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I write novels, eat dark chocolate, raise three children, love my husband, scrub toilets, ignore the laundry, and love a good story, but hardly ever in that order.

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Hannah Mae The Courageous


Last weekend we traveled north to attend the best birthday party ever. It was for Hannah.
I, for one, am so glad I get to write this story instead of speak it as I can't seem to talk about Hannah without going into the snort-cry. We are long-time friends of Hannah's parents, Sandi and Dave. Sandi and I used to teach together, back when we were young, spry, and one of us was sporting an unfortunately short haircut. I taught with my butch cut Sandi while she was pregnant with Hannah, and I was forever scarred with envy when she was a billion weeks pregnant and still able to fit into her jeans with merely the help of a rubber band to close her zipper. I love Sandi, even though she's skinny, beautiful, tall, and organized. This is true friendship.
We met Hannah during her very first days on this earth. I have a photo in a safe somewhere of me with the butch cut, holding baby Hannah. This photo shows the cuter half of that moment.
When Hannah was about four months old, she started having seizures, and after a very long road with gut-wrenching hospital stays, doctors appointments, long nights, and scary moments, Hannah was diagnosed with a very rare seizure disorder that typically takes the fragile life of a baby by age two. This month, Hannah turned thirteen.

Oh, how we love her. How I love watching her parents nurture her with grace and patience and the ferocious love of people who truly know Jesus and His bone-deep joy.

How I love watching her siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents embrace Hannah, reminding her in every single moment how much she is loved and prayed for and admired.
How I love learning from the McDills how to imitate God and His stubborn caretaking of our hearts, there always to hold our hands, pick us up, cradle us, wait for our wholeness.

How I love it that Hannah cried with joy when her baby sister, our goddaughter, Faith, was born.
How we watched, prayed, and waited with full and heavy hearts as Hannah's dad, Dave, served in Afghanistan. Sandi served her children faithfully as she waited for his homecoming. (Apparently, hyperventilation into a paper bag, my coping mechanism of choice, did not appeal to Sandi. Did I mention she is also tall and thin?) For the record, Dave's send-off ceremony was one of the most wrenching and beautiful experiences of my life. I had to be taken out on a stretcher due to my uncontrollable sobbing, but it was worth it, particularly when Dave returned safely 15 months later.

How I love seeing Hannah communicate with blinks and and facial expressions in a way no doctor predicted she could. I love it that Hannah proves everybody wrong.
Dang it all, I'm deep into the snort-cry again. 
Happy birthday, sweet Hannah Mae. You are a tangible, real-life expression of the beauty, creativity, and fierce love of God, right here among us. We love you so much, it hurts. 




11 comments:

  1. Now I'm snort-crying, too. Thank you for this, Kim. And bless you Hannah, you angel on Earth, even though your mom is skinny. ;-)

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    1. I could have guessed we were snort-cry sisters, Jen Green. Thanks for your kind words.

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  2. I have tears rolling down my cheeks. Thank you for sharing. Someday you can tell me more about Hannah but we can't look at each other while talking or we will both be blubbering.

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    1. Too dangerous to speak in person. Perhaps we could use sign language as a distraction?

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  3. beautiful story of a fantastic family. thank you for sharing this .

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  4. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS STORY!!! In my years of going to Joni & Friends Disability Ministries Family Retreats I've met many families like your friends. Folks like them are some of my greatest heros in life. Amazing people! I only wish I knew them.

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    1. Thanks, dear Ruth! I will pass along your comment to the McDills. Yes, they are heroes in real time, real life.

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  5. It is with much sadness I was unable to attend Hannah's b-day party. I had the honor of being Hannah's one on one para-educator while she was in school at Anamosa. I also had the honor of supporting Dave with care packages while he was deployed.
    Thank you for sharing your friendship story of this God's loving family!
    It's hard to believe Hannah is a teenager!

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    1. Thank you for commenting! I will be sure the McDills see your kind words. I'm sure they appreciate your love for them and the way you have shared life with them over the years. And yes, a teenager! ;)

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  6. Wonderful tribute to a terrific family. We sadly could not attend the party to celebrate Hannah's wonderful "first 13". We however were lucky enough to spend some time with Hannah, her sibs Colin and Faith, and beautiful (inside and out) mom Sandi at Grandma Callon's farm last week. Had a fabulous time with them all! Reaffirming that God chose terrific parents for a very special young lady! Hannah has such a wonderful support system around her in family and friends who all count themselves lucky to have her in their lives! Hannah "the teenager" may the story continue!

    Kimberly loved reading your Blog! Thanks for including the McDills they are a truly amazing famly!

    Sandi's Uncle Terry and Nancy :)

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