Adventures in Girl Scouting.....

This Saturday we had a cookie rally for the Girl Scouts, gearing up for the cookie season. Our entire troop was expecting to attend but in the end only 3 girls including Faith made it. It was the first rally that our county had ever had. They did an opening session with the cadets leading the children in some cookie chants and a former soldier who spoke about what girl scouts cookies mean to the troops, overseas. (Girl Scouts pack boxes of cookies to send to the troops, every year.) Then the children had to go around to different stations to learn about setting goals, selling etiquette, selling safety and recommending cookies. Faith, of course, was a little overwhelmed. She gets this way in large crowds...she kind of shuts down and is slow to respond to people. But she did enjoy one project...making cards to send with the cookies to the troops. She loves to play with crayons and this was right up her alley! Although her card was simple and I had to write in it for her, it's the thought that counts. I am sure it will make some soldier's day. At the end of the rally each of the children received a new patch for their uniform for attending.
Last night, I sat down and stitched all her patches that she has earned, so far. With most kids, they have to earn the front patches by learning the code, the g.s. law, etc. But since Faith can't do this yet, we have to focus on other areas. So we focus on participation in events b/c she CAN earn badges for that! She now has three on her uniform...a Juliette Low patch, a parade patch and a cookie rally patch. She was so proud of them once I got them sewn on, she kept signing "please" then her sign for "put it on". So here she is showing off her patches. It was sentimental for me because I was able to sew them for her and I was able to use thread that belonged to my grandmother to stitch it. The thread was part of the sewing basket that belonged to my Bamboo, that is a fascinating relic of the last 50 years. There is thread and ribbon and bastings as old as my father! I use her thread all the time and it's hard to believe that 30-40 yr old thread still holds well! This particular thread was purchased at TG and Y for 22 cents! I really enjoy using all of my Bamboo's things in my sewing, they remind me of her whenever I look at them. So Faith will have something that her mother sewed, that she earned, with thread that belonged to her great grandmother! This girl scouts thing has become a wonderful adventure for Faith and for me. She has made some wonderful friends....I have been able to see that she can be accepted in our community....We both have shared some good bonding time....and we will have something that we both can remember for the rest of our lives.