Just Like Heaven

This evening, Luke and I were on dinner duty - well, I made the sandwiches and he watched while playing with my apple peeler on the kitchen floor – and while our hands were at work, we chatted about random things.

L: You know why I like my blue sneakers?

Me: Why?

L: Cuz they are my trainers. Trainers help you run very fast.

Me: Wow, where did you learn about the word “trainers”? (I checked with Matt and both of us haven’t used that word with him. You know, just trying to keep tabs on where he gets his information.)

L: I know it myself. (Smirk.) I know these things because I’m Superman. (Smirk)

Guess Superman is a know-it-all nowadays.

(Matt: Maybe I should use that line as to answer some of his questions.)

 

After we were done with dinner prep, Luke set the table for dinner tonight. When we were all about to take our seats, he suddenly jumped off his chair, ran across the room to dim the lights, and then dashed back to his chair.

L: Don’t you guys like it when I make the room darker like now? Isn’t it just like heaven, like at Po Po’s church? (My mom once took him to her church for a 6am mass and I guess the still-dark morning and dim lights in the church inspired this association.) And now we are all seated here and eating my favorite nice bread –just like in heaven!

What more can one ask for?

(Though after he barely finished his sentence, he immediately added, “I also like chocolate. I think I’ll have that in heaven, too.”)

 

With this heavenly comment, we said grace and began to eat. I have been praying the Lord’s prayer at dinner per Luke’s request because he wants to learn how to say the prayer.

L: You know mama, you have to say the Lord’s prayer over and over again, cuz that’s how I learn things. I do them over and over again and then I will know how to do them by myself.

Me: That’s a lot of perseverance.

L: Yeah, remember how I learned to do this (then he squinted his eyes and winked)? I practiced many many nights closing one eye and then I finally learned it.

Me: Yeah I remember. You were very persistent about that.

L: So now you have to always speak Chinese to me, because I’m learning Chinese, too. Don’t say, (conjuring up a low and serious voice) ‘Luke, wash your hands.’ But say, “Shi Shou (washing hands in Chinese).”

Me: That’s a great idea. But do you really want me to only speak Chinese to you?

L: No no no no no. Not all the time, of course. Remember, I’m only half-Chinese, so you can’t speak Chinese to me all the time.

Me: Got it.

At least now I know what his future language aptitude will be, determined by his racial identity.