your brother did WHAT?: August 2009

Last Sunday Tony decided it was time to teach Luke to ride the motorcycle. Much to my chagrin, we loaded up the truck and headed to an abandoned neighborhood. I don't understand why my mind reacts so disapprovingly at the thought of Luke riding something w/ an engine. It's silly, really. Dallas was only a few months older than Luke is now when Tony put him on the bike for the first time. I've just always perceived Dallas as being so much....... sturdier than Luke. My baby seems so fragile next to his big brother. Even at birth; Luke's measly 9 pound 7 ounce (perfect) little body was shockingly scrawny compared to Dal's hulking

9 pounds 15 ounces!

But I digress. Where were we?

Oh yes, Luke's first solo motorcycle ride....

I was so proud of Dal's willingness to help Luke get started.

He was almost unnaturally helpful. Hmmm....

Tony gave Luke some instructions. Right hand is the throttle....(this is when I began my silent prayers...)

Right foot is the brake.

"Dear Lord, please let Luke be not only listening, but comprehending what his father is telling him right now."

As he was giving Luke a few last minute pointers, I couldn't help but ask,

"Why is Dallas being so nice to Luke?"

Trembling, I took my post approximately 30 yards from the starting gate. Luke was instructed to ride to me, turn around behind me, and ride back to Tony.

"Dear Lord, please don't let my baby get hurt. Please give me the courage to stand here and photograph this monumental event in the life of my child. Please don't let me drop the camera. Please don't let Luke accelerate past me so that I have to drop my camera and run after him. Please let Luke safely make the turn around me and return to his father."

I needn't worry.

He was amazing.

I was so relieved and overcome I didn't even get a picture of his beautifully executed turn.

He was a rock star. And so was Dal. When I regained my composure I asked Dal what he thought while watching his little brother ride away... while I prayed,

"Dear Lord, please let Dallas accept and celebrate the fact that Luke is

crazy good

on the motorcycle!"

"Thank you, Lord!"

Dallas had given Luke an appraising "baby" thumb's up!

Watching him ride I realized he was naturally talented, freakishly so.

He took to that motorcycle like I take to Target - massive adrenaline rush while maintaining calm control.

We tried not to make too much of his super-fantastic, off the hook, awe-inspiring, superhuman, stupendous, miraculous, death defying first ride. We just smiled and cheered as he passed between us. Back and forth, back and forth.

After a few uneventful passes, Luke grew bored and decided to play chicken with Dallas. I'm sorry I didn't get a better photo. I was too busy trying not to wet myself. He came straight at Dallas - closer....closer... neither of them wanting to be the first to bail....

Luckily he doesn't have a death wish, and Luke jerked to the right just seconds before impact.

Still trying to process what I had just witnessed, I looked up in time to see him standing on the pegs. Who was this child, and what did he do with my baby boy?

Tony calmly put the kibosh on Luke's hot-dogging. Surprisingly, Luke obeyed when Tony gave him the stop signal.

"Thank you Jesus."

Father and son shared some happy words of encouragement before Luke took off again.

But in a surprising turn of events, Luke whipped back around.....

...pulled up next to Tony and asked,

"Dad, will you please show me how to put it in second gear? I want to go FAST!"

Bursting with pride...No, wait... Exploding with pride, Tony adjusted the throttle and taught Luke how to change to second gear. The difference in speed was immediately tested by Luke. In his first pass in second gear, this is all I caught:

At this point I decided to put the camera away, gently eased my weary old bones into the back of Tony's truck, assumed a reclined position, closed my eyes, and begged,