stronger person"; "Hannah Sullivan is happy I have no side effects from treatment so far" and "Hannah Sullivan is amazed by people these days". Sometimes you can see the sick child coming through: "Hannah Sullivan is drained"; "Hannah Sullivan thinks the radiation is killing my throat...but my spirits are up. I'm just so tired"; "Hannah Sullivan is enjoying being home after the annoying day of getting another platelet transfusion". Her last post was on November 22, 2008: "Hannah Sullivan is happy because I don't have to be isolated anymore!" After that, she accepted some friend requests and joined some groups, but she never posted again. Her close-up vision was deteriorating rapidly, and it was just too difficult for her to type. Many, many wonderful people posted messages of encouragement on her wall over the months of her illness, and those messages will always be treasured by our family.

Hannah actually set up my Facebook page for me, and I am her "friend", so I can access anything on her page; however, I don't have her password, so I can't change anything. After she went to Heaven, I wanted to update her status, and I tried every password that I had ever known her to use...none of them worked. So her Facebook page has remained just like she left it, except for the messages her sweet friends and family still write on there from time to time. Those messages are so special to me, as well. It's always nice to know that she's being remembered and thought about.

What really amused me today, as I scrolled through her Facebook info, were the groups she joined along the way. Hannah was very politically aware (I can't imagine how that happened, since FOX news is the only channel we watch in our house!) and she was a member of the following groups:

--Stop Hillary Clinton (One Million Strong Against Hillary)
--Stop Barack Obama (One Million Strong and Counting)
--Mitt Romney Will Bring America Back
--Mike Huckabee for President 2012
--The Clinton Presidential Library Looks Like a Trailer House

In the "Likes & Interests" section on her Info page (where most teenagers put things like hanging out with friends, playing sports, cheerleading, etc.) she instead has three people listed: John McCain, Mike Huckabee, and Sarah Palin. I promise you, we did not brainwash this child!

I thought these were some funny groups for her to join:

--I've Been Called Hannah Banana Several Times
--My Name is a Palindrome and I'm Awesome
--Hair Straightening Appreciation Society
--I Will Go Out of My Way to Step on a Leaf that Looks Particularly Crunchy
--Dora the Explorer is Sooooo an Illegal Immigrant

She was a member of two groups that were set up in her honor:

--We Love Hannah Sullivan
--Our Prayer for Hannah Sullivan

There was also a third group, which she never got to join:

--Hannah Sullivan Is My Hero and Inspiration

Her membership in this group made me sad:

--Class of 2010

And her membership in this group made me smile:

--I Will Always Love My Momma

But what makes me smile the biggest is what she has listed under her Bio on her Info page:

"I love Jesus, and I try to live for Him every day!"