My Buddy

He goes by many names... Jackson, Jack, Jackie, Jack P. #26, Bud, Bubba, JP... But to me, usually, he is Buddy.  When he dribbles the basketball down the court or hits the baseball, it is my voice that can be heard over the crowd yelling, "Run Buddy! Run!"  It was not planned... it is just what stuck out of all of the gazillions of goo-goo-gaa-gaa names that this mama blabbered at her little baby.  Just thinking about him brings tears to my eyes.  I love him so much!  Like all parents do, I think, I could not imagine how my heart could expand to love a second child as much as I already loved the first... but it did.  The little sucker gave me a run for my money when he was 2 years old, and I thought, "Oh no!  How am I going to handle him for 18 years!?!"  But miraculously he grew and matured into the sweetest most caring little guy that I know.  Just yesterday... on his birthday... the day that was "all his"... he ran into an acquaintance at Peter Piper Pizza and shared all of his tokens and prizes with him, he bought things with his tickets for his sister and his neighbor friend, he made his sister's water bottle in preparation for school today, and he told me about how he has been giving his friend at school "football lessons" because he didn't know how to play and was nervous about coming to his football party.  I don't deserve him.  I am humbled by the fact that he is mine.  He is more than a blessing to me, and I am beyond thankful for my Buddy!