Here are the things I wrote down when Luca was 5 (from July 19, 2018- July 19, 2019):
Luca 5 years old:
- The other day he was asking so many questions about heaven and wanted to go so badly that he asked to pray the prayer. But then he changed his mind and said he wasn’t ready. (Details below)
Tonight (9/10) lee was putting him to bed and I was in the bathroom and Luca came into our room and said he was ready to pray it. So we talked about it and what it meant and ensured he felt ready. Lee and I prayed and he repeated and then we celebrated and told him all the things and then he wanted to tell auntie, she didn’t answer and so he asked to call nana. Then auntie called back (after she got the voice text) and then we laid in bed and talked about it more.
- on sept 10, Luca asked to pray the prayer and ask Jesus into his heart. He told people “I prayed the prayer on heaven and asked Jesus into my heart”
After Luca prayed the prayer we had this convo:
L: I don’t want to go to heaven
T: why?
L: because I want a house
T: you’ll get a House In heaven.
L: I will? Will it be a temple?
T: I’m not sure what it will be but I don’t think it will be a temple
L: will we print pictures there?
T: um, I’m not sure
L: Jesus? Can we go to heaven right now please? Can you take us to heaven?
T: Lu-
L: shh!! We have to be quiet because we’re gonna go
- Watching blippi and he spun a huge ball on his finger so i said “oh wow daddy do you think you could do that?”
Luca immediately said “OF COURSE daddy could do that”
- Luca jack and I were watching blippi, then Lee and Luca went to go get pizza for dinner. Luca announces as he went to get his shoes “I’m sorry to say that I won’t be able to keep watching with you guys”
- Last night we were eating tacos for dinner and Luca asked if they were spicy. Which got him talking about dragons (from the book) and he goes “dragons are mean, but when Jesus comes back they won’t be mean anymore.”
- some kids Lucas age get dirt under their fingernails, not Luca. He gets crayon. He looooves to color and draw and is currently super into tracing. He asks to print pictures 3636257 times a day. He likes to color one side then trace it on the back. He gives me just about all of his pictures. They’re “for you to hang in your room” and he writes “mome” on a lot of his pictures too. Even if they aren’t for me to hang up- like when we went out to eat on vacation and the tablecloth was paper and in his section of the table he wrote “mome”. There are so many papers all over our house because I can’t seem to keep them organized as quickly as he colors and creates on them.
- Luca: let’s practice making hyena sounds. (He makes his) ok Mom, your turn.
T: (I do my best impression)
Luca: NOW THATS MY GIRL! That’s it
- he has been into calling me “that’s my girl!” And I’m Obsessed. I hope he always views me that way.
- when asked if he is excited for K, he says “no, I’d rather stay home with my family”
- T: is everyone ready for dessert?
L: oh yeah! I am ALWAYS ready for dessert!
- “Mmmmm I can FEEL that sauce!!” -Luca eating Mac and cheese
- T: I wonder who created crayons
Luca: Jesus?
T: no, I know it wasn’t Jesus
Luca: Dad?
T: no, it wasn’t daddy
Luca: then who then?!
...Because if not Jesus or daddy, who else is left?!??
- at bedtime:T: good night my little hyena
Luca: goodnight my little princess
- also at bedtime: both Lee and I were snuggling with Luca. He said “daddy is the smartest. You’re smart too mommy just not as smart as daddy.”
- We were just walking down the stairs and I was holding jack’s hand, Luca was beside him. Luca was going really slow and cautiously and so I said “oh look, Luca is going nice and slow too” and he goes “yeah I’m not going fast because I’m being aware Of jack”
- when I was tucking Luca in the night before K I was telling him all the reasons why he is special, and that he needs to always remember them and if he forgets or feels like he isn’t special to listen to my voice in the back of his mind telling him he is special. I left his room and then I hear him say “Mom! I’m singing a song for you.” So I went back in and the song was “this is me” from the greatest showman
- he got 4 points today and when I told him that number he frowned and goes “ugh. I wanted to get 100.” is he my son orrrrr... (He gets points in K for good behavior)
- Luca to me “I love the way you speak so kindly, it makes me want to snuggle under your neck”
- before school as he got ready he announced “Mom, my love for you will never change”
- Luca told me his two classmates weren’t in school for two days in a row. He sounded concerned and then said “we should pray for them. Dear lord bless Kenny and Kyle, I don’t know but I’m pretty sure they’re sick so please help them to feel better. Amen Jesus.”
- on sept 6, 2018: Last night, Luca was asking some questions about heaven. I told him at dinner when he first started asking that he gets to go to Heaven by asking Jesus to come into his heart. At bed time, I said (as I randomly tell him) that whenever he is ready to ask Jesus into his heart mommy and daddy would pray with him but that he needed to tell us when he was ready. He said “I’m ready to pray that prayer. (Pause) after I pray it do we go to heaven?”
We went to find Lee to pray it and didn’t end up doing it because Luca changed his mind and didn’t feel ready after all. But I felt like it was still a huge step and all of his questions about heaven were so good (like “are their horses of fire? Does the fire burn you if you ride them?”)
- night after Luca prayed the prayer (see first post on 9/10 at top of page)Convo with Luca this am
T: ok Luca come up to the table
L: ok! (Runs right up to table immediately) see how I listened? The first time? Thats why I wanted to pray the prayer.
T: oh yeah?
L: now that Jesus is in me, will I never cry or yell?
T: (explanation about that in which I said at the end: Jesus living in us doesn’t make us perfect, but can now forgive us of our imperfections.)
L: but you’re perfect Mom
T: no I’m not (gave examples of times I wasn’t yesterday)
L: but you’re still perfect.
(Then he added how he loves me and I am so cute he could eat me up but he knows he can’t actually do that because of the blood)
- Jack was calling my name and so I turn and said “yes jack? Do you want a cookie- I mean chicken? Why did I say cookie?!?” And Luca goes “maybe your mind just slipped”
- on the eve of jack’s 2nd bday:
T: remember tomorrow is a day all about jack. We’re going to tell him what we love about him and make sure he feels really special
Luca: I love his curls. They kill me.
- T: put your shirt on first and then I’ll comb your hair. If you comb first the shirt will mess it up when it’s wet
Luca: so you just do it again. That’s how life works.
- this am, Luca goes “I have eye wax” when referring the the eye crusties
- T: who is your favorite friend at school
Luca: Leah T: oh yeah? What do you like about her?
Luca: she’s really pretty. Her hair always looks so pretty.
- since starting K, luca will often play the rhyming game and say two words then give thumbs up or down saying if they rhyme. Often he says a word he knows then makes up a nonsense word that rhymes. Tonight at dinner: Luca: hey mom! Chex, sex rhymes
- Hey. I just wanted to brag on Luca for a minute. His teacher told me at the Halloween party that she moved his seat because she needed to break up some boys and she knew by putting Luca at a table with two boys he wouldn’t follow them, her hope was that they’d see and follow him. sweet, role model. Luca doesn’t love the seat change, but never complained about it. She told me he looked at her like “you’re putting me with them?!” But he never told me. And when I asked once I knew, he didn’t complain. He just said he missed his friends.
- Ps i just pulled out of my driveway and Luca and jack and lee are outside and I put my window down and Luca yells “make it count mom!! We’re counting on you!” (felt divine because I had prayed that am for my heart position to be one of gratitude and not sad about a hard situation I was facing.)
- So the other day I was telling Luca why we had to forgive ourselves. He did something intentionally that hurt jack and he felt awful about it. I told him he needed to apologize and ask for forgiveness and then he had to learn how to forgive himself. Because if he didn’t learn to forgive himself then God couldn’t use him in the ways He wanted to (because we wouldn't be available for God to use if we live in shame of the past). Tonight I ripped a band aid off of Lucas cheek to be quick and painless but it hurt worse I think and it left a burn mark I feel awful about it so I said it a few times how sorry I was. He looked at me after my third apology and goes “you already said sorry, God isn’t going to use you ya know, remember? You need to move on”
- Luca in reference to wanting to drink a sip of water at bedtime: “Mom, don’t you even know about how to survive?!”
And then to Lee: Luca trying to get more water to drink before bed:Dad, don’t you know that animals need food and water to survive? And we’re like animals so we why can’t I have a drink of water?”
- abby asked Luca if he had another sibling if he’d want a brother or sister and he goes “um a sister because I’m really into girls right now. I’m not into mans.”
- Luca just prayed for me “Jesus heal mommy’s cough and help her to sleep safely. I love her so much Jesus.” And then he goes “is there anything else I can do for you? Can I get you water or something to eat?”
- I looked up to see Luca, who was sitting beside jack on the couch, whisper something in jack’s ear. Then I heard jack say “yes!” I asked Luca later what he whispered and he said “I asked if he liked me”
- at Christmas 2018 Luca is obsessed with the nutcracker. We went to the ballet and saw it and ever since he’s watched it on Netflix and played it- he loooves the mouse king part - when Luca is waiting for his hot food to cool, he kills time by praying longer. And if he tries a bite and it’s still not cool enough, he prays again.
- Luca said this am after eating his oatmeal “ooo man, my belly is so full! I’m out of shape!”
- I was in the shower this am and Luca came in to use the bathroom and while sitting on the toilet he goes, “hey mom, what do you think about having another baby?”after Luca asked me about a baby I asked him why he asked that and he said “because I want all the babies because I love jack so much.” (1/4/19)
- “Mom, watch how fast I can run. I can run so fast I can make dust.” (Runs) “did I make dust?!?” - Luca
- So we passed a cross on the highway and Luca said “mom, did you see the cross? There was a cross!!” Then I hear him say “Jesus! I saw a cross!” I thought he was talking to me so I responded but then I realized so I said, “did you just tell Jesus?” And he said “yeah.” Just two besties hanging out. Chatting on the drive.
Then as we were pulling on our road he said “why are there even snakes and spiders? I wish there weren’t.”
T: “I’m not sure but I know they do serve a purpose.”
L: “Jesus, why are there snakes and spiders?”
I just love how casually he was speaking to Him and also that he knows he can
- In Lucas prayer tonight: “and Jesus please help mommy to not need her tomcats orGlasses and be able to see.”
- convo this am (1/28/19): Convo this am with Luca while helping him get dressed:
T: you are so handsome and smart
L: you’re so beautiful, when I grow up I want to marry you
T:oooo ok! Wait a minute, but I’m already married to daddy
L: aw, what? Ok. Well then I’ll marry auntie. Or I could marry pops (silly giggle). I’ll marry nana then.
T: but nana is married to pops!
L: aw! Everyone is married to someone! Auntie? Who are you married to?
S: I’m not married yet
L: ok, so when I get to the marrying time, I will marry you.
-Luca picked a spider ring from his class today as his prize. He told me he picked it for me for Halloween. “I will remind you when it’s time since it’s not Halloween now. I thought of you before I thought of myself. Hey mom, since I thought of you and got you that spider ring, do you think before rest time I could pick out a toy on your phone and you could buy it for me? Since I thought of you before myself?”
- I literally just prayed and cried- sobbed- out to God while the boys had nap time. I’m just sitting here after praying and said “God I'm asking things of You, I need You and I don’t know where you are”
And then Luca started singing this song in his room:
The dark has no place to find me, Jesus you are my savior, yes you are. Jesus you can help me, yes you can Jesus. Jesus you are my savior in the dark, you can help me in the dark again. You can Jesus yes You can, you can save me from the dark. The dark is no placeThere’s no such thing as dark, I want to kill fear. If it comes up I can kill it. But I have Jesus in my heart, yes I do. Every time dark comes, You can help me not be afraid of it.Where is Jesus? He’s down in my heart. Down in my heart, down down down from my heart. Yes He is, in our hearts.Everything we get afraid of, we can see Jesus but we can’t exactly see Him, but He is in our hearts. Jesus we are thankful for you today. Yes we have a great ole heart for Jesus. Everywhere I see fear but I have to call on Jesus’ name. Every time I am afraid I have to call on Jesus’ name. Everything I think is real from a fake movie or show, it’s not. Jesus has to be in your heart. Fear has no place in our heart. Jesus has to be there, yes he does, yes he does, Jesus does, yeah he does. We praise our Lord for being in our heart. Praise the Lord all the angels cry. Jesus is God’s son, we love Jesus yes we do, yes we do.If you’re afraid of the dark it’s ok it’s ok just call on Jesus name.
-L: i want to be an artist when i grow up.
T: what kind of artist do you want to be?
L: i want to be myself artist. i just want to be me and i’m an artist.
- Luca as they’re pulling away:
T: jack and I will pick you up today!
L: make sure your hair is just like that when you come, ok? Just like that.
- T: Luca, eat!
L: I’m hydrating my body!
- Luca has the flu and a high fever (104) so hes hanging in a Luke warm bath to try to bring it down.
T: Luca you having a nice time?
L: yeah. I feel like a scooter diver.
He’s also staring and singing at himself in the little reflective knob under the faucet. Giving himself bubble beards
- L: what kind of pet do you want to have?
T: dog. You?
L: uhhh a mouse. Because hyenas are too big for a cage.
- we were at the dr because Luca has the flu and I stopped to use the bathroom on the way out. Jack dropped his sticker on the bathroom floor so I threw it away because, germs. So Luca, without thinking said “here jack, have mine” took it off his shirt and gave it. So on our way out I asked at the reception desk if they had stickers and the lady gave him three!!!
- This morning luca woke thinking it was Saturday. And when lee told him it was only Thursday he was so sad/mad/disappointed/frustrate
Which led to a lot of conversations about why things had to change and he shared thoughts/feelings/questions about the teacher change which was actually really good. He’s still processing, clearly, and I’m grateful I got to see it/guide him through it a bit today.
I was telling my dad about it this am and he said on Tuesday when Luca was telling him how many days until Florida he said “one library, two PE days.” his unit of measure for time is his specials.
- So it’s raining and Luca wouldn’t open the car door To get in (and step out from the over hang) because “he didn’t want his hair to get messed up” (after school)
- On our way home from FL and Luca just said (after seeing another excavator on the road) “why am I not seeing any animals? Why are only jack’s dreams coming true?”
- last night we read in Lucas bible about fear (it was in the story about how Jesus calmed the storm and said to his disciples “did you forget who I Am? Did you believe your fears instead of Me?”) we got down, knelt at his bed and prayed it over ourselves. Tonight when we said his prayers I said it again and suggested we pray it often. And he agreed and then made up a little jingle “kick fear out, put Jesus in” Complete with motions and all
And then we talked about how you put Jesus in and what that looks like.
- I set up a little station in my bathtub with a pillow and blanket so I could do my am devotional, this am Luca woke while I was still in here. I had him join me and ended a little early but I prayed with him in here, and then he asked me to read my bible to him. He didn’t last long (he picked Jonah) but I loved it. It felt really powerful to be reading my bible to him.
Also, he said “can we stay in here forever and snuggle?” YES, YES WE CAN
- Here is a conversation with Luca that I thought you’d enjoy: After getting them each new sneakers, I was asking jack on Saturday if he liked his new ones. I can’t remember if he pointed it out or if I did but there’s an air bubble at the heel of his because they are “Nike air” sneakers. I told him that air makes him go even faster. To which Luca said “aww I don’t have air in mine!” So I quickly said you do it just looks different. That grey part in your sneaker is the same thing and will help you go extra fast.” This am (Monday) he said to me all nervous, “mom, what if I run into someone? Because I go so fast and I can’t stop?” He was dead serious, legitimately worried about it.
- At Luca’s school they had a big kindergarten event called Rainbow Connection yesterday (April 12, 2019). My dad came and watched Jack, so I was able to volunteer all day. Luca was so excited. All week he kept talking about it, and on Thursday when he woke he thought it was that day and when I told him “no- it’s tomorrow” he cried. But when he woke Friday he jumped out of bed so excited. He couldn’t wait to get to school because I would drive him there, walk him in, stay all day, then drive him home. Normally he doesn’t want to go and whines a little bit but this day he kept saying “I can’t wait to go to school! Can we go now?” He was so excited as we we’re walking in. He kept saying it. As we went down the hall, we held hands and I said “I’m so excited!” And he whispered back “we aren’t supposed to talk in the halls.” When we got to his classroom, he would randomly look across the room at me and I could see the joy in his eyes knowing I was there. The day was full of different activities and he moved to each one while I just did one the whole day. So I didn’t get to see him all day, until breaks and when he came to my center. At lunch time, when he walked into the room after being at different centers, he ran and jumped into my arms. He was so excited to see me! Then it was lunch time, and he asked me if I would sit with him. Of course I would! So we sat and chatted but mostly he ate. Then, after he finished there was some time before PE, so they put on a rainbow brain pop and Luca snuggled right in on my lap to watch. It was like he couldn’t get close enough. He wanted me to go to Pe with him, because PE/his PE teacher makes him nervous. I wish I had gone, even just walked him down. I wasn’t sure if I could but I didn’t even ask. Wish I could go back and change that. (Side note: on the way in to school he asked if I would go to Pe and I explained I didn’t think so because I don’t think it was allowed. He replied “well Pe is to get your wiggles outAnd use your muscles, don’t you want to do that?!”) after PE I got another happy hug. When he was in my center I wanted to squeeze him but refrained. Then once it was all over, we got to go home. After we got home and saw jack and put him down for his nap Luca asked if I could play a special game with him. I told him I was kind of tired and I was hoping to rest a little. He said “but mom I was really wanting to do something special because I didn’t get the whole day with you, I only got to see you some of it.” So we played the special game he made up (hide the toy and play hot/cold to find it) and then watched a movie and held hands. And it was the best day ever.
- we got coasters because we got new living room tables. I explained to the boys what coasters were and were not. A little bit later I walked into the living room and saw Luca had gotten his water and placed it on a coaster
- this am luca carried his old water bottle downstairs and the following ensued as I went to put it in the sink
T: Luca where did you put your water?
L: coffee filter (coaster)
- “Jesus you are my savior, you are the Christ of the Lord. You will do anything for me. You are the Christ, my lord.” What luca Just sang in his bed at rest time. (When he gets off his bed and feels afraid he sings to Jesus for be brave)
Then I heard Luca rebuking fear- I didn’t catch it until the end and heard him sing this:
Fear is the poison in our hearts And he went on to sing about how Jesus is there and will defeat it. “Jesus you are the power to save me” what Luca sang as he came downstairs
-April 17, 2019 today we had a coloring book stand. Luca drew and made his very own coloring book. I made copies and we sold them at a stand in our driveway. We discussed marketing and ways to get the word out and we decided to get some balloons and hang them from our stand. Then Luca thought to give something away with each purchase. We decided to go with candy. So we went to the store, got balloons and candy. Then we went home and assembled the books and put it all together. We made 10 copies to start, and sold 8. After a nap break, we went back out. I made 5 more. We sold out- the remaining 7. (15 total) then I made 10 more and we sold 4. (19 total) then daddy got home so we closed up shop and went to the playground on bikes.
Tonight, after baths and while starting bedtime our doorbell rang. A neighbor came to our house to get two more coloring books (21 books total)
She had stopped earlier in the day and gotten one, but her husband, a guy into comics big time came home and saw it and loved them and wanted two more! He’s putting them into his sleeves where he keeps his comics! She came into the house so I could go get her some and saw his drawings on the wall and gasped! She said he’s so talented!
- in the car the other day luca said: “Hey mom you know what I want? A sister. We need girls because there are only boys. We need to make it even- two girls because we have two boys.”
- Lucas teacher sent him a hyena video and he was telling lee and auntie about it (where the guy kisses a hyenas snout) and Luca goes “I know! I was like ‘bro! Why are you kissing his snout?!” We all laughed so hard “bro?!? Where did you hear that?” Luca: “I just say bro”
- Luca was up sick two nights in a row. When Lee left for work this am, he told him to be extra good today for me because I wasn’t feeling good so luca goes “do you have a cold too?” So I said no I was just really tired and he goes “yeah, it’s because I only like when you come in in the night” (he only wants his momma when he's sick)
- Luca was just reading to me and on one of the pages a dog peed on flowers and the pee was a really dark yellow.
L:well pee isn’t really yellow
T: yes it is, pee is yellow
L: well, it’s more of a khaki yellow
- as were pulling into the driveway one day he said “hey mom I was thinking, can I try soda when I get older? Like daddy’s age?”
- So luca was just saying his bedtime prayer and in it prayed “Jesus thank you for dying on the cross, I’m sorry I don’t remember it. Please help me to remember it.” So when he was done I asked what that meant. He said he just couldn’t remember the story of Jesus dying on the cross. So I re-told it to him. And when I was done he goes “not that story, the one pops was talking about with the bread and the juice. He said to always remember and I don’t remember” (and he started to legitimately frown)
sweet boy. I of course explained what pops was talking about and how the story I told him was that story! He kept saying “what if I forget it? What if when I’m a grown up, I forget it?”
(We had taken communion at home on Easter Sunday this year. Luca didn’t participate with us but was in the room)
He also asked if we get to celebrate Easter again- but he said “will he die again?” When I said no He only died once Luca panicked and said what?! Thinking that meant we won’t have Easter again
- This am luca cried and didn’t want to go to school today. He begged me not to send him because today is a PE day. So I told him that if he didn’t go to school on PE days then fear wins. I reminded him Jesus is always with him, and to pray when he felt fear or nervous. He got in the car after school today and when I asked how the day and PE went and he looked at me, smiled, and declared “I prayed.” He was so proud- i think because he remembered to do it and it worked. That was what the smile conveyed when he said it.
- Luca and I just went on a walk and we discussed the following:
T: who do you think you'll marry when you grow up?
L: auntie sarah, is she married to anybody?
T: she's not now but when you're old enough to get married she will be
L: I wish she wouldn't be married so I could marry her
- Luca: hey mom- do you know why scar is named scar? Because he has a scar! Yep. Pops told me that one day.
I never knew he didn’t know that
- yesterday evening we went to Lucas school to play on the playground. There is a bridge there that he was afraid to walk across- but it was the only way to the part of the playground that has the best, big slides. He wanted to do it, but couldn’t. I stood on the ground and asked him if he trusted me. At first he said yes, but eventually, he looked at me, knew he couldn’t walk across the bridge because he was too afraid even though I was right there, and said “no I don’t trust you.” Today, while driving to the dr I had turned on a podcast and someone mentioned something about trust. Luca was listening and said “I didn’t do that yesterday” I paused the podcast and asked what he said/meant. So we talked more about it and I asked if he trusted me now and how he could always trust me and that he could also always trust God. This lead to a conversation about God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit and trying to explain it all to him. He asked really good questions as I explained but ultimately said, “I’m just not understanding this, but I’m trying to.” He was trying to hold it- it was so clear to me in how he spoke and what he said, but he simply couldn’t get there. Which lead to a conversation about faith and God asks us to have faith which means believing who He is and that He is good even though we can’t see Him, touch Him, and sometimes understand. Then he asked what God and Jesus looked like. He concluded Jesus will look like He does in His bible drawings, but God he said he would be a bright light. Because that’s how he looked when he spoke to “the man who eats honey. You know, he eats honey and bugs and stuff” (John the Baptist) and when Jesus was being baptized and God spoke He was a bright light so I think He is a bright light and that’s what He looks like. The conversation ended and I wished I could’ve recorded it all. He asked such good questions, was thinking so deeply about it all, he was calm, a great respectful listener as I answered- and he really had such a nature about him to ask more in order to learn more/dive deeper. It felt like a really mature conversation, it caught me off guard a little but I loved every second of it. I ended the conversation feeling so full. I had prayed that same Morning specifically over Luca and Jack and that they would love God so much and that they would never ever depart from His ways. I felt like that conversation was pouring into that. It felt like a gift from God, an opportunity to fill him up with truth so that He knows and loves God just like I prayed. Also, it just felt like a really mature conversation which is crazy because on one hand he’s 5.5 yet seems so wise but on the other he’s my baby and how is he old enough to have conversations like this?!
- the morning of day 1 of potty training jack-
Luca: jack! Come here! Ok so when you have to go potty you just come in the bathroom, pull down your pants, sit on the potty and go pee- see? Well. Don’t see- but you know.” (Luca was going potty and was teaching him by example)
- Luca, and now jack too, call the candy peeps “peep peeps”
- Overheard Luca say to jack: believe in yourself. you want to be good at some stuff? Then, practice it!
- Luca: I think you are the best drawer in the whole entire world
T: me?!?! (Baffled!)
Luca: yeah, you, auntie abby, and me. The three best drawers in the whole world.
What an honor to in the same category as you two
- When Luca was talking to sarah today about K graduation he said “oh auntie- mommy did the cutest thing, she put graduation hats on all the guys on the cake”
- for his K graduation mom and dad, Josh and Abby, me, Lee and jack all went to his school then to brunch and then back to our house for cake and gifts. At the graduation they sang two songs (one to the tune of the the Addams family but about being in kindergarten, and one to the tune of “dynamite” but about graduation), they gave certificates, and I think that’s all. In the classroom the teacher did a slideshow, and gave a folder with a scrapbook page of pictures, a letter to Luca and one to us the parents, a cup, and a certificate with a picture of himself wearing a cap and gown). It was a great day.
- Luca loved field day- all except the water game. He did not like that one at all. and then after it he did not enjoy being wet AT ALL. He was trying hard but he asked me “after this can we go home and put pajamas on?!” poor guy. We had a pep talk and he turned his attitude around even though he was uncomfortable. Thankfully, I sent him to school with dry clothes so he changed as soon as it was over.
- on the second to last day of kindergarten, which was a half day so no lunch at school, Luca was so upset because no lunch at school meant no more notes. I wrote him a note in his lunch everyday. I didn’t realize how much he loved them until now, in hearing how much he didn’t want them to stop. I told him he would eat lunch with me! He didn’t need a note- he gets the real me! But he was still bummed so I said I could still write him a note. Fast forward to lunch time and we actually ended up out to lunch with nana and pops and halfway though he gasped and said “you didn’t write me a note!” And then I wrote him one in the restaurant and he told me he wanted me to write him a note everyday in his lunch every year in school- and to never stop at any grade. So I agreed, naturally. In fact, I promised to oblige no matter how old he got. Then, at the restaurant, he said he wanted to write me one too. So he did- he wrote “Luca G I hope you like my note love Luca G” with a heart and smiley faces
- last day of K and Luca chose “artist” for what he wants to be when he grows up. He was very torn about what to pick this time because he wants to be an artist and also pounder (from dinotrux) because he’d like to “smash things with his head” but he decided on artist because he just “doesn’t want to ever forget how to draw”
- Luca said on the way home “id like to get a pet dog. I’m not afraid anymore but jack is so we should probably wait until we’re older”
- I am not feeling well and today I was pretty sick all day. Luca worked so hard on a beautiful picture with a rainbow and a heart, it was so colorful and pretty just for me since I was sick. Then he wrote a note on the back “I love you because you are the best. I bet you were cute when you were a baby. Mom you are good at training jack go in potty. I love you mommy. From Luca” and he was so tentative to me today- kept asking what I needed. “I’ll just stay by you mom in case you need anything”. “Mom, want me to bring you a toy since you can’t play with us?” He brought me two stuffed animals so I didn’t feel left out.
- Doing a picnic muffin tin lunch today-while I got it ready luca asked if he could set up the picnic area. He is so cute! He asked if he should put my peonies there too. He put out coasters, books, toys, napkins, plates, remotes.
Once we sat I said oh you put one too many coasters out and I went to move it but he said “no! I put it there just in case we need it.” And he put it back.
- Luca has been dying to watch frozen again- so tonight because dinner was so off I decided to let them. He’s so much older now, when he watched the scene where the parents die he asked “what happened to them” and I didn’t answer so he asked “are they dead?” And I didn’t want to answer!! Ugh. But I did. Then I said “how do you feel about that?” Meaning are you ok? Are you sad? But he looks at me and goes “well I mean I’m not happy they’re dead...” and he sounded JUST like my dad.
- Tonight we went to centennial park, while in Nashville visiting sarah, where the Parthenon museum is. Luca saw it and goes, “I think that’s a Jesus building. It looks like a temple.” Then we walked over to a statue of a man (I actually don’t know who it was) and Luca goes, “I think that’s a prophet.” He has so much biblical knowledge and those words in his vocabulary
- while visiting Sarah’s church in Nashville: when I went to pick up boys from class Luca’s teacher called out “who is Lucas mom?” As I was picking him up and so I said I was and she went on and on about how he was the most well mannered polite boy she had ever met, and she just had to tell me because he was just so kind and sweet
- Luca just called me in to his room at bedtime and said “I changed my mind, I don’t want to be an artist when I grow up. I want to just be wherever you are.”
- I didn’t get up to read my bible and pray this am because I was so tired. So I did it this afternoon once jack was asleep. I told luca what I would be doing and his rest could be down here but that he needed to be respectful, etc. he got so excited and asked if he could do it with me- read and write and snuggle with me. So we did. I told him what I do and how I start by writing what I’m thankful for (so he did). Then we prayed over the time and as I was praying he started repeating me. Then I read, out loud like usual, and I told him how I journal and he heard me mention tongues of fire (I read acts 2) and he said it made him think of chariots of Fire. So we talked about that and I wrote some things down and he started to write but then decided to draw it instead. So he did. Then I kept reading and he decided he wanted to set up the “bed” and put all the games and books and toys out for us to play together when I finished. And while he was focused on his task in the end, he was still in the room with me and Holy Spirit- hearing God’s word being spoken out loud. And I just feel so so so thankful. That I get to teach him. That he was interested and wanted to join me. That God is always here and loves us so deeply.
- Luca and jack were just playing and luca stopped and goes “jack?” Jack replied “yeah?” “I love you” Luca said
- I ran into Lucas former teacher at the grocery store (July 6) and we chatted for quite a while. She went to Disney and took a video from the lion king show for Luca and sent it to me. He loved it, of course, and then asked to send her one back. So we made one and sent it and he goes “I wonder if she’ll recognize me because I got so much taller”
- Luca: MOM!!! I just said I love you to jack and guess what he said back??
T: what?
Luca: he said I love you too!!!
(Today was the day they started saying “I love you” to one another on their own. 7/9/19)
