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.

Remembering 9-11

Today, my 7 year old daughter went to a flag raising ceremony for an event that she knew nothing about.  She wasn't alive the day the twin towers crashed into the core of America's heart.  She doesn't remember the fear that gripped the nation nor the tears that we shed for weeks.  She doesn't feel the ache that still lingers after so many, many years.

In some ways I envy her not knowing.  She has an innocence that most of America lost 13 years ago.   She had that innocence until today. 

Today I told her.  I told her about 9-11.  I told her about the many lives that were lost.  I told her about the pain our country felt.  I told her why it is important that we remember.  There are still many details I will wait to tell her, but the important part is she knows.  She now knows that being an American means being united with people that loss something great.  She knows that our country is worth fighting for.  She now understands a bit more why sometimes people have to go to war to protect what they believe in.  She learned a little more about what it means to have pride in America. I hope the flag will mean a little more after today.  I told her so we all can remember.

Ironically, I found a poem today that my mom wrote on the 1st anniversary of 9-11.  It is twelve years since she wrote the poem, but it spoke to me as if it had been written today.  I am trusting she won't mind me sharing it here. 

In remembrance...  by Donna Gallagher

The wind is restless today...
Not violent...not gentle...just restless
Stirring grass, trees and leaves
Stirring memories as we grieve

New York, PA, DC
Flags and Tears flow free
Memories etched in souls
Ashes now grown cold

Remember-we must do
Honor those we knew
Salute the men of blue
Stand strong - resolve anew

Our President declared
We'll fight and will not fear
Each name, each story lost
With resolve we'll count the cost

Today, the anniversary,
Infamous day in history
Neither wind nor the lot we see
But we feel their presence in every breeze

The wind is restless today...
Stirring every soul
Souls standing on blood soaked ground
And those set free and heaven bound

The wind is restless today...
Brushing cheeks of streaming tears
Shaking off remaining fears

The wind carries a gentle embrace
To all who remember a missing face
Let it blow, let it stir within all who feel
Let it descend with hope, let it heal

September 11, 2002

School Days

Kate has begun kindergarten.  She is doing very well.  Being a teacher, I've been watching Kate and encouraging her to start reading, but she has never been interested in my willingness to instruct her.  She wanted to play not read.   I knew that once she was ready it would kick in, and I hoped that some of my academic genes would be in her too.   I am happy to say, Kate is LOVING school and is asking me to teach her things when she gets home.  I am LOVING that!   Here are a few highlights from Kate's first weeks of school.

Best Farm with Kate and Papa Gallagher

A few weeks ago, Kate and I met my parents at Best Farm in Frederick, Maryland, for an impromptu photo shoot. I love having one kid to my self and being able to do something special with that child.  We had a fun time focusing on Katie Norah, and ended up with some great shots.

Meet Rett...Our Super Hero!

Meet Rett - Our Superhero

Many of you have heard us talk of Rett Bush.  Rett and Kate have been best buddies since they met in the Turtle pre-school class. To say they were inseparable is an understatementt.  Somehow this quiet, Southern gentlemen decided that he was intrigued by the loud bouisterous presence that is Kate...and the two have become amazing friends.   And the best part of it all is that his Momma and Daddy and big brother, Cal, are pretty amazing people too.  So our whole family lucked out and found a huge blessing in the Bush Family.   



Rett has been waging his battle with leukemia since January of 2011.  We have only been along side the Bush family for one year...but in the year I have seen God in a new way as a result of this family.   I have prayed harder than I have before.  I have rejoiced over the  news that Rett made it through another night without another ER visit.  I have seen a family embrace God in a season of pain and heartache....and I will always be humbled by their example.  They trust fully in God to be their strength.   Kristen has been such an example to me of joy and faith in the midst of overwhelming fear and concern.  Cal has been an amazing example of compassion and love toward his brother.  They learned to love one another and treasure each day they have together.  This family is real.  They cry.  They bleed.  They fear.  They hurt.  But they ALWAYS trust in God's goodness and love.    

And today, we joined the Bush Family in celebrating the end of Rett's chemotherapy treatment!!   Today was amazing.  TODAY WAS AMAZING!  TODAY WAS AMAZING!!

 

I am so proud of this young man.   I am so grateful that God spared his life.  I am so blessed to be a friend of this family.  And I am so excited to officially be part of TEAM RETT!    In October Kate and Nathan and Josh and I will be joining Rett in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Fundraising Event called  Light the Night.   As a tribute to Rett, his mom has encouraged as many of his friends to join him in their Red Team Rett T-shirts and celebrate his victory.  It will be a fun night with a lot of exciting activities for the kids.   It is also an opportunity to come along side the Bush Family and LLS to raise money to further research in blood cancers.

Please donating toward Team Rett. 
 No donation is too small.
Thank you!

We love you Rett!   We love you Bush Family!

Spring is drawing near (I think...)

So next week is technically the first week of spring according to the calendar hanging on the side of my refrigerator.  The threat of a big snowfall last week scared us just enough to doubt spring's arrival.  Luckily, it missed us and left it's mark on our dear family in New England!  But here, South of the Mason-Dixon Line, this weekend saw sunshine and 60 degrees, so again I am hopeful.

Kate and Josh went out on a walk Saturday and breathed in the sweet fresh air.   I love that they have these little treasures of adventure together.  I hope when Kate looks back on her childhood she will remember days like this with her Daddy!

Happy Valentine's Day

I adore Kate's heart.  It is simple.  It is genuine.  It is full of love if we are wise enough to receive that gift she offers us daily. 

Kate and I were making valentine's for her class this week.  She made one extra card and added quite a few extra heart stickers on it.  I asked her who it was for and she plainly said:  Jesus. 

I asked her if she wanted to mail it, shamefully sarcastic in my mind.  She said, "No, thank you."  I have another idea.  And into the backyard she went with her Valentine balloon and Jesus's valentine taped to the string. 

My heart melted.  Sarcasm gone.  Pure love.  Unhindered faith. Oh, to be more like my sweet daughter.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Matthew 19:14

Weekend Adventures

It feels like January came and went in a blink of an eye!  I can't really tell you what we did in January.  Not much.  I think we bundled up indoors and probably watched way more TV than the American Pediatric Association would approve of.  But it's a new month, and I am bound and determined to get these kids, and myself, out of the house as much as we can.  

Last weekend, I was away on my annual girls' scrapbooking weekend. (Yeah for me!) Josh was Mr. Mom for a few days (with the help of Papa Dan).  Our nearby farm, Fox Hollow, had just announced the birth of some baby goats, so Josh bundled the kids up for a morning trek to the farm.  Here are some shots of the kids playing with the kids...ha...ha...

We go to the farm often, and Kate loves the sheep and lambs.  Nathan has a fascination with the chickens.  Some days they let us in the hen house to find our own eggs.  But today Nathan got a real treat:  he bonded with a chicken so to speak, and he got to sit on a tractor too -- can't beat that!

 

We just love Fox Hollow Farm.  Thank you to Stephanie, Vince and Olivia for always making the kids feel so welcome and special!

Keeping with community support, our good friend, Chris, works for Laytonsville Fire Department.  He invited Nathan to come by to see some engines.  Nathan is obsessed with firetrucks right now.    Every other word is firetruck or ambulance or police car.  But he honestly is fanatical about firetrucks!  What a special treat this was for our Firefighter Nathan!

Thanks, Chris, for your time today!  And thank you to all the firefighters who serve our communities so well.  We are grateful!

Norman Rockwell Christmas

This is my new favorite Christmas picture!   Kate spent the night at my parents' house last week and helped them decorate their Christmas tree.  As our tree is not yet up, Kate was so excited to be a part of this activity.  My dad snapped this picture.  Love it!!

Pure Magic

Well today was the day...the day long awaited....the day that couldn't come faster for Kate...the day that did not let anyone down.   I have a zillion pictures to sort through, but I thought I'd post a few that top my favorite list!  Let's begin with the mere excitement of the kids as we waited to board the monorail into the park.  We just caught a glimpse of the castle from across the lake, and they were very excited!!

   As expected...the princesses were magnificent.  I was so impressed with how each one really took time with each child.  Kate had full conversations with each of them -- but anyone who knows Kate is not surprised by that!  (And Brenden...he managed to sneak a kiss in with Cinderella.  Sly fella that one!)

 Kate took Princess Tiana by surprise with this hug, and almost knocked her over!  As I mentioned yesterday, the Frog Princess is among Kate's favorite right now.  But Belle has a sweet spot too in Kate's heart.

Another highlight was the 3:00 parade down main street.  It was HOT!  We were TIRED.   We almost decided to skip out on the parade all together in place of some shade and A/C.   Boy I am glad we didn't.  Kate had a prime spot on the sidewalk, and almost every character stopped by to greet her.  I missed her handshake with Captain Hook - boy was she thrilled with that one!  But I captured a few exciting moments.

 I believe Kate is shooting, "Mom!!  Look who is coming!!"

In this picture, Cinderella is actually waving to Kate. 
And Kate is thrilled!   

Well done, Disney.  Well done!