Friday, December 9, 2011

Life...

You all know that Shawn loves sports...baseball, soccer, skiing, hunting, backyard football, kickball, volleyball...really if it's a sport, he'll play. But there is something else that defines who he is as well.  He is a Boy Scout.  He probably won't come right out and tell you that, but he works very hard to accomplish things in Boy Scouts.  Wednesday he had a Court of Honor.  Not his first one by any means, but one that really made me start thinking about who he is.
He served as MC for the evening.  Shawn did not inherit my love-to-be-in-front-of-a-crowd genes and would much rather sit in the background than talk in front of a group of people.  But he did it.  And he did a great job.


He earned four merit badges - three of which are required ones.  I knew he was getting these...trust me, we do our fair share of merit badge earning as parents.  But as I pondered the hard work that goes into each of these, I realized what a hard worker Shawn really is.  Don't get me wrong.  There were times when we had to fuss with him about completing a merit badge task, but I guess that's what parents are for.  He earned Shotgun Shooting (are you surprised?), Citizenship in the Nation, Family Life and Personal Fitness.  All of these merit badges require research, commitment and actively participating in a related activity.  Way to go Buddy!

In Boy Scouts there are different "ranks"  or advancements.  With each rank advancement the boy earns his badge and the mother receives a pin.  For all of you that don't follow Boy Scouts, ranks are as follows: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle.  Of course every boy's goal is to earn the prestigious Eagle Scout Award.  But the road to Eagle Scout is not easy.

I am proud to say that Shawn, at 13 years old, is well on his way to earning his Eagle Scout.  Wednesday night, Shawn earned and received his Life advancement.  I hadn't really thought about it before, but as he was pinning my Life pin on me, I realized that the next time he pins an award on me, it will be the Eagle Award.


He will be embarrassed that I posted this picture, but I don't care (it's my blog, not his)!  I am SO proud of him. 

Here is my "Mother's Pride" necklace that I bought while Shawn was a Cub Scout.  There's just something about an eight year old boy pinning a pin on his mother's shirt that frightens me...this option seemed a little safer.  Plus, I love having all of my pins together and wearing them to all of the banquets.

Yes, I know...I am missing the Tenderfoot pin.  But no worries - this proud mamma will get her a new one!
I love this Life pin.  It's the prettiest one yet!  But most of all, I love my Boy Scout.
May we always remember the things in life that define us for who we really are.



1 comment:

  1. Good Blog-tell him his family in Va are proud of him.I see the resemblances between him and Rodney now--even in the kissing one. haha

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