Look who is a Girl Scout!

So I turned 40 this month.  What did I do?  I joined the Girl Scouts?  Can't think of a clearer way to symbolize a mid-life crisis.  As part of my commitment, apparently I have made a pledge:

Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:

  To serve God
    and my country,
  To help people at all times,
  And to live by the
    Girl Scout Law.

 

In all seriousness...I did join the Girl Scouts of America, but only because Kate joined the Girl Scouts, and I had to be a member to volunteer for her troop. She is officially a Daisy this year.  We have never been a Boy Scout or Girl Scout family.  Well, I take that back.  I vaguely remember my brothers doing scouts for awhile.   I remember my best friend, Michelle, was a Brownie, but I never sold cookies or camped or earned badges when I was little.  I don't think it was never given to me as an option.  And although Josh is ALWAYS prepared, he never joined the Scouts either.

Last year Kate was in kindergarten, and we got a flyer to sign up.  We were new to the area, and I had no real sense of a schedule or agenda for the year. I just put the information in the huge "to look at later" pile that resides on the side of my desk.  Then sometime in October when later equated with missed the deadline to join, I tossed the flyer in the recycle bin.   I didn't give it much thought until all the other girls in the neighborhood were going off to Daisy meetings.  And I wondered if I had missed an opportunity for Kate.

All the kindergarten girls in our neighborhood were lucky enough to all be in the same class at school.  Living in walking distance to one another and being in the same class was a great way to get introduced to the wonderful community we now live in.  By the end of the school year, Kate was starting to make some good friends, and she was beginning to feel like this was home now.  With first grade came the introduction of many classrooms; some friends remained her in class but others were spread out down the hallway.  Daisies seemed like a good chance to keep Kate connected to the girls' who were in different classes this year and continue to make new friendships.  And I am all for any organization that encourages my daughter to serve others and be helpful and kind. 

I think Kate is going to love being a part of this troop.  We have a Mother-Daughter Tea coming up in the fall, and I am sure Kate will dress as if she was going to the Queen's corrination.  And there are at least two camping outings planned.  Kate has been begging to go to camping for well over a year now so she will be beside herself with excitement when I tell her the plans.

As for me...I get to be fall product sales coordinator.  And I get to meet a lot of wonderful moms who are in my neighborhood and have girls Kate's age.  I think I may be blessed by this venture as much as Kate will be.  It's good to be connected to community again. 

But if I think about it long enough, I still find myself giggling at the thought of being a Girl Scout.