From Dad

Luke,

You are my little, huge buddy. And sometimes I am amazed with how much of me I see in you, or maybe how much of you I see you in me. You are so passionate. If you're doing something, you are all in. 100%. You love to play tag these days and you get this gleeful laughter every time I run after you. It cheers me up, every time.  Right now you are convinced that you are stronger and faster than me because, to this point, when we race I hold back a little, and you say things to me like, "Dad you're really slow". Which lets me know that maybe I should actually race you for real and see if I can beat you, fair and square. 

I love how you are such a great mixture of incredibly tough and Incredibly soft.  You remind me of how I see myself in this way. When I drop you off at school you don't even say goodbye. This lets me know that you have the confidence to dive into life without me, and that makes me proud. When you show up at school, 5 or 6 kids gather around you and show you what they're doing and call your name and are excited that you showed up to be a part of the day. It's as though the people around you hope to be a part of whatever you're doing because you're so passionate about life. 

You and Mason are best friends and are inseparable. He calls you "buddy" and the way the two of you play together is so full of whimsy and possibilities. Every day in the mornings you ask me if Mason Spring will be in school that day and on the days that he is there, you get so excited and want to go to school right away. 

Recently after we drop your sister off at school, you and I come home and spend an hour together before I take you to pre-K. This is always one of the best parts of my day. You and I wrestle and play games that you create from your incredible imagination. And every day that hour flies by so quickly. I'm reminded that someday. not very long from now, the time I have with you will be different and harder to come by. But for now while you're my little man, who still thinks I'm cool, I revel in the moments that I get to spend with you and I am amazed with the man you are becoming. 

I am so proud of you. If you weren't my son you I would hope to know you in some other arena. I would hope that we could still be friends. But somehow I got lucky enough to be your dad and to have these years where I get to spend time, just you and me, and learn from you and be amazed with how much passion you approach your life with.

Love,
Dad