Introducing Luke

Where oh where do I start with Luke's story?!  He is our little firecracker who keeps everyone on their toes, and in constant wonder about what he will do next.  The fact that Luke tried to make his grand entrance into this world at just 32 weeks was our first clue as to just how much this little boy would rock our world.  God definitely broke the mold when He made Luke.  He blazes his own trail, marches to the beat of his own drum, does everything in his own time and in his own way.  If I had to describe Luke in one word, it would be intense—he loves intensely, hugs intensely, feels intensely, plays intensely, communicates intensely, and lives intensely.

Luke has kept us guessing from day one.  We were absolutely, totally, and completely shocked to find out we were expecting him.  Noah was only eight months old at the time, and we were definitely still adjusting to life with four kiddos.  After we picked our jaws up off the floor and started breathing again, we were so thankful that Noah would have a little brother to grow up with.  During his pregnancy, he was a very quiet baby; so much so that our doctor became a little concerned about the lack of movement.  I remember thinking that he was for sure going to be my quiet, studious, book-worm type child.  After all, I never felt him bouncing around in there, doing summersaults, or kicking my ribs out. 😉  Yeah…NO, that was just him keeping us guessing.  He is the farthest thing from the quiet book-worm type child that you could possibly get!  Other than him being so quiet, my pregnancy with him was filled with all sorts of crazy medical issues, which had everyone completely perplexed.  There were no logical explanations for any of the problems that were arising.  Then, at 32 weeks, Luke threw us all a curveball.  As my mom drove me to the hospital, just as a precaution to get things checked out, I told her in no uncertain terms that I knew everything was going to be fine.  I knew the nurses would just tell me I was being a typical paranoid pregnant lady, and to go home and relax.  For anyone who knows me, you know how odd that was.  I’m a total worry-wart to the bone, and I over analyze absolutely everything.  So it was completely out of the norm for me to be so convinced that everything was fine.  Well, needless to say, I was wrong.  They told me that my water had broken 8 weeks early, and I was in the early stages of labor.  In hopes that Luke could hang in there until he was a little stronger, I was admitted to the hospital to halt labor, and to receive 24/7 monitoring while on strict bed rest. The doctors wanted him to make it to 34 weeks, at which time they would re-induce labor because the risk of infection was too great for him to stay in any longer.  Thankfully he cooperated, and at 34 weeks he was born, weighing 4 lbs. 13 oz.  He was the tiniest of all our babies, but he was strong and healthy. 

The day before Luke was born, the NICU doctor warned me about the issues he would likely face—needing the help of a breathing tube and ventilator, needing a feeding tube to get nutrients into his body because he would be too weak to nurse, needing a warmer to keep his body temperature regulated, etc.  Just as I had predicted in no uncertain terms that everything was going to be fine on our way to the hospital, this doctor predicted in no uncertain terms that Luke was not going to be just fine when he was born.  Well, she was wrong too.  Luke was the strongest baby in the NICU.  He was able to breathe on his own, he started nursing immediately and was a total champ (he never needed any additional supplementation with formula or feeding tubes), and he quickly began regulating his own body temperature.  The doctors and nurses were all blown away by how healthy and strong he was.  He developed pretty severe jaundice, just like all our babies had, which was the only thing that kept him in the NICU.  After I was discharged from the hospital, I was able to stay in a little room down the hall from the NICU so I could feed him every three hours.  His little lungs were so strong that I could hear him crying inside his incubator all the way down the hall, through a series of walls and about three large rooms between us.  Let’s just say, the nurses never had to come get me when he was hungry!  That was another clue as to what this little guy’s life would be like.  And as it turns out, the reason my water broke at 32 weeks was because Luke had kicked a hole in the top of his sac…he was bustin’ outta there one way or another, in his own way and in his own time!  Again, that was just another clue as to what his life would look like. 😊

Tiny boy sunbathing under his bili lights. 

Going home after only 1 week in the NICU!

There is so much more to say about Luke’s birth story, and our time in the hospital, but I will try to keep it brief.  Those were three of the hardest weeks of my life—both because of worrying about our tiny little baby, and also because of being away from my family and not being able to care for them.  I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling, full-time mom and wife.  My entire life is devoted to caring for my family.  So to be taken away from them without warning was excruciating.  But early on, God showed me this was a time that He had carved out for the two of us to spend with each other—just me and my Father.  I had no other responsibilities or distractions or interruptions.  It was the most intimate and precious time I have ever had with the Lord.  I was able to spend hours on end in prayer, in His word, and soaking in His Love.  He guided me each step of the way, showing me how to navigate Luke’s birth, what to pray over him after he was born, how to care for him in the NICU, and how to move forward as a momma of five children once we were sent home.  He revealed His heart to me, and His plans for my life.  He renewed my strength as a mother, He renewed my passion for Him and my faith in His unfailing love and goodness.  He drew me closer to Him than I have ever been.  The Light of the world was shining brightly around Luke and I the entire time we were in the hospital.  The same NICU doctor that had given me such a grim prognosis before his birth, later said that Luke’s health was nothing short of miraculous, and that she could sense a strong maternal spirit within me.  She was an unbeliever.  But God shined His Light into her world, and then gifted me with some of the most encouraging words I have ever received.  I always knew I was born to be a mother, but my time in the hospital when Luke was born served as a cherished affirmation of God’s purposes in my life.  I feel that what God did in my life during that time is very much a part of Luke’s own story.  I believe it points to how God purposes to use Luke throughout the course of his life.  God keeps us guessing, His mysteries are ever growing.  He works in mysterious and unexpected ways.  He reveals His power and glory, His light, His strength, and His ways to all those with eyes to see, in accordance with His own time.  Just when we think we have it all figured out, He reminds us that He alone is omniscient.

We were forever trying to capture just how tiny Luke was as a newborn, but pictures never truly did him justice.

Luke at 1 week.

Momma's hand on baby Luke.

Luke's tiny hand on Momma.          

He was smaller than Addison's 15" Bitty Baby doll at 2 weeks old.

Look how tiny those little feet were at 3 weeks old!

Luke at 6 weeks, on his original due date.

The list of things Luke has done in his own way, and in his own time is endless.  We have gone down several medical and therapeutic rabbit trails trying to figure him out, and help him develop “normally”.  But the reality is, Luke is not typical.  And that’s ok.  He wasn’t created to be typical.  He was created to be a reflection of God’s intensity, power, mysteriousness, uniqueness, and sovereignty.  Luke is extremely smart, he is strong and capable, he is creative and vibrant, he is bold and courageous.  His love is huge (and so is his temper), his sweetness is enormous (and so is his mischievousness), his joy is boundless (and so is his energy).  He is such an amazing mix of polar opposites, all wrapped into one adorable little package with precious dimples.

Getting prepped for his brain MRI.

Having a brain EEG test done.  

Graduation day from Physical Therapy
(He had the sweetest physical therapist ever!!)

Luke is the smallest one in our family, but has claimed the largest horse on the farm as his, which is so fitting! 

This is Huey, our huge teddy bear.  Again, the picture doesn't quite do Huey's size justice, he is huge!

He loves to move and climb and bounce and squeeze and burst into laughter. For the longest time we had a 7 foot trampoline in the middle of our living room, because a normal playpen simply would not suffice for our bundle of energy.

His excitement for life is palpable. 

We joke that if God has a place for demolition in His kingdom, that’s where Luke is headed!  Put that kid on a bulldozer and watch him go…and get out of the way!!  He is notorious for breaking things, hiding things in the craziest of places, and making lots of noise with anything and everything he gets his hands on.  The name Luke means “Light giving”—and that is exactly what our little Luke is.  Not quite like a ray of sunshine, more like a splendid firecracker—bright, brilliant, beautiful, a display of glorious Light...and comes with a loud bang!! 😊 We are so blessed to be Luke’s Momma and Daddy, he has rocked our world from the very beginning, and brought excitement, joy, and wonder at every turn.  We might be slightly exhausted, but we are certainly not bored!  We are totally and completely in love with this little boy, and the bright reflection of God's intense vivaciousness that is our Luke.  Luke can't wait to meet his little sister, and is constantly asking me when Baby Rose is going to get here.  She is bringing out his sweet nature before she's even here (let's hope it stays that way once she is here!!)  

        

With much love and constant wonder,
Ashley