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Aug 15, 2011

Girl Scouts

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I love working with the scouts! I have been a Girl Scout leader for 18 years (with no end in sight…). I figure I can retire from scouts the same time my sweetie retires from his job unless I have some granddaughters by then who happen to need a leader.

I’ve told you a bunch of our adventures this year including our trip to the zoo. We also took all the girls to an outdoor theater and watched the musical Camp Rock. We had a sleepover and tied a quilt for Teach’s Relay for Life team. We planted trees and went swimming. We played basketball and volleyball and we learned how to paint with pastels and use a compass. We even made jewelry and learned how to play jacks!



So this past week we had our Annual Awards Family Picnic for the girls and their families. My sweetie dragged his event-sized BBQ grill over to the bowery and grilled burgers and dogs for everyone. We invited some of our girls to show off their amazing scouting skills and we sang camp songs. Then we formed the promise circle and sang “Make New Friends.” It’s sort of like the Kumbaya of Girl Scouts in Utah. My girls were excited to receive their awards and bridge to the next scouting level. I was excited to be finished until October.

The best part of Girl Scouts is the cookies (but not selling them) and working with the girls. Every year I question my sanity, but I still send in my paperwork and make up a calendar. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve thought about quitting. Trying to convince these very different girls that we have to be a “sister to every Girl Scout” is hard!

Most girls only stay with scouts for a few years and then they move on to other things. There are so many good activities (and lots of bad ones too) competing for our time and energy. I’ve told you before that I have a secret wish…I want all my girls to earn their Gold Awards and all my boys to earn the Eagle Scout. So far I have five of the twelve who have made it.
 
My secret fear is that I will get too tired and old to help them be what they want to be. I’m 46 now and Baby Doll is not even a year old yet. When she graduates from high school, I will be 64! It makes me tired just thinking about it. Does anybody have any idea where I can find the Fountain of Youth? I may just need it…and a couple dozen boxes of Thin Mints.

6 comments:

  1. Girl Scouts do an amazing job and they have so much authenticity! Our troop for my oldest is a little hit and miss, which makes me sad. I was a girl scout too.

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  2. The Fountain of Youth is found by just keep doing. If you stop, you won't have the energy to go back, but as long as you keep going you will be fine. My DH will be 69 and I will be 60 when our youngest turns 18.

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  3. I love Girl Scout Cookies, especially the mint ones! You guys had such a great time what a fun mom you are!

    I only had boys but I love the scouting program! I'm sure if I had girls we'd be doing the same thing!!

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  4. A dozen boxes of Thin Mints sounds amazing! I haven't had girl scout cookies in forever which is really sad!

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  5. My dad was 64 or 65 when my little sister graduated high school, so it's been done before :)
    And yes Girl Scout cookies are heaven!

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  6. How exciting! I would have LOVED something like this! I was in a weird girl scouts troupe... the moms were clique-y and my mom wasn't in their clique so I didn't get treated very nicely sometimes and I didn't get included in a lot of things. If I ever have a little girl, I definitely plan to help out and make her experience a fabulous one. Your kids are so lucky!

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