Lance's Last Year as a Boy

After this year, my precious baby boy will not only no longer be a baby but will begin crossing the bridge from boyhood to manhood.  He already looks like a man-child and his voice is cracking.  However, I'm thankful he still retains the innocence and simple pleasures of boyhood too.  He's not too cool to play with any of siblings or their friends, but that is not to say he's immature.  He is growing in wisdom and responsibility beautifully.  He is beginning to join in conversations with Chris and I after dinner, foregoing watching shows.  He has always enjoyed a little alone time and now I think even more so (It can sometimes even be hard for me to find him when he's hiding out for a bit).  It's all part of growing up.
He continues to excel at school and I am proud when I see he is popular among his peers.  Not that I care about popularity but I'm glad that he has not lost the ability, he had as a baby, to make friends and be a leader.  These are great blessings and skills, ones that elude many including myself.

Since the Paray's will be here next week, we didn't do a big celebration today but rather a drawn out celebration over the past week.  It started with the Tiger Rescue Trip.  Then since Chris had taken the day off we went shopping for new catcher's gear for his gift after the field trip.  Over the weekend, Chris set up his new basketball hoop and slowly unwrapped his other gifts from family, one day at a time. Finally, today on his birthday he actually had baseball practice and his coach/team celebrated by having him run the team gauntlet much to his humor.

It has been a joy to see Lance growing up in so many positive ways over the last year.  He remains our beautiful boy in every way.

Dear Lance,

May God keep you and bless you always.  May you seek him first in all you think and do and may you always walk with joy in the path He has designed for you.

All our LOVE ALWAYS!

Mom, Dad, Jared, Titus and Amber.