I love this poem...

The Boy Who Kissed His Mother by Eben E. Rexford

She sat on the porch in the sunshine,
As I went down the street-
A woman whose hair was silver,
But whose face was blossom sweet,
Making me think of a garden,
Where, in spite of the frost and snow
Of bleak November weather,
Late, fragrant lilies grow.

I heard a footstep behind me,
And the sound of a merry laugh,
And I knew the heart it came from
Would be like a comforting staff
In the time and the hour of trouble,
Hopeful and brave and strong;
One of the hearts to lean on
When we think that things go wrong.

I turned at the click of the gate-latch
And met his manly look;
A face like his gives me pleasure,
Like the page of a pleasant book;
It told of a steadfast purpose,
Of a brave and daring will-
A face with a promise in it
That God grant the years fulfill.

He went up the pathway singing.
I saw the woman's eyes
Grow bright with a wordless welcome,
As sunshine warms the skies
"Back again, sweetheart mother,"
He cried, and bent to kiss
The loving face that was lifted
For what some mothers miss.

That boy will do to depend on,
I hold that this is true-
From lads in love with their mothers
Our bravest heroes grew,
Earth's grandest hearts have been loving hearts,
Since time and earth began.
And the boy who kissed his mother
Is every inch a man.

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We have always been affectionate with our boys. Three of them will still sit in our laps. We sit on Zack's lap now that he's 5 ft. 8in. and a size 13 shoe, and growing daily. Zack will walk by me and send a smooch in my general direction, making the kissing sound while puckering his lips, and saying "I love you." He melts my heart each time he does it.

Wesley will come and lean on me as if I'm a piece of furniture, or rub my feet and legs, he gives the VERY best hugs.

Clay will walk up and hug and kiss me while saying "whose the prettiest Mom in the world?" or "You are beautiful mom!"

Luke will come to me and say in his baby (yes, at age 7) incomplete sentence talk that he does on occasion, with a most pitiful puppy dog face "Hug? Kiss?" and fall into me.

I treasure these moments. I hope that when my "hair is silver" and they become men they'll still bend down to kiss me. My boys, my heroes, my heart!