Fifteen brought change he didn’t see coming and mostly handled well. After a broken collarbone derailed part of last year, he came back healthy, but the bigger shift was leaving the club he’d played for since he was four. It was his call, his opportunity to take, and the new team has been a great fit so far.

Soccer also took him further afield. We watched a World Cup game in Dallas (Argentina v. Austria) and, along with everyone else in that stadium, saw Messi break the all-time goals record, the kind of thing you tell people about for the rest of your life. He also spent a week at a soccer camp at NAU, living in the dorms with friends. It was our first real taste of what it might look like when he heads off to college someday and I’m not sure we’re ready for that.

School stepped up a level this year too. It’s harder than last year, but he’s kept solid grades — thankfully, he’s got the intelligence to match the workload.

His entrepreneurial streak didn’t stop at clothes. He’s moved into reselling sports trading cards, and with a little help tracking sales, he’s built himself a nice little side hustle.

Up next: he’s eligible for his driving permit in January. Fifteen might have been the calm before that storm.