I Have a Boy...or Two...or Five

Years and years ago, shortly after we welcomed our third son into the family, my father-in-law gave my husband a framed poem that had been given to him when he was a young father.  He said, "I think it's time to pass this along to you now."

My husband, who has made being the father of sons a vocation and an art form, loves this poem.  I've shared it with you before, back when I was a newbie blogger, so I'm kind of repeating myself here.  But as son #3 was getting ready to leave for work this morning, he asked me what I was planning to blog about today and I really didn't know yet.  "What in the world do I have to say anymore that I haven't said a thousand times already?" is what I was thinking.

Okay, I've only written 681 posts since I started this blog on March 7, 2011...but still, I've said A LOT of the same things A LOT of times already.

Quick digression: I just realized that I meant to celebrate this blog's two year mark, but I totally missed the anniversary date.  Actually, I'm glad I did--that means my real life was so busy and full (we were out in CO at the time, staying with our oldest son and his adorable family) that it took precedence over my on-line life!  Thank goodness!

Anyway, back to my fast-paced, action-packed story!  My middle son is one of my most faithful followers and I didn't want to disappoint him, so I sat here in front of my laptop deep in thought, trying to come up with something new and interesting to talk about.  Many of the Catholic bloggers I read are writing beautiful and inspiring pieces about the papal conclave, and I feel a little guilty that I haven't been focusing on matters of Faith at this very important moment in the history of the Catholic Church.  Perhaps, I thought, it was time to start writing posts with a little more gravitas (not that yesterday's post about dogs wasn't weighty enough), but my brain was pretty much filled with thoughts of my boys (surprise, surprise), especially because my husband and I are sleeping under the same roof with three of them this week.  It was only yesterday that all five of them slept under the same roof, with us.  It was only yesterday that they looked like this.

My boys!  (All six of them.)

But thank God time does indeed move forward, and boys like these grow into fine, upstanding men who go out into the world and make a difference...and who bring lovely girls into our family.

My girls!  (Son #1's wife and daughters.)

And that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't had an excellent role model in their father. So without further ado, here is that poem I promised to share (again).

I Have a Boy

I’ve a wonderful boy, and I say to him, “Son,

Be fair and be square in the race you must run.

Be brave if you lose and be meek if you win,

Be better and nobler than I’ve ever been.

Be honest and noble in all that you do,

And honor the name I have given to you.”

I have a boy and I want him to know

We reap in life just about as we sow,

And we get what we earn, be it little or great,

Regardless of luck and regardless of fate.

I will teach him and show the best that I can

That it pays to be honest and upright, a man.

I will make him a pal and a partner of mine,

And show him the things in this world that are fine.

I will show him the things that are wicked and bad,

For I figure this knowledge should come from his dad.

I will walk with him, talk with him, play with him, too;

And to all of my promises strive to be true.

We will grow up together, I’ll too be a boy,

And share in his trouble and share in his joy.

We’ll work out our problems together and then

We will lay out our plans when we both will be men.

And oh, what a wonderful joy this will be,

No pleasure in life could be greater to me.

                        -Hugh M. Pierce