Turning 18

Me, Ethan, Chris
Odenton, MD
April 13, 2023

 It is a momentous day; turning 18. 

We celebrated Ethan yesterday as he crossed over to adulthood. 

It was quite a day. 

Ethan's favorite football team, Washington, announced that a deal to sell the team had been reached. 

WASHINGTON -- Dan Snyder has reached a preliminary nonexclusive deal to sell his Washington NFL franchise to a group led by Josh Harris, who also co-owns teams in the NBA and NHL, for a record $6.05 billion, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday. (ABC13)

But wait--there is more.

Ethan was given tickets to the afternoon Orioles game against the Athletics. It was game 4 of a 4-game series and the Orioles needed the win to secure the series 3-1.

It was a rough day on the mound for the Orioles starting pitcher. After 5 innings the game was tied 7-7 and the relievers for both teams were called in to settle the batters. No runs were scored by either team until the bottom of the 9th when, with the score still tied, the Orioles' first batter of the inning walked to the plate. It was, of course Adley Rutschman, the Orioles catcher. Adley is Ethan's favorite Orioles player. Adley was hitless for the day (0-4) and in danger of ending his consecutive games with a hit streak at 6. Orioles Magic was back in the park at that moment. Adley hit the second pitch over the fence for a walk-off homer to end the game, 8-7. Ethan was seated 7 rows from the field right next to the Orioles dugout and felt that he was part of all of the action.

But wait, there's more! How could a birthday be complete without a massive dinner to cap the momentous day? And there was. A visit to Fogo de Chao, the Brazilian Steakhouse, was in store for the evening. And the meal was grand; of course there was far more food than can comfortably be consumed. But it was perfect for celebrating an 18th Birthday.

Wow! Happy Birthday Ethan. What a day.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD