The Eagle Has Landed

Yesterday was a pretty epic day in the Den.  A couple of things went down.  After three and a half years, I was released as a counselor in the bishopric of our local ward.  The what?  A quick refresher - in our Church, we have a lay clergy and it has been my honor to be a part of that leadership.  I'll be posting a bit more about that experience.

The really big deal was that the Eagle landed yesterday.  The Boy, along with four other boys, young men really from his troop, were awarded their Eagle ranks from the Boy Scouts of America.  This is no small feat.  In 2010, fewer than 5% of Boy Scouts earned the Eagle rank.  To those that earn it, it is a testament to their commitment to hard work and embodying the principles of Scouting.

The Boy busted his hump to get his Eagle.  He'd be the first to admit that Scouting wasn't his favorite thing (the apple does not fall far from the tree on that one).  But he committed to earning his Eagle and he did it.  His project was a very rewarding one and it was a lot of, dare I say it, fun, to be a part of it.

It's just been fun for the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML to be the Boy's parents.  He has embodied all the values of an Eagle Scout for all his life.  He has made us proud every day and he continues to do so.  I'm very grateful to the leaders (Jeff and Greg - we owe you a debt of gratitude) that have helped get him to this point.  His mentor, Tim, has had a profound impact on the Boy's life and I am especially grateful for that.  Having a son earn this award is not something that is done in a vacuum.  I'm loathe to admit it because she drives me nuts, but Hillary Clinton (I'll even admit she's far more tolerable as Secretary of State) was right about this - it takes a village.  I'm glad we had a good village.

I'm really glad we had the Boy.  He's pretty awesome.