Noah turned thirteen last Saturday, May the seventeenth. He woke me up at around 6 am, calling out my name, “Dad”. I got up and went to his room, just down the hallway. I poked my head in his open door, “Yes Noah, what do you need?” “I’m a teen-ager.” he said, still half asleep, yet as jubilant as he could muster. So excited, this was a day he had waited for a long time. I had no idea just how important this day was to him. Noah thinks about many things, but he doesn’t share those thoughts readily. Every now and then something comes out of his mouth and it just kind of throws me back at how obviously he had been giving it a lot of thought. Turning thirteen was one of those things. Next thing he said was, “Can I open my presents now?” I had to tell him that he had to wait for mom to get up first, and that wouldn’t be for a while.
It was a big day for Noah, a big, outdoor party with lots of friends, a game truck, Nerf Gun battles, food and drinks, and all the presents that he had hoped for. God was kind as well, the forecast was for rain all day, but it hardly rained through out the day. Afterwards mom took him to a gathering at the Taekwondo headquarters for more games with friends, a play date event pre-scheduled for that day. When she got into the car to take him to the Taekwondo event Noah went straight to the passenger side of the front seat of the car. He was thirteen now and could legally ride in the front seat. Noah had obviously given it a lot of thought and was determined to exerciser that right. Not even the law could stop him from being a teenager. It was weird because he never seemed to talk much about it, but there was no hesitancy in the way he went directly to the front seat.
It is so strange to have him up front, but so cool at the same time. Welcome to the coming-of-age Noah. You’re growing up so very fast.
We love you.
Written May 17, 2025
Sky Valley Messenger 