13.
Eli turns 13 on September 1st.
This is pretty exciting stuff around here.
An official teenager.
Matt and I have been tirelessly working, ok not really tireless, but much effort was put forth in planning a special event marking this milestone.
I'm not sure when one officially becomes a man. Maybe 18?
But then again, I know a lot of 18 year old males and I'm not sure I would call them "men" quite yet.
For Matt and I, 13 means more than becoming a teen. It marks the time where this kid is heading out on his path to adulthood. This is the time where he is building a foundation for who he will be as an adult. So many of the decisions made in the coming years will shape his future academically, spiritually, and socially.
So it is a big deal.
Matt and Eli will depart this Friday for their male-bonding weekend.
I'm so excited for him.
I've been praying for this event for months.
It probably won't be "perfect", this is life after all, but I do hope it will go smoothly and it will be a treasured event in his life that he will remember fondly forever.
The itinerary looks a little like this:
Day 1: Surprise!! You are going on a trip with dad.
I'll drop them off at the airport with a pre-packed bag. Eventually, he'll figure out the destination is San Fransisco but he will still have no idea what is in store for him.
They arrive in the city, check in to a super posh hotel, and spend the first evening together bonding or whatever guys do.
Day 2: Surprise!! Who is in the lobby of the hotel waiting for you? Papa, Papa, Uncle Tommy, Uncle Tom, and Cousin Mike (also sometimes called Papa Mike but I can't explain why). After the shock wears off, he will find out all these men in his life are accompanying him and dad to a Giants game with dinner to follow.
He will be ecstatic, and if he isn't he better do a darn good job of faking it!
Day 3: Surprise!! Fishing Charter out of SF Bay with dad.
After fishing, hopefully some catching is involved too, they will have lunch together and head back to the airport.
Eli loves: family, baseball and fishing.
Done.
We fit it all in.
And so far we have done an amazing job at keeping the whole thing a surprise!
We finally told him that we have plans for his 13th birthday, just so he would stop planning his own version of a party that included tentatively inviting friends over. But all he knows is that we have plans. Nothing more. No hints, no clues as to who, what, when, or where. So he will wake up Friday morning and head off on an unknown adventure.
I think that is quite appropriate way to start of his teen years. Isn't that just how life is?
We want to know what is up ahead, we want to know how the stories will end, but we just have to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
This is pretty exciting stuff around here.
An official teenager.
Matt and I have been tirelessly working, ok not really tireless, but much effort was put forth in planning a special event marking this milestone.
I'm not sure when one officially becomes a man. Maybe 18?
But then again, I know a lot of 18 year old males and I'm not sure I would call them "men" quite yet.
For Matt and I, 13 means more than becoming a teen. It marks the time where this kid is heading out on his path to adulthood. This is the time where he is building a foundation for who he will be as an adult. So many of the decisions made in the coming years will shape his future academically, spiritually, and socially.
So it is a big deal.
Matt and Eli will depart this Friday for their male-bonding weekend.
I'm so excited for him.
I've been praying for this event for months.
It probably won't be "perfect", this is life after all, but I do hope it will go smoothly and it will be a treasured event in his life that he will remember fondly forever.
The itinerary looks a little like this:
Day 1: Surprise!! You are going on a trip with dad.
I'll drop them off at the airport with a pre-packed bag. Eventually, he'll figure out the destination is San Fransisco but he will still have no idea what is in store for him.
They arrive in the city, check in to a super posh hotel, and spend the first evening together bonding or whatever guys do.
Day 2: Surprise!! Who is in the lobby of the hotel waiting for you? Papa, Papa, Uncle Tommy, Uncle Tom, and Cousin Mike (also sometimes called Papa Mike but I can't explain why). After the shock wears off, he will find out all these men in his life are accompanying him and dad to a Giants game with dinner to follow.
He will be ecstatic, and if he isn't he better do a darn good job of faking it!
Day 3: Surprise!! Fishing Charter out of SF Bay with dad.
After fishing, hopefully some catching is involved too, they will have lunch together and head back to the airport.
Eli loves: family, baseball and fishing.
Done.
We fit it all in.
And so far we have done an amazing job at keeping the whole thing a surprise!
We finally told him that we have plans for his 13th birthday, just so he would stop planning his own version of a party that included tentatively inviting friends over. But all he knows is that we have plans. Nothing more. No hints, no clues as to who, what, when, or where. So he will wake up Friday morning and head off on an unknown adventure.
I think that is quite appropriate way to start of his teen years. Isn't that just how life is?
We want to know what is up ahead, we want to know how the stories will end, but we just have to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
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