Luke, my first student

I have been pondering exactly how to introduce my first baby....long-awaited and miraculous to us! I think what is most amazing to me about Luke is his heart. You look at him and see a baseball/Lego/history loving boy and it is tempting to categorize him as just another 11 year old boy. Then, out of the clear blue sky, you remember that this child has a heart as big as Texas. I was reminded again as I was reading over one of his latest emails to his new penpal. Luke wrote about all the members of his family and I am going to copy it here (with corrected spelling):

Alex, 12, adopted from Russia, my only brother is four months older than me, he likes to sing, and likes video games, his favorite sport is tennis, but he isn't in a league. He's short, fast, extremely skinny, and can get annoying.

Song, 9, she is adopted from China, she likes animals, and plays softball and soccer, she's skinny(not as skinny as Alex) she's the right height for her age, and also likes video games.

Vera, 8, she has down syndrome(ask your mom what that is), adopted from Russia, and thinks she's a boy , she always wears mine and Alex's clothes, and thinks it's always her birthday! She's cool, and loves baseball, if she didn't have down syndrome, she would throw 50mph. She is short for her age, chubby, and very sweet, and entertaining, she makes us laugh!

Anna, 7, she's was my second sister, my first blood sister, she's chubby, a bit over weight, but hey me and Alex are her role models, that can be fun. She plays softball, and loves it! She likes action movies(like me), and likes movies if they have blood......weird for a girl.

Emma, 6, down syndrome, very funny, she's a 'prissy' girl as my mom puts it, she and Vera put on shows for us, which are always cute, and would be very smart if she didn't have down syndrome, but I like her with down syndrome, same for Vera and Ella.

Ella, 2, adopted from Columbia, down syndrome, our new family member, she's very cute, but don't let it fool you she bites pinches, and pulls hair, but she still can be sweet, she's now starting to walk, which is good, how could someone resist adopting her?

Jill(mom), 38, She is a great mom, I don't know how she keeps up with us? But sometimes she does get angry but she still loves us.

John(Dad), 45, My favorite person to play catch with in the world! I could talk to him about sports for hours, he loves football, but most of all he loves us, and that's what matters!

Luke(me), 11, and your penpal, I love baseball, like Lego's Video games, and I have two great parents, 6 wonderful siblings, and a fun penpal!

Ok, so he's funny and honest, too!

The first time I realized he wasn't just some ordinary little boy was the time he asked me why Vera's parents had abandoned her to the orphanage in Russia. When I told him they had put her in as soon as they found out she had Down Syndrome, he yelled at me, "There's nothing wrong with having Down Syndrome! Why did they do that to her! There's nothing wrong with her!!" And he strode angrily out of the room brushing away hot, mad tears.

John and I regularly say to each other "Luke is a dream." After three years of infertility we were ecstatic to have him. His names mean God's gracious gift and bearer of light, and both of those fit him perfectly.

Luke is my most interested student. He reads some of our history books for fun. In fact, he often reads ahead and helps me teach! I can't even count the number of times I have been talking about something and before I know it he has jumped up and found a book, gone straight to the page and is showing us the perfect illustration. Thank goodness he's in a homeschool...I'm not too sure a teacher at a school would think this was as wonderful as I do!

And one last thing....that Rangers hat on his head has only been off for church, special occasions, and sleep for the last 2.5 years (since November 14, 2004) and is slowly decomposing. Some kids have a blankie, Luke has a hat. He even carries it in the car when we go to church so he can wear it on the ride home.