Shout out for Scouts!

I have always loved a man in uniform and lucky me I now live with four of them.  The Boy Scout bug runs deep in my family and I had no idea how important it would be in raising boys.  It allows all of them to go and be "boys" somewhere other than my house.  Knot tying, shooting things, lighting things on fire, building and tearing down things can all be done under the great umbrella of Scouting.  Week long camps in the mountains or on the beach, where it is acceptable to wear the same clothes all week is what my boys live for (and when I say boys, I am of course including the 46 yr old boy I am married to).
Doing silly skits and songs about bodily functions is also part of the adventure.   They come home smelling of campfire and covered in dirt and happiness.

Wanting to prove myself to my boys I once accompanied them on a 12 mile hike down into Havasupai Falls in Arizona.  And when I say down, I mean down.  Which means after enjoying the gorgeous waterfalls for a couple of days, we had to hike back "up."  The last few miles my husband carried my backpack on the front of him while his was on his back.  I told him it was to make up for the six times I carried the load of his babies (But he only had to do it for a couple of hours so he still has months to make up for).  The last mile of the hike I was singing 'How Great Thou Art', could not feel my toes and my knees refused to work.  Each step up the last mile of switchbacks was an new sensation in pain.  Meanwhile, most of the Scouts were at the top waiting and cheering.  I was so proud of myself for finishing and so proud of my boys.  It was their third time doing the trip and it seemed effortless to them.

My husband is now the Scoutmaster of our troop and the master of fun.   And because it seemed only natural I am now the Wolf Den leader of the eight year old Cub Scouts  That means I get a wear a uniform just like my boys.  While khaki is not my best color, I like matching and having something in common with the other Scouts in my home.  

In Cub Scouts we do not hike and camp.  We do however do silly skits about bodily functions.  Good thing I know some boys who are experts at that.