Happy Birthday, Lukey!!!!

I cannot believe today is Lukey's 2nd birthday.

It feels like he was never missing from this family- like he's always been a part of us.

The past 2 years have been the most wonderful yet most difficult years of my life.

Lukey is, surprise surprise, just like his mama! He's a fiery and stubborn redhead. He knows what he wants when he wants it, and he sure can be a handful at times. He's ALL boy- usually going from sun up to sun down (and often times at 2am!)

He has taught me so much in his 2 years of life. He has brought out the best and the worst in me. He has shown me that not all babies are sick and die. He has shown me that it's ok to love again after having such a monumental loss.

The term rainbow baby describes exactly what he is. His life came after a violent and destructive storm. He brought life back into our lives and healing to our hearts. He reconstructed the most broken pieces of our lives. But it hasn't always been easy with him. There have been many days of fear and anxiety that ruled my parenting with him. There have been days of hard work and exhaustion that have left me physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted. But all of that has served a purpose- to show me that it's ok to keep moving forward. It's hard work, but being able to live and love again is worth it.

Lukey,

We love you more and more every day. You have been such a blessing to your brother, sister, mom and dad. You keep us on our toes. You keep the coffee running through our veins. Ha!

But we wouldn't want life without you. As you grow older, I want you to know how you saved my life. I want you to know how you healed my heart. And most importantly, I want you to know that even when we didn't know it, you have always been exactly what our family needed.

We love you, little Duker!!!!

Love,

Mama