Dear Luke

Dear Luke,

            Good morning. It’s your mama writing here. It’s Saturday morning. You are almost 37 weeks along and I am thinking so often about your arrival. These 37 weeks of getting to know you have been hard but we have both persisted for we know it will all be worth it when I can hold you in my arms. Right now, the midwife says that you are breech, meaning that your precious head is right next to my heart. You do keep moving around a lot and I am not sure of your position this morning. You seem to be very active and respond to my constant eating of ice! I hope it is not too cold. In just a few weeks, it will be time for you to enter our family on this side of my body.

I want you to know that you are already so loved. Your big brother Mills talked to you this morning and already had a fire truck picked out for you to play with. Your big sister, Lindley, said that she would take care of you. She picked out a puppy dog toy from the playroom that sings the ABC’s for you. She has been walking him around the house and I am imagine you will like watching her do that once you are snuggled in your bassinet. Your bigger brothers, Henry and Callaway, are away this week. They went on a road trip with your grandparents, Grammy and Buck. I told them you would wait to come once they were here. Henry thinks you are going to look like him and Callaway hopes you like to listen to stories because he has become quite the reader in these last few months. And, your daddy, wow, you are one lucky baby to have the daddy that you do. He has loved you from the second we found out you were growing in my belly. He has so many plans to take you camping, teach you to ski, and build things in his basement workshop.

I know it has been a harder journey for me to carry you this time. I was so sick at the beginning of your pregnancy that I had many doubts I could carry you all the way to the end. But, God has taken great care of me. It has not been easy but each day, He gives me new strength to see that you have all the time you need to grow and develop into the baby that He has for our family. God has known you since the beginning of time. He knows everything about you and the plan for your life to glorify Him and bring light to this dark world. You have already done that for me during these past 8 months. Darkness has tried to take over, has tried to steal my joy for you, to make it physically hard to enjoy the life I have, but God has given me you to carry, given me your kicks to feel, given me the promise of new life, and given me hope for the future of the world to continue in only a way that a sweet new baby can remind us of what is truly precious in this world. I have had to stop, slow down, sit still, remove false expectations, shed unworthy efforts, and be present in caring only for you and me. It is in those moments that God’s presence is clear and strong. He cares about life, about you, about me and about his people.

I don’t know the day or time that you will come. God has ordained that perfectly. Your body knows just when to come. My body knows how to respond to your needs in labor. Together, we can meet each other outside of the womb perfect. I trust you will find your way to get labor ready and I will continue to pray that God will prepare me to meet you. I can picture pulling your body up to my heart and seeing you for the first time. You are welcome here. You are loved already. When you do arrive, we will certainly whisper to you: “we are so glad you have come.”