Sometimes it’s awkward

From the Desk of Kyle

I’d like to begin by thanking everyone for your prayers, phone calls, text messages, facebook messages and even tweets the past few weeks. We’re so blessed to have such a strong support community around our precious little girl. Reese McClain is doing great! We are off all antibiotics, we no longer are on breathing treatments, and are not using her vest at this time. She was given a 100%  all clear by her doctor and we cannot be more excited to have our little girl back to normal.

Reese McClain will turn 3 years old in July which is such a blessing to even think about. Our little girl is growing up and with her growth comes many challenges. While she crawls all over the house, she still does not raise to her feet to standing or even come close to attempting to walk. We pray those days are coming but we’re realistic in understanding we could be years away from her walking. She has as many therapies as we can get her into and she’s exhausted some days from all of her activity! Mommy and Daddy are determined our little girl will have every single opportunity we can afford.

As Reese McClain grows we’ve begun to see the looks. Special needs parents know all about the look. I’ve in fact given the look myself because sometimes there is no way around it. It’s the looks of “That child is “special”, something isn’t quite right….wonder what’s wrong?” Since Reese does not talk and she does not wave her hand, most people just think she is being shy. It’s then when she looks up at someone and gives them the biggest smile ever, that everyone delights in her response. At times though, you can see the questions people have, Reese has the stereotyping of her hands bent inward, she sometimes bounces around and waves her arms uncontrollably with excitement. She sometimes rolls her eyes back into her head and will stare at bright lights on the ceiling. It’s all normal to us but not normal for someone to see the first time.

The other night at a Japanese restaurant one of the hibachi cooks asked (after observing Reese for a good 20 minutes) if she was 6 months old and we said yes. Sometimes it’s just easier for us to say yes than to explain. Sometimes other people will ask my favorite “what are the terrible 2’s like? Is she a handful?”. It’s those questions that make us laugh because we honestly have no idea what the so called “terrible 2’s” are like. Reese McClain is a child who for 99% of the time is happy. When she does fuss it’s because she’s hungry or sleepy. We wouldn’t know what a temper tantrums looks like in our home. In some ways it’s a blessing, in other ways it’s just awkward.

Yesterday we were at Trader Joe’s and Reese was in the cart watching the man behind us in line. He was just a normal guy who we could tell was quite shy with Reese. He didn’t make faces really, he just smiled at her and he looked away. Reese thought this man was either a funny guy, or funny looking. She kept laughing at him so hard it was almost a cackle.. We laughed, he gave an awkward smile, and even the checkout girl was laughing. It’s times like all of these that we must remember that Reese is made in God’s image, not ours. We don’t know that man at Trader Joe’s story. He could have been having a good day or a bad day. We don’t know what God was using Reese for yesterday by smiling and laughing at him.  We do know this; the world will think of her as “special” but God looks at her as one of his children to care for, a blessing from him. She laughs, she smiles, she claps, and she loves on her Mommy and Daddy every single day. We rejoice in all of these things as we pray she gets stronger and stays healthy. God has a plan for Reese McClain and while it’s awkward sometimes and it’s funny other times, we couldn’t be more thankful for all he has given us through our precious daughter. Amen!

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.   

Isaiah 40: 28-31

 Go Big Blue!!!!!!!!!!