I love you, but I need a vacation!

Every June we have an end of the year celebration for our girl scout troop. We have a Court of Awards, where we honor each girl and hand out the badges they have earned throught the year. This year was no exception to the rule. We had all the parents come, everyone brought a dessert to share and I passed out all the achievements to each girl.

I wrote a little speech; partly because I get a little nervous talking in front of the parents sometimes, and partly because I felt that what I had to say was important and I did not want to forget a single word. It went a little something like this:

To my lovely ladies:

This year you have all done awesome things! You have sold a truckload of cookies; cultivated a wonderful relationship with the seniors at Grandview; taught younger girls the traditional Girl Scout way and made a positive face for our organization in our community. You ladies are impressive when you buckle down and get to work. You are very ambitious and took on the Bronze Award with a gusto that was eye opening!

I know I can get frustrated with you when you talk too much, or when I try to get your attention, but I am always here for you. I see the changes that each of you have made. My heart swells with pride when I think of the growth in all of you, and what that will bring to your life later. Every time a new task is thrown at you, you rise to the challenge and amaze me with your grace, determination and ingenuity.

I am so proud of all of you. It means a lot to me that you allow me to lead you down this road. I can NOT wait to see where this journey will take you and I am so glad to be a part of it. Thank you for sharing this experience with me!

To my beautiful daughter:

Thank you for allowing me to be “girl scout mom” to the other girls. I know it can be hard to be the leader’s daughter, and the extra pressure it adds to your Girl Scout life. I am thankful you share me, and you do it with amazing generosity and poise. Thank you and I love you!

To CHB:

This year would not have been possible without you. I think I speak for all of us when I say that being cookie mom is a thankless and frustrating job. You are completely overwhelmed and it takes over your life for a month; yet you do it every year with a smile on your face. Thank you does not even scratch the surface. You are my partner in crime, my confidant, my right hand and the best friend a girl could ask for.

Thank you for being there for me and always having my back, like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!

To the Parents:

Mrs. Harris: Thank you for all you have done for our troop, and a HUGE thanks to (your work). Without their generous donations, not only monetary but for the vans as well, thanks does not even begin to express how I feel.

To All the Parents:

Thank you for bringing your daughter every week, to all the field trips, to all the Bronze activities and shuttling her around for cookie season! Thank you to the parents who went on the overnighters with me, drove to the ends of the earth and back. Thank you for sharing your daughter with me. It is a real pleasure as well as a personal reward for me to be a part of shaping these young ladies in to strong, independent, well rounded women.

Now, with all that being said; I love these girls, I truly do. BUT I'm ready for a vacation! I enjoy having the summer "off" from scouting so I am refreshed come September to start again.