All that and cookies, too.

Life is moving happily along here in our new (to me) hometown. The girls are enjoying school, and now that Labor Day is past they're done with the hot weather schedule; they finish up at 2:40 now instead of 1:40. Every school in the district has air conditioning except for the high school -- a beautiful old castle-looking building that DH's grandparents (on both sides) attended -- so I'm not sure why they needed a hot weather schedule (or how a single hour makes that much difference), but whatever.

I've signed Uno and Dos up for Girl Scouts. They'll be daisies! ("Daisies," Dos reminded me when they brought home the paper and begged me to let them join, "are your very most favorite flower, Mom.")

I had reservations at first: I am not a joiner (but the girls are, so I need to get over that and let them live their lives). I worried about the time commitment (but they only meet once every two weeks, so that's already better than twice-weekly karate last year). And the cookies! Don't get me wrong; I loves me some Girl Scout cookies. But how will I ever lose weight if I have cookie-pushers for daughters? (No response yet for that one, lol.)

My very wise parents wouldn't let me be a Brownie, I remembered, so might there be something unseemly about the organization? I reached back 26 years to reconstruct the context of that decision. I think (feel free to correct me, Dad) that aside from the time commitment, they objected to the Girl Scouts' feminist agenda; that would have been, after all, right at the height of the brouhaha over the Equal Rights Amendment (to which they were opposed). But then I remembered that I self-identify as a feminist anyway, so the Girl Scouts ought to be the PERFECT place for my daughters! :-)

I relented (DH had said yes without a second thought). We took the girls to the school cafeteria on a Tuesday evening, got some brochures, and filled in all their paperwork. Before I signed on the parent consent dotted line, I read to them the Girl Scout law and asked if they'd be willing and able to keep it:

I will do my best to be
    honest and fair,
    friendly and helpful,
    considerate and caring,
    courageous and strong, and
    responsible for what I say and do,
and to
    respect myself and others,
    respect authority,
    use resources wisely,
    make the world a better place, and
    be a sister to every Girl Scout.

I have to confess: I got a little misty-moisty eyed on that last line. I don't know why; maybe because I believe so strongly in the universal sisterhood of women, or because I love how close my girls are to each other, or because I miss my own family so much. But that phrase -- be a sister -- yeah. (*Cough!*) My allergies flared up.

They haven't had their first meeting yet. Apparently, it's a new group and it took a while to find a troop leader. (They asked me -- I'm sure they asked all the moms -- and I felt guilty saying no, but believe me when I tell you that I am not troop leader material, lol.) They finally did find someone, though, and we met her this morning before school when we dropped off our money for troop t-shirts to wear in the homecoming parade. (The girls are very excited about that, let me tell you!)

I think it will be good. The organization will nicely supplement the world view I hope to instill in them anyway; it'll give them something fun to do; it'll be a good place to make the right kind of friends. I think we're all excited -- even DH because, of course, there are those cookies....


~RCH~