Sunday, April 5, 2009

For the last nine years ...

For the last nine years, I've been blessed to be a momma. My first child, Joel Morgan Thompson, entered this world at 5:32 pm on April 4, 2000 in Alexandria, Louisiana ... and with that precise moment my life changed forever. My heart has never ever been the same since I first saw his precious little face, and counted his ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes.

Joel has always been an exceptionally amazing child. He has the sweetest demeanor and the most loving little ways. Over the years, he has grown and matured in ways that I never dreamed he would. From being fascinated with wheels at 9 months to trains at 2 years to presidents at age 4 to hurricanes and weather at age 8 ... his love for learning and admiration for order have fascinated me.

Joel is growing up and it is a bittersweet thing for me. He's no longer a little boy ... in fact, technically he is halfway grown up. In another short 9 years, he'll be voting age and heading to college and leaving the nest. It often takes me by surprise to realize just how quickly he is changing from a young boy to a big kid. For example, just tonight he was telling me about some female character on a TV show that he thought was "hot" and just a couple of weeks ago Joel gave me "dating" advice. He wanted to make sure that I knew the rules regarding what was a man's responsibility and what was the woman's responsibility. It's funny to think that he now sometimes feels protective of me, when all of these years I've been so protective of him. Watching him grow up makes me feel so proud because I love who he is becoming. I just wish I could hold that sweet little bundle of joy tightly in my arms once again.

Here are some pictures of my sweet baby Joel ...



Joel's first Sunday at church. He was 3 weeks old and if I'm not mistaken it was Easter Sunday.




Joel and I enjoy a spring day when he was 11 1/2 months old.




Joel makes a birthday wish on his second birthday. My wish for him on the weekend of his 9th birthday is the same thing I've prayed ever since the day he was born ... may the Lord richly bless him with a long life full of joy, love and peace.

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