6 years ago today . . .

6 years ago today . . . we were expecting to make our family a little more "pink". However, it was a sweet, 8lb 10 oz bundle of blue that made his way into my heart that day. Despite the very pink nursery I had labored over for hours (for real, the stenciling was murderous, especially for a perfectionist like myself), we were delighted to have this "biggest surprise of our life", especially Jerry who had answered my question (en route to my induction) "Are you sure you don't want to talk about boy names . . . just in case?" with a very resounding, "There is NO way I'm getting a boy". And so, the first five minutes of his life was filled with laughter, a little shock, and a lot of discussion about what his name was going to be. Somehow Kerrigan just didn't seem fitting. :)

6 years ago today . . . I began to learn just what it means to be the mother of a boy. It means dirt, and LOTS of it. It means trucks, tractors, four-wheelers, fire trucks, boats, airplanes, trains, and pretty much anything else with wheels that moves . . . yes, even baby doll strollers sometimes. Being the mother of a boy means kisses and snuggles and fixing boo boos. It means tricks and jokes and lots of pats on the booty. Being the mother of a boy means worms and frogs and bugs, not to mention cowboys, bulls, and horses. It means in someone's eyes, I will always be Cinderella at the ball. But mostly, being the mother of a boy means a piece of my heart will always be found in his sweet, dimpled smile.

6 years ago today . . . God already knew how much I would need this little blessing. It was his sweet, dimpled smile that healed my broken heart in the months after my momma died. It continues to be his sweet dimpled smile that makes it all right with the world-my world anyway- when I've had a bad day. It will forever be his sweet dimpled smile that is etched into the corners of my soul . . . my baby boy, my Park-man, my son.

What a precious gift I was blessed with . . . 6 amazing years ago today.

Parker's first ride on the big surprise.

Fishing today with his BFF and cousin, Blake!