birdieofparadise

[birdieofparadise]

Starting to plan my next year with GS. My Daisies bridge to Brownies.

It’s hard being an overseas troop because half your girls inevitably move every 1-3 years.

I thought I found a co-lead, but she informed me today that she can only help out 3 of the 9 months I need her, and that Girl Scouts won’t be her priority the moment her 7 year old wants to try something new.

I hate to be a stickler. I hardly ever am, but after spending 8+ hours a week volunteering during meetings and the preparation of…I just can’t get on board with that. You either commit or you don’t.

Girl Scouts was so impactful on my life that I could never imagine one of my leaders being like “welp, she wants to try cheerleading for the next 3 weeks and even though they offer it on other days we pick the days we also have scouts”.

Don’t get me wrong. My kids have swim and gymnastics weekly too. I just make sure it won’t interfere with our scouting days. My days are long and packed full, but I’m making it work.

Part of my job as a leader is showing my troop that I’m committed to them. Even my own flesh and blood in the troop take a back seat to the other girls because I refuse to show preference towards them.

The idea of volunteering and then saying that my girls could just pick something else and the rest of the troop is out of luck? Hell no. Girl Scouts is a commitment. How will I teach them to be responsible for what they say and do or respectful of others if the troop leaders refuse to do so?

I’m waiting to hear back, but I hope she sees herself out. I’ve never been great at confrontation, but I’m willing to throw down for my little scouts.

[birdieofparadise]

I guess I will introduce myself…

My love of Girl Scouts started when I became a daisy in the 90's as part of the Virginia Skyline Council. I continued in Scouting until I bridged to Cadettes (7 years total). I am anow a card carrying Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts. In 2014, I decided to start volunteering as a co-leader while my husband was stationed in California because I wanted to be around children and impact their lives for the better the way Girl Scouts impacted mine. We were also struggling with infertility and this seemed like a good outlet. So began my adult journey into Girl Scouts.

I co-led a multi-level Daisy/Brownie troop until moving away in 2016. Which is the same year my twins girls were finally born. I took a break from volunteering to raise my little ones in Florida before moving again to Italy in 2019. There, I started leading a troop of Cadettes and Seniors, but unfortunately our time was cut short due to Italy being hit hard by Covid. Now we are in Japan! This year I’ve happily lead over a dozen amazing Daisies and am ready to move with them to Brownies next year!

Foremost, I am a mother to my oddball identical twins, but I am also a hobby photographer, computer game nerd, and avid roller skater. I love Miffy, and collect vinyl records. I am weirdly obsessed with the USPS and love to travel, camp, hike, kayak, backpack, and pretty much anything involving nature. My husband and I hiked 60 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 6 days for vacation in 2013, and we had an absolute blast! Doing a full thru hike is now at the top of my bucket list. When I married my husband in 2007 we tied the knot in the George Washington National Forest tucked away in the beautiful Virginia Blue Ridge. I hope to pass on my love and respect for nature to my upcoming Brownies.

This summer I finally get to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a camp counselor at a Girl Scout camp. My twins and I are headed back to Virginia to spend time with family while my husband is deployed and school is on break. I get to give back to the council that did so much for me. Even if it’s only for a long weekend. I’m really looking forward to it and hope my twins have as much fun at camp as I did when I was a kid.

Welp, there ya have it.

#girl scouts #girl scout camp #girl scouts of america #summer camp 2024

[birdieofparadise]

Trying to figure out this tumbler thing. Should I introduce myself or just tell a joke?

What did the envelope say to the stamp?

"Stick with me and we'll go places."

I’ll see myself out.

#what am i doing #how do i work this #girl scouts #am i doing this right?