Kinnaird Family // Pray for Caleb // A New Heart A Year Ago Today

In the fall of 2010, I was looking through my Facebook feed when I read a post from one of Derrick’s friends from college. Holding my own newborn in my arms, tears started streaming from my eyes when Katie announced that their child, whom she was still carrying in her womb, had a congenital heart defect called tricuspid atrisia. I remember immediately falling to my knees in prayer for this sweet family.  And although I cannot imagine what this journey has been like for Daniel, Katie, and big brother, Jonah, it is also a story for hope. And prayer. And faith. And real suffering. And God doing some really big things. Katie started blogging (you can read more of her journey here) and in her very first post when she announced what was going on with their sweet babe, I was astounded by the faith that she and Daniel had.

“Yesterday we were talking about what this amazing little boy’s name should be, and we thought of the story of Caleb.  The Israelites had fled Egypt and were heading to the promised land that God had prepared for them.  But when they arrived, they sent scouts to check out this new land and report back what they saw.  The scouts came back saying the land was rich and fruitful, but there were giants living there.  The scouts were terrified and told the rest of the Israelites that there was no way they could ever conquer them and live in this place.  But one scout, Caleb, spoke up and said to not be afraid, but that they should trust that God would lead them into that good land, giants and all.  Caleb saw the same obstacles everyone else saw, but he saw them differently.  He trusted that God was who He said He was, and that He was more than able to fulfill His promises.  Caleb’s name even means “faithful”, and although all the Israelites who doubted never got to enter the promised land, God blessed Caleb for his trust in Him.  In Numbers 14:24, God said “But my servant Caleb is different than the others.  He has remained loyal to me, and I will bring him into the land he explored.  His descendants will receive their full share of that land.”  We have named our little boy Caleb James Kinnaird.  We are praying that God would help us to have the trust and faithfulness that Caleb had; that we would look ahead and instead of seeing giants to fear, we will see God’s perfect, crazy, and wonderful plan.”

In January, sweet Caleb (above) was born. A miracle baby that brought so much joy. Katie and Dan continued to share their story and their life over the next couple of years, transparent about their journey with Caleb’s health, surgeries, really dark moments and making sure they clung to the joy in all of it. In the fall of 2012, they brought Caleb in for a heart cath and while he was receiving anesthesia, he went into cardiac arrest. Afterwards, they determined that his little heart was no longer strong enough and he needed a new heart. The next leg of their journey was an incredibly hard one. Caleb would be in the hospital for the next 10 months and his family would move in next door in the Ronald McDonald House. But the Kinnairds continued to share with an ever-growing community of people, rallying and praying and coming together. In September of 2013, one year ago today, Caleb finally received his heart. And the very next month, Katie gave birth to their sweet Lucy, only 2 weeks after bringing Caleb home. When I asked Katie if I could share her story today, she responded with an excited yes and then asked me to share about organ donation. This is a topic that Derrick and I are also pretty passionate about (his mom had hep-c and received a liver that extended her life for an extra year before losing her battle. My grandfather donated his organs and was able to give sight to someone else), so of course, I wanted to talk about it a little bit. It’s also a little bit hard, because it’s one of those silver lining experiences that deals with both loss and life. But it does give life. And I think it’s really important that we take a minute and think through all of the options that we have. Here’s what Organdonor.gov says:

• Each day, an average of 79 people receive organ transplants. However, an average of 18 people die each day waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs.
• 123,537 people are waiting for an organ
• 18 people will die each day waiting for an organ
• 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives

Here’s what Katie posted today, on Caleb’s One Year Heart Birthday:

“A year ago right now, I was sitting with my family and close friends, waiting, as my son was receiving his second chance at life… a new heart. When surgery was over and that new heart was beating strongly, the surgeon came to talk to us. I will never forget that he said, “You have a completely new little boy on your hands”. We had no idea how true that statement was! Happy Heart Day, Caleb. There were so many moments when I didn’t think the day would come that you would be healthy and happy and living a normal life outside the hospital. And today as I reflect on how much I have to be thankful for, and how much my little family has overcome together, I think about another family, somewhere, for whom this day represents a very different memory. To our donor family, I think about you all the time. I pray that somehow you find peace knowing that you bravely and selflessly saved my son’s life on the worst day of yours. We don’t know you but we love you. And this day will always be a mess of emotions because I will be mourning your loss every time I celebrate my gain.”

It’s really important that once you make the decision to donate your organs, that you act on it. You can go sign up right here. The website also suggests that you not only sign up, but that you tell people about it and make it public.  This family is pretty amazing. They’ve made such an impact on me over the last few years as they have been such an example of the person that I strive to be daily. They are such a good reminder that although we may go through some incredibly difficult times in life, that there is an incredible God that can give us hope and joy. Although Caleb is now home, I do invite you to continue praying for this sweet family as they continue to navigate through life together. Life is a little different for them as they have to be more protective of their sweet miracle keeping him as healthy as they can. Pray that his little body will stay healthy and continue to accept his heart. Pray that the Kinnaird’s story will encourage other families. Pray for the families that lost their loved ones and chose to give life to others.  I really love what Katie posted about this photo a few weeks ago in her blog: “To think that a year ago, my sweet Caleb had never run outside (or anywhere), or climbed a tree, or seen the ocean.  In those days, he didn’t know any home other than his hospital room and he wasn’t even strong enough to step up onto his physical therapy mat.  That sick boy is gone.  Instead, I have a rambunctious little 3-year old who spends his days playing on his swing set (the love of his life), wrestling with his daddy, and chasing his big brother everywhere he goes.  Tonight I was fixated on this picture of Jonah and Caleb at the park a few weeks ago.  I couldn’t stop staring at it because I still am not used to watching Caleb run and play, a strong and healthy little boy. It just NEVER gets old.”Thank you Daniel, Katie, Jonah, Caleb and Lucy for sharing so much of yourselves with the rest of us. I pray that God continues to do big and wonderful things with your lives!!! Here are some additional links if you missed them above. Katie’s Blog  Pray for Caleb Facebook Page An awesome video of the Kinnaird Family from the Ronald McDonald House Katie’s Incredible Testimony Organdonor.gov The Ronald McDonald House