I took this photo of Thomas on the Sunday before school started. We had just gone to Redoubt to view his class list and he wanted me to take his pic. So he hopped up on the concrete wall and I snapped a few pictures. Didn't think much of it until I downloaded them off my camera two nights ago and was almost speechless when I saw this one.

All I could think was: How can that be my boy?

You might just see the picture of a young man sitting there...looking pretty GQ, but anyone who knows what he's been through and how he came into this world knows better. And I as his mother saw something entirely more. Let me explain. When I looked at this picture it immediately went through my mind that God has blessed him with so many amazing gifts...the gift of music (per his piano instructor), the gift of memorization (that boy can memorize his AWANA verses like it's no ones business), the gift of intelligence (near the top in math & reading), the gift of good looks (which we all know is a fleeting gift) and the gift of a stubborn will (which can be good or bad). Does he realize how blessed he is? Probably not. Do I often forget how blessed I am for having him in my life? Yup!

And it reminded me that I need to be praying every day that he comes to know his Lord and Savior in a personal way because I have a feeling God has something very special in mind for my "little" boy.