Six!

As we're scrambling around, collecting paper to bring another son into our family, we are thoroughly enjoying the boy who is already ours. Today my baby boy turns six. In those six years I've yet to get over my own capacity to love a little male. I think I've mentioned before how sure I was, coming from a family of girls, that God would give us only girls. How good He was to surprise me! Boys are different in the most delightful of ways. Parker is a perfect blend of tenderness and toughness. While he's the first to jump into the fiercest of wrestling matches with Daddy, I've never known a more affectionate caretaker of stuffed animals. He's very capable of making messes, but organizes his many collections with the utmost of attention. Every day Parker's similarities to Danny emerge with greater clarity, and I pray that he continues to learn what it means to be a man from the greatest man I know. My only fear is that Parker's maturing might result in a little less cuddling with and kisses for mama as the years continue to go by. Even that loss, however, will be bearable if it's accompanied by the love for God that He seems to be graciously implanting in Parker's heart even now. I'm just trying to convince him that six year-old boys are much more affectionate than five year-old ones. Do you think it'll work?