Sorry I feel the need to brag a little bit!

And here he is.... the smartest boy in the world!!! Well in his momma's eyes anyway! I just needed to brag a bit... NO it is not the nicest quality in the world to want to brag but lets just say I am having a VERY PROUD momma moment!

We just got back from Luke's Parent teacher conference at DSD where Luke goes to school since September of this year. Luke is doing AHHHH-mmmaazzing!  He has surpassed all the goals set for him in Math this year and they have developed new goals. Luke is starting 3-4th grade math work now. WHOA this boy didnt know his numbers last year.. say what??? Goodness he is one smart boy!

He is doing AHHHH-mmmaazing in ASL/ELA and we were told he is going to be challenged more in there as he is improving at a great rate. This we know as his ASL is just skyrocketing and he is reading on a first grade level YAHOOO!!! WOW isn't this what every mom wants to hear. We have known Luke was smart since the moment we met him.. BUT everyone has said that Luke was going to be forever behind as he severely MISSED the window of language learning opportunity which is said to close by 5. Well Luke missed that "window" by 6+ years as he didnt start learning until he was 10 and a half and then truly learning learning this year at school at age 11. When I think about all he has accomplished it is mind blowing. Sometimes I need to step back and look at his video from 1 year ago and see where he has come. The everyday race to catch up sometimes makes me forget how far he has come. This boy is one impressive little man.

We had a truly rough week last week (not going to lie there are rough times in older child adoption and sometimes I wonder if we will make it.. Thankfully for Luke they tend to be pretty short lived and then we march on with an amazing attitude!) Luke was so worried what his teachers were going to say at the meeting and I laugh at his worry (not nice and No I dont laugh to his face) but I KNOW how hard this child works, he is a down right work-a-holic! Self motivation to succeed that is immeasurable and surely helping us out a ton! Luke is a joy to work with (most of the time for me hahah) (he is human and there are times when mom loses her patience with him) but he in general has a fabulous work ethic!

We are so proud of Luke and all he has accomplished. He is just one impressive lad! Love him with my whole heart and soul. (which is something he has struggled with this last week) He knows mom is very upset with him and frustrated  with his behavior last week, so in his mind that means mom wants to send him back to China. I truly truly pray that one day that fear will be gone. I cant even imagine how that fear must grip someone and drag them down into deep dark scary places. I told Luke that even though momma was upset and disappointed in his behavior last week that I love him so much and would NEVER send him back to China. He was very pleased with that statement. Behavior is rapidly improving the last few days!

So just wanted share with all of you that read this that Luke is becoming a STAR pupil at DSD and he LOVES more then anything his school. Sometimes you wonder about the decisions you make in life and you wonder if you did the right thing.. Sending Luke to DSD was and is 100% the best decision we could have ever made for his life! He is growing in leaps and bounds, developing confidence in himself as a young deaf boy and has developed pride in his Deafness. Luke is going to be a well accomplished Deaf adult of that I have no doubt!

Proud of you Luke Xinhai Worrell!!!!!!

                                              Luke with his brothers and sister!

                                Luke we are so proud of you! Love you so much! God has big BIG plans for you my man! Stand strong and believe!   for YOU can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!