An Eagle Project (is all funded, thanks to so many!)

Our son Brennan is getting ready to begin work on his Eagle Scout Leadership Project. It will be here, on this hillside overlooking our church, and will involve several steps.  He will expand the area by eight feet, he will change the surface from a rough bark to decomposed granite, and he will build and install a pergola.

 

We had been brainstorming with friends and had been looking through books, trying to find a plan for what Brennan wanted to build. Then we went to a dinner party and at some point in the evening our friend Dave looked up and said, "Hey, John. THIS is what you want to build." Voila. We had our prototype.  Thanks, Pat and Becky!

 My favorite part of this project is that it will be done in memory of my mother.  Mom was a little worried (maybe appalled would not be too strong a word?) when I gave her the news that a fifth child was on its way.  So many children, so much work!  But then Mom moved to our home when Brennan was only 3, and he became a source of great joy and pride for her.  Bren would go have a visit with Mom every afternoon, and those visits quickly became a favorite part of her days.

And now there will be an outdoor worship area at our church, built in her honor and in her memory.  I am so pleased.

  

**UPDATE**

The project is now fully funded, thanks to the generosity of so many.  The work will begin soon.  I am very grateful.

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The estimated cost of the project is $567.00, and we currently have half of that money raised.  I am hoping to do my part in helping Brennan raise the remainder of his needed funds so that we can get the project started.  If you are interested in donating to his project, you can do so with this paypal button:

If you do not feel comfortable using paypal, you can email me at acircleofquiet(AT)yahoo(DOT)com and I will let you know where to send a check.

We really appreciate your consideration of this project.

Eagle Scout Court of Honor

Tuesday night we had the pleasure of taking a few hours to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our newest Eagle Scout.  It was a fantastic ceremony, and we kept the party going with swing dancing and pancakes back at our house.  Below is the speech I gave in Rex's honor.

It was a night to remember.

We are so happy to have you all here in the midst of this busy and holy season of Christmas. Thank you for coming. Rex, you began scouting shortly after turning eleven. Here we are, seven and a half years later, and you have achieved the goal of Eagle Scout. Congratulations, son. You have done very well.

There are skills and experiences you will take into the rest of your life as a result of your work in scouts. There are knots and lashings, swim strokes and orienteering, hiking and wilderness survival. You know to protect cinnamon rolls from raccoons, to always expect rain on a campout, and to carry plenty of water up Half Dome. But there are some things that are woven through scouts, subtle enough that they might not be noticed. I would like to point a few out.

The first is that the details matter. Any young man who has prepared his Eagle Scout binder for his Board of Review knows this. You must have everything imaginable, and a few things you didn’t imagine, all in perfect order. As it turns out, life is full of details that matter. They impact how you care for those around you, how you serve your community, how you worship, how you work. The key is in knowing the details that matter, which means we need God’s wisdom, and His grace. You have seen God’s hand at work through these seven years of scouting, and you know He will be there through each day and every detail. Details matter.

Your Eagle Project at Dad’s school is another example of an important truth: Service matters. Whether providing an outdoor learning environment for students, helping a single mom on her property or stacking cans on the day of the postal food drive, scouts has shown you that serving those around you is important. You are entering into the adult world at a time when the economy is shaking, and people feel lonely and lost. Your world will need people who are willing to serve. You have already been an encouragement to friends and family who are hurting, reminding them that they are loved and that God is there. Thank you for that, Rex. Live a life of service; you won’t regret it. Service matters.

These last seven years you have been in Troop 401, a group of men and their sons who are working together for the goals of scouting. They have shown you that community matters. These fathers are a beautifully diverse group, each one bringing a unique set of skills and experiences. Time together has meant that adventure fun is had, mistakes get made, lessons are learned, and the community sticks together. You have been in a community of people who want God’s best for you, and that is a gift. Whatever community you are a part of, Rex, will be blessed by your gifts and skills. We can’t go it alone: community matters.

So thank you, Troop 401 dads, for being a community for Rex as he has grown up. Thank you for modeling a life of service, for helping him conquer the details in his scouting life. Thank you for modeling the many different ways a godly man can approach life. We appreciate you very much.

Rex, you became an Eagle Scout on our 25th wedding anniversary, and now you are having your Court of Honor on the 26th anniversary of our engagement. We will never forget these dates! I cannot wait to see all that God has for you with the skills and talents He has given you. I love you. Congratulations.

 

Got 'er done

REX'S EAGLE PROJECT IS COMPLETE!

Before



After


We are all grateful for Saturday deliveries in the sunshine,


for friends there to work hard and bring good cheer,



and dear ol' Dad, the Scout Master Extraordinaire.

Congratulations, Rex! Only a few more steps to go and you're there!

Eagle Project Day Two

A slew of work was accomplished on Rex's Eagle Project this weekend. Team work is a beautiful thing, especially when you are racing to finish before the rain hits. And man! did it hit this weekend.

More manly rock removal happened, benches were built...

with torch help.

It's looking GREAT!!!

A big part of an Eagle project is getting the funding for materials. Tonight will be an opportunity for Rex to present his project with hopes of receiving funding for the final stage of the project: materials and delivery for the paving.

Looking forward to being there with you, Rex.

The newest scout in the family

Our youngest joined the scout troop in January, and he has now fulfilled the requirements for Scout, Tenderfoot and Second Class ranks. Wow! We are incredibly proud of him.

The summer is a great time for scouting adventures. Boy Scout camp happened in June, and Yosemite Creek camping was in July. Beautiful places with good friends!

Building a fire and cooking a hot dog...yes, in the front yard.




Brennan was one of two scouts who passed the swimming merit badge at camp.
(How cold was the water? Rumored to have been 48 degrees. Major Man Points.)



Not only did the best kind of friends join our troop,
but the boys were able to do their wilderness survival merit badge together.
Memory making at its finest.

Camping with Dad, brother and the troop, Yosemite Creek.

And best of all: the big sister was here to make her traditional scout rank advancement cake.

Congratulations, Brennan. Keep up the good work!

An Anniversary, a Bridge and a full life

Today is the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America organization. We're not real good at bureaucracy (the homeschooling thing might have been your first clue), but Scouts has been a huge blessing in our lives. Thanks, BSA. You're the best!

It is also the night that my favorite Webelos bridged to Boy Scouts. He has worked hard, and he is ready to be the real deal.

I cried.

Bren was so happy.

During the ending prayer I looked to my right and there was his big brother with his arm around shoulders...right there beside him, ready to welcome him in. I loved it.

And I cried some more.

(Pictures will be posted later when I get them from a friend. I keep forgetting my camera for these really important moments.)

My turn to speak

*Zack's choice of mentor; she's mine, too* *The troop's gift to Zack* *Mother and son*

We celebrated my son's Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Saturday and it was a fantastic event. I loved hearing the encouraging words of the many Scout dads who participated in the pinning and the pledging that occurred. Our cup runneth over with great families in our Scout troop.

My husband gave a famously long speech; one dad saw the pile of papers John brought up to the podium and whispered to Rex, "I'm timing this!" It turned out to be fourteen minutes long, which opened John up to serious ribbing from friends and family. But think about it: What better use of fourteen minutes than to praise God and your son for the achievement of his Eagle Scout? I loved it.

I decided I wanted to share my speech here as a way of honoring our troop members and my son in a more public forum.

It’s a great pleasure to be here today to honor Zack’s achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout, and to thank the many people who have assisted our family in Scouting. I love that our troop has all of the fathers involved, and I know our family is better for the experiences that John, Zack, Rex and now Brennan are having together. But the achievement of Eagle Scout is much more than a family adventure. It takes many hands working together toward the goal. On an Eagle Scout’s sash are a minimum of twenty-one merit badges, and each of these badges represents the investment of a counselor, whether a parent, summer camp counselor or a member of our community. Thank you to the merit badge counselors who are here today. Many thanks to the hard work of the Troop 401 committee; you are so careful to provide the leadership opportunities and the skill instruction necessary for the advancements from beginning scout to Eagle. I am grateful for your investment in Zack’s life. The home stretch to Eagle Scout, in particular, was an impressive team effort. All of you who helped on Zack’s project at the observatory, gave pep talks to him in the church parking lot, helped in the checking, checking, double checking of the binder, or simply reminded me to keep breathing and not have a heart attack as Zack’s eighteenth birthday approached were a part of the achievement. Thank you.

Now, Zack. Congratulations to you, son. You have worked hard, you have pushed through, and you have achieved your Eagle Scout rank. I am incredibly proud of you. God’s work in your life through scouting has been a beautiful thing to watch. As you have submitted to the discipline of this work, as your rough edges have been smoothed, as your heart has changed to desire God’s best and His glory, you have become a man. May you continue to cling to Him, and may you always remember His faithfulness to you. As He has been faithful on the path to Eagle, so will He be faithful in all of life. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for you, son. Again, congratulations. I love you.

*Added later: Many thanks to friend David for the pictures.

The Eagle Scout

With Dad and Scoutmaster

Five years of scouting and several intense months of work, motivated by the approach of the eighteenth birthday, have culminated in the award of Eagle Scout for our son.

With the men who conducted the board of review

The road to Eagle Scout offered the chance for Zack to showcase his strengths as he provided leadership for the troop and as he executed his project at the observatory. It also challenged him to focus on details and to meet deadlines. It was hard, hard work and it was work well done!

Did you know....

In 2008, around 5% of all Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank.
From 1912 to 2009, 2 million Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank.

Welcome to the 5%, son. We are so proud!!!

Anticipation....

Rain is forecast this week. Oh, will it be welcome. The dusty brown has outstayed its welcome, and my soul is hungering for some green. Everything about the rain sounds welcome. Yes, even the rushing around our neglected property, picking up the tossed aside pair of shoes and that neglected tool. We're ready; let the rain begin.

Our son's Eagle Scout board of review is on Tuesday night. We are drilling him with questions, he is picking up the dry cleaned uniform, we're all praying and planning for a fun celebration with friends. This will be the culmination of years of work...we can hardly wait.

The doctors hope to discharge my mother from the hospital early this week. Sixteen days ago we raced her to the emergency room, and she was sick enough for us to wonder if she would ever return. She is stronger now, the infection is gone, and so we prepare for her homecoming. We have no idea what to expect about her health. Will she be able to fully recover from such a serious infection? Will she need more help at home? What is our role in all of this? For someone who likes answers, likes to be prepared, the lack of answers is more than a little unnerving. But at each confusing step of this journey we have had the wisdom we needed...just enough and just in time. I am confident that it will be here when we need it.

“The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

(Today's photos courtesy of public domain.)

This week's gratitude

Rain-related gratitude (after a Monday of rain)....

267. Flowers were watered.
268. The air smelled clean, earthy, perfect.
269. Raindrops were falling in the pre-dawn dark, the perfect waking music.
270. Everything looked so green against the steel-gray sky.
271. Flannel sheets and flannel jammies make it cozy to wake up (and harder to actually get out of bed.)

Friends make gratitude easy....

272. Dale who fixed our van door.
273. Doug who came over to watch movies.
274. Heather who sends funny cards and sweet emails and has a birthday today.
275. Kate whose heart is in D.C. this week.
276. - 291. The hardworking friends who gave time to the Eagle project this weekend.
292. and 293. Ladies who are willing to be the village it takes to raise an Eagle Scout.
294. - 296. Speech and debate club partners in crime, there to share in the joy and the insanity.

Daughter getting settled into her new town gratitude....

297. The beloved tutor and family who met her at the train station.
298. The two Latin students she has lined up.
299. The friends who moved far away and are now close by.
300. Email, chatting, texting, cell phones and Facebook for bridging the miles in comforting ways.

Sometimes gratitude feels like a difficult choice, but I am never disappointed in the result of listing out all the good. It changes my perspective and wakes me up to the facts that go beyond/behind/above the more dismal reality of broken cars and dirty bathrooms, of arguments and worries.




Not posted on Monday, but part of the community nonetheless.

The Eagle Scout project is completed

Last night and today were gloriously beautiful.

Wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow made its way up and down the path at the observatory.

Loaded, unloaded, smoothed and ready...the path is complete.




Every ten minutes the beauty changed.

Beautiful became more beautiful.

But these hard-working friends were the best view of all.

The project is completed, the binder and board of review are ahead. Sixteen days until the 18th birthday, so time is of the essence.

Thank you notes for the financial support many of you gave toward this project will be in the mail as soon as the binder is done. The generosity of friends and strangers during the last few weeks has been an overwhelming example of grace and generosity to us. You guys are amazing.

A blast

The boy blast included an overnight on Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay,

and a morning at Fort Point.
Cannons, night watch, buddies, adventures. Pure fun.

The dad blast had a lot to do with a beautiful sunset with the Golden Gate Bridge in view,
and the shining faces of those cute boys up above.

Mom blast: They're home.

We have one more stretch on our eight-day dizzying schedule:
a full Saturday devoted to a debate tournament for me and the older three.
It's a marathon, not a sprint.
I'll just keep telling myself that.