My EAGLE SCOUTS

This week in Washington DC they are celebrating 100 years of scouting in America.

This Grandma is so proud of her two Eagle Scouts! Can you believe this picture? I'm surprised their mothers (my twin daughters), didn't just take them in the house and flush them down the toilet! I would have, but then I never had any boys. I think they were probably stripped down and hosed off before anyone could touch them. By then everyone had probably cooled off.

Richard Cook is on the left and Alex Christenson is on the right...... (in case you couldn't recognize them.) Some time has passed since this picture was taken and yes, they are growing up to be wonderful young men, not just because I'm the proud grandmother, but also because they have caring, loving parents guiding them.

Alex will be a senior in high school this year. He is a hard worker and interested in cars, mechanics and welding. He knows his cars and wants one of his own. Last summer Alex spent three weeks in Europe with the Young Ambassadors Group. I think traveling is a must for all children, the best of educations. The boy's mothers were fortunate to travel a great deal when they were young and know the importance of it. Alex is a sweet boy, shy boy and thinks girls are a waste of time and are expensive, of course, that will change as he is only 17. He is very good to his grandma. For Alex's final Eagle project he organized a group to clean up a camp ground at a near by lake. The guys shored up the dirt around the bathrooms with railroad ties and the girls picked weeds and picked up trash.

Richard is 10 months younger than Alex and will be a Junior in high school this year. He loves sports. He plays football and LaCross. He was 16 last December and loves driving. He started a new job this summer at the "Firehouse Subs" and is working hard and saving for a car. However, when school was out in June he and his father and another father and son did a back-packing trip in Europe. It was the first trip to Europe for both he and his father. He comes over and helps me with yard work and we have good visits. He has discovered girls, but is pretty busy with working and sports, so no time to get serious. For Rich's Eagle Scout project he organized a group to repaint the parking stalls, curbs and fireplugs around his church.

And, as I write this, I have a third grandson in Kenya Africa building school desks and benches for a new school they will be dedicating while he is there. That will complete Brayden's Eagle Scout requirements......So then I will have three ES. Brayden will be 15 in a couple of weeks and starts driving. Brayden and his mother went to Kenya with the "Koins for Kenya" group. He worked hard to help earn the money to go and what a great experience , not in books. Brayden is an inventor, and has a head full of wonderful ideas that I know will make his grandmother proud some day. He is so good and caring to his Grammie and to everyone, a joy to be around.

Yes, I am a very proud grandmother......wonder how many of the boys badges would also apply to their dedicated families that were very involved with time consuming details?