Happy Birthday, Luke!

As long as I can remember, us four kids have been compared to a sandwich. Laura and Caleb on the ends, always the bread. Luke and me, we're the ham and cheese: the middle. And we like it that way. But enough about us lets talk about him. Today is his twelfth birthday. Which is really old. He's only like four or five inches shorter than me. I fear I'll have trouble adjusting when he needs me as an elbow prop.

I remember the night he was born. Laura and me were staying with some folks from our church. I remember being very hot in bed, all a tangle of legs and arms. It was me and Laura and another girl, the daughter of the the folks we were staying with, (who was a good little bit older than us) but we had a lot of fun together, in bed that night. I think I was the one up against the wall, and I think Laura kept coughing too. Luke Benjamin came into this world just barely on the 18th. I remember talking on the phone to Mama and Daddy while they were at the hospital, and some how, I think I must have asked if he had big feet! When I was told that he had very big feet I... Have you ever read The Foot Book by Dr Seuss? Well do you know those big orange fuzzy feet attached to the big orange fuzzy Thing?... Well that's what I pictured, not really those feet on my new little brother, just a picture of those feet. :-)

Then I remember months later me and Laura would dress little Luke up, in those cute, little, dresses that were to small for us and to big for our dolls.

And I remember when he wanted to be a farmer. And I remember when he wanted to be a cowboy and live in Texas. And I remember when he wanted to be a trapper and go out on the trap line when he got to be a teenager and go with his flint and steal and his coon skin cap and trap beaver all out around our property and other folks' if they'd let him. That was the day before yesterday.

I also remember when after we'd watch an action movie, if it were Star Wars he'd play like a Jedi, Narnia he play like a knight, Davie Crockett he'd wrestle Caleb to the ground.

Luke's always been one for:basketball or football,

fishing or hunting,

digging or chopping,

exploring or reading,

swimming or playing,

math or Lego's,

jokes or top secret.

Luke, your such a blessing to me, almost always willing to help, weather it's snakes, mice, or stopped up toilets. You don't give up very easily.

And Luke, though your jokes may not be that funny, and your silly hypothesises about how certain things work may not make that much sense, and you may be a messy eater, and you do pour to much ranch dressing out onto your plate, and you do come and take my favorite spot in the front room sometimes,(and if there were hidden cameras in there you'd see me sitting there all the time during the school year)... I just want you to know that I LOVE YOU!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Anna

;-D