taking one for the team

William has been waiting to join Boy Scouts for an entire year.

Unlike Girl Scouts when the girls can start in kindergarten, the boys can't start Boy Scouts until they are in first grade. And you better believe that every two weeks when the Daisies would descend upon our house in their matching uniforms and patches, my sweet little son would longingly look at the girls' uniforms and ask, "Mom? How many more days before I can be a Boy Scout and wear a uniform, too?"

Three months ago, Charlie said that he'd volunteer to lead a Boy Scout troop. But I haven't been certain his heart was in it. So a few days ago, I said "Look, if you don't really want to do this, don't do it. Please don't take on the commitment if you don't think you're up for it."

Charlie became defensive and said, "Listen. I'm going to do this! I'm going to be a Den Leader and I'm going to lead those kids until they're EAGLE SCOUTS. We're going all the way!"

"Are you absolutely sure?" I asked. "YES. Of course I'm absolutely sure. Nothing is going to stop me!"he said as he scooped a smiling William up in to his arms.

Tonight, as we were feeding the kids dinner, the doorbell rang. It was our local Boy Scout representative dropping off the packet of information for Charlie surrounding what he needs to do to be a Den Leader. After the man left, Charlie asked, "Uh, Jen? Was he wearing a uniform when he came to visit us?" I did notice that he had on a uniform, but since I was in the midst of dinner, I didn't notice what kind, exactly. Maybe Air Force?

A bit later, Charlie was perusing some Boy Scout paperwork when he gasped, "What is this? Whoa. Wait a minute. WHAT IS THIS?"

"What is what?" I ask.

"THIS!" he holds up a flier.



"WHY are the people in this picture wearing a UNIFORM? You don't have to wear a UNIFORM with Girl Scouts, do you?! Do I have to wear a uniform? Please tell me I don't have to wear a UNIFORM. Oh No. No, no, no, no, no...."

Upon seeing his reaction, I had to sit down I was laughing so hard. William overhears our discussion, sees the pictures of the Den Leaders in uniform, and was so excited he could hardly breathe. "DADDY! You mean you're going to wear a uniform, too?!"

See, I've always said that Charlie is a real trooper.

And now he'll have the outfit (and badges) to prove it.