I am currently an emotional wreck - but mostly in a good way. Due to Noah playing Aladdin, Avery's first spring soccer game, tons of family and friends in town, high school registration, my national board renewal video session, and two school projects due on Monday - we have continuously starting referring to this past weekend as the "most important weekend in the Graham year." But all of the above was expected, and we had planned for it over the past few weeks. What I didn't expect was the emotional toll of the sudden realization that our Noah is fully an adolescent.Watching him on stage, seeing him interact with his friends, and literally watching his interest shift over this past week has confirmed that he is simply no longer a child, per se. He is now middle school bound, in more ways than one. And though I have theoretically known this was coming for many years - it has thrown me off kilter, and made me mourn for younger days with out children. And it is not even a personal thing about my children specifically, (as I am honestly excited about his growing up) as much as it is feeling the cruel hands of time at work a bit faster than I would like.
Importantly, he is very much his own person, with his own particular spirit. For that, I am most thankful, and we speak to him (and Avery) constantly about finding his passions and sense of self - and driving towards them. His getting involved with the theater has been a great experience in that regard, as he has found something that he has a knack for, and so another path to happiness. And he has an amazing community of supporters - who love him.
I guess in the mine field world of adolescence that is about all we can hope for, right?
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