Dear 2-year-old Lucas

Oh sweet boy.

Before you were even born I recognized your life as a miracle.  Your very existence in my womb was a life loved and protected by the One who put you there. Your kicks in my belly reminded me that God is good.  And He has a plan.  And He is trustworthy.

And then you officially joined our family in August of 2013.  In the middle of the most difficult time in our young family’s history, you came.  You came and you renewed our joy.  You brightened a dark time.  You reminded me again that God is good.  And He has a plan.  And He is trustworthy.  The timing of your birth, a few short months after Mackenna’s diagnosis, was perfect.  We needed your sweet newborn snuggles and fresh baby smiles.  God gave us you at just the right time.

I cannot believe you are already two!  My last baby, no longer a baby.  I have treasured and loved and soaked up every milestone of yours.  I love watching you grow and change and learn.

You melt my heart with your big toothy smile and that dimple on your left cheek.

I love your silly side…which you get from your daddy.

I love that you lay yourself in my arms and say, “I da baby” so I will rock you and sing to you.

You’re a stinker.  You instigate.  You aggravate.  You push my buttons.  But you can turn on a dime into the sweetest little thing.

You are a snuggler.  With me, with daddy, with friends and even people you don’t know very well.  But perhaps your favorite snuggle buddy is your giraffe.  Most loved giraffe ever right there.

We laugh at your words that sound the same.  “Ah-nan” means “all done” and “again” which can be pretty confusing.  “Nack” can mean “snack” or “drink” or “walk”… but usually you are patient with us and eventually we get it right.

You love your choo-choo, except when it falls off the track resulting in instant tragedy!

You are the best at welcoming someone home.  Every evening when you hear the garage door go up, you stop what you’re doing and head toward the door.  With arms wide open, you exclaim, “Dad!” and totally make his day.

Your favorite songs are: Happy Birthday…Row, row, row…Jesus loves me…and The wheels on the bus

And the phrase we hear all. day. long.  “Come with me.” I know I get tired of hearing it sometimes, but I love that you want me to be a part of your fun and I hope you keep asking me to come along with you.

Because I’m your mom, I can’t write you a letter without adding a little bit of advice.  I’ll keep it simple.  Lucas, I love you a ton.  But Jesus loves you WAY more than I do.  As you grow and learn over the next year, I pray that you will know and feel the love Jesus has for you.  Learn it as a simple and absolute truth.  Because it is not complicated.  “Jesus loves me, this I know.  For the Bible tells me so.”

Happy Birthday, Lukey!

Love, Mommy