My baby boy is 3!!!

Well, it is official...Luke is 3. I honestly can't believe it. Luke's birth marks so many major life changes for us. I was 36 weeks pregnant when we left Minot and drove to Maryland, and Luke was born a week after Joseph started medical school. It's so funny looking back. People thought that we were crazy having a baby in medical school and now we have had 3 during his first 3 years. Crazy... As I reflect today, I can really see God's hand in it all and the many ways that He has blessed us. Joseph sent for his transcripts for his application to residency and was pleasantly surprised when he found out that he is 13 out of 161 students in his class and has a 3.78 GPA. He also got his board scores back last week and scored a 251. That probably doesn't mean much to you (it didn't to me) but maybe if I told you that the highest score you can get is a 260 and the average is usually somewhere in the 210's-220's that might put it into perspective. Joseph is really smart and super hard working, but always makes us his first priority. He still has work around here that I surely don't let him get out of doing. He is actively a part of his children's lives, so much so that when he's here he does most of the work and I get a break. When he is gone we all feel his absence. And I honestly believe that God blesses him for putting us first. God has blessed us beyond our imagination through this journey - and his biggest blessing has been our children.

Which brings me back to Luke...his name means "light" and he certainly is a bright light in this family. Luke is funny and dramatic. If he gets into trouble and I call him to come to me so that I can talk to him or discipline him he will immediately have a hurt body part that desperately needs a band-aid. He has been known to fall on the ground holding his knee in pain when asked to do a task that he has no desire to do. Luke has the greatest little way of talking and his speech cracks all of us up. He loves to sing and I LOVE to hear him sing. His favorite show right now is Little Einsteins and he can sing the entire opening and closing songs. He loves Thomas the Train and knows all the trains. When he plays with them he makes them talk to each other and I love hearing him introduce them to each other. He is growing out of his naps, but will sit quietly in his bed and read books. Luke has always been pretty easy going, but is now entering that 3 age that we have found difficult in our house. It hasn't been the "terribly 2's" for us, but we have definitely had the "trying 3's" and Luke is testing out the waters. Lukie is quite athletic and excited to be on a soccer team this fall. Luke ADORES Caleb and really wants his big brother to come to his soccer games. He also loves his baby sisters and is more loving of them than I ever thought that he would be! I could say so much about this little boy if mine because he is funny and has so many quirks, but instead I will leave you with my prayer for him.

My prayer for him is that others are drawn to the light that shines bright inside him. That they are attracted to him not just because he is cute (and man is he cute) or because he has a great sense of humor, but because he has a love for our Lord that draws others to him. I pray that his love for his Savior & his relationship with his God is strong and deep. That he is able to articulate that love and share it passionately with others. I want him to be clothed with compassion, kindness, gentleness and strength. And I pray that he always has a strong connection with his family and always loves his big brother as much as he does now.