tuck . six years

oh tucker. 

your heart is gold big boy. i look at your big blue eyes that tell it all and know God has something real special for you. you are truly unique in every way. and i love you more than my words could ever possibly express. 

good grief you love others so well. better than i ever have. and you care, deeply care for people. you care for people's souls. as a six year old, you understand that having Jesus is all people need. and you aren't afraid to ask outright. it stuns me every time. your boldness and unfiltered abandon. oh your faith is such an example to me. 

i have spent this school year with you by my side. what precious, sweet moments i have had with you. the set aside learning moments were by far the hardest but all the other moments were some i will never forget. your hand in mine skipping from here to there. walks and talks and bug hunting. library trips and grocery stores. coffee and hot chocolate dates. snuggled up reading on the couch together. legos and listening to jonathan park or adventures in odyssey. laying in the hammock talking and marveling at God's creation. watching birds. charting weather. painting and coloring and sidewalk chalk. the biggest hugs all day because that's what you need. we were always learning. we were always talking of big things. your plans and dreams are bigger than either of us could conceive but i want you to always have those.

i learned more from you this year than i taught you. like all the differences between frogs and toads and that hippos have three stomachs. and how female osprey are larger than male osprey but males are definitely more colorful. all about hummingbirds and butterflies. snakes. oh the snake facts you know are endless. you are a wealth of knowledge and are smart as a whip. 

but i learned about you. and that's what i am most thankful for. that you really struggle through reading and writing. you love math and science but need to be moving at all times. that you always want to be doing something "fun" which means being outside studying creation. so that's where we spend our days.

you pray all day. you know that God hears you. and you know that he loves you. so you talk to him just as He asks us to. you prayed fervently for a baby sister and He gave you just that. and you know she is from Him and never fail to allude to the fact that He gave her to you. He is in and through it all and you are keenly aware of that. you stand in awe of God's creation. and you marvel at His works. you know He heals, protects, gives life, takes it away, comforts, guides, and is sovereign. i hear it when you pray. and it is more precious than anything. 

you work so hard. so so hard. and joyfully. you complete menial tasks with a joyful heart and are such an example to me. you are eager to lend a hand and to learn while doing it. i trust you to get the job done every single time.

everyone who knows you has a "tucker" story and when they are told, we always end up laughing. like really laughing. it does make me nervous when someone says, "let me tell you what tucker told me..." but i am never surprised by the story that follows.

i love seeing you with your brothers. you lead will so well and i'm not sure what he's going to do without you next year. he sticks so close by you and you love him so. you look up to grey and crave time with him. you challenge him and i think he looks up to you in return. it's a sweet spot you are in. 

and the gentleness with which you love lucy is something to behold. you love her more than i could have ever imagined. that relationship is sure to continue to blossom in beautiful ways as you both grow. 

i love knowing you. you live life to the fullest and want everyone around you to do the same. your spirit is contagious and i am so thankful that i get a glimpse of who God is just by living life with you tuck man. i love you buddy.