Week Ending March 1, 2009
The last two weeks have been pretty busy. Monday, the 16th was a holiday so I caught up on housework and school work. Tuesday everyone went back to school and I was in charge of teaching Joy School. We went on a field trip to the library and the kids all got to check out some books. Cierra wanted to learn about butterflies, Jacob looked up elephants, and Sam picked out some books on flies. Neil had his 11-year-old scouts that night and I worked on some Wood Badge preparations.
Wednesday I went to the middle school to do an observation of a PE class. I finished that up, came home and grabbed the materials that I needed to have printed for Wood Badge and took them in. I knew it was a lot, but didn't think that they would need more than 24 hours to print it. It was pretty simple, just a lot of the same document. I was a bit discouraged to learn that they couldn't have it done until Friday. I mentally figured out how late I could push it before I absolutely needed it and asked to have it ready by noon, but to please call me if it was finished sooner. After running a few more errands, I came home and wrote up my school paper on my observation.
Grandma Janet came to watch the kids for us and the scouts met at our house to learn to light fires. Thursday, Neil left early to attend a scouting alumni breakfast then he headed over to the Heard Scout Pueblo to help with set up. I got the kids ready for school with Grandma's help and took her on the run so she knew where the schools were. I was supposed to do Joy School that day, but with all the anxiety over Wood Badge preparations, I had opened myself up to some kind of bug so cancelled Joy School so I wouldn't get the other kids sick. After dropping the boys at school, I went on a whirlwind search for binders for the various notebooks for Wood Badge. Around 10:30 I received a phone call letting me know that the print job was ready to be picked up. I finished up my preparations and packing for Wood Badge and headed out about noon. I was still short notebooks so hit every WalMart on the way down and eventually ended up with all I needed.
Thursday night we had our beading ceremony where those of us who were first-time staffers received our 3rd bead. I then went to the Kiva where the scribes were set up and put together the first edition of the Gilwell Gazette. My assistant Clint, who keeps me organized and somewhat sane, helped make sure we were all set for the morning when the participants would be arriving. We finished up and were able to head to bed by midnight.
Friday morning I was up bright and early, grabbed a quick shower, ignored breakfast, and went to welcome the participants to Wood Badge. Check-in went rather smoothly and I am slowly learning everybody's names. We had a few familiar faces but most were simply names that I had seen many times in the weeks leading up to the training. We had a great day of training and we kept the Gazette short and sweet. I was able to head to bed by 11 pm.
Saturday I slept in and then showered while the participants were at breakfast. We had a full day of competitions in which we pitted the patrols against each other. Overall though, staffing a course is much more intense for the scribe in the weeks leading up to the training and I was able to be out and about with the participants taking pictures and learning faces with names. I was still in bed by midnight.
Sunday was an awesome experience. We had an interfaith service as part of the course syllabus, but then we had a 20 minute break to allow individuals and groups to have whatever religious cermoney they needed. We have a large contingency of LDS people on course - probably 90% of staff and participants are members. We have a bishop on course who agreed to preside over a brief sacrament meeting. 20 minutes gave us enough time for an opening hymn & prayer, the administering of the sacrament, and a closing hymn and prayer. I have never been so impressed by the power of the priesthood. Women are few on course and I think there were maybe 6 of us in the room. The rest were scouting brothers and it was poignant to be in the company of so many priesthood holders who recognized how important their duty is both as scouters and priesthood brethren.
We returned home by 7 pm, loved on the kids and then sent them to bed to be ready for school. This past week has been much less busy in contrast. Aaron had a band concert on Wednesday night and I had a Visiting teaching appointment Friday morning. Other than that, we've spent the majority of the time here at home taking care of the mundane stuff we call life.
It is time to go read scriptures and get everyone settled for bed. Hope you all have a wonderful week.
Wednesday I went to the middle school to do an observation of a PE class. I finished that up, came home and grabbed the materials that I needed to have printed for Wood Badge and took them in. I knew it was a lot, but didn't think that they would need more than 24 hours to print it. It was pretty simple, just a lot of the same document. I was a bit discouraged to learn that they couldn't have it done until Friday. I mentally figured out how late I could push it before I absolutely needed it and asked to have it ready by noon, but to please call me if it was finished sooner. After running a few more errands, I came home and wrote up my school paper on my observation.
Grandma Janet came to watch the kids for us and the scouts met at our house to learn to light fires. Thursday, Neil left early to attend a scouting alumni breakfast then he headed over to the Heard Scout Pueblo to help with set up. I got the kids ready for school with Grandma's help and took her on the run so she knew where the schools were. I was supposed to do Joy School that day, but with all the anxiety over Wood Badge preparations, I had opened myself up to some kind of bug so cancelled Joy School so I wouldn't get the other kids sick. After dropping the boys at school, I went on a whirlwind search for binders for the various notebooks for Wood Badge. Around 10:30 I received a phone call letting me know that the print job was ready to be picked up. I finished up my preparations and packing for Wood Badge and headed out about noon. I was still short notebooks so hit every WalMart on the way down and eventually ended up with all I needed.
Thursday night we had our beading ceremony where those of us who were first-time staffers received our 3rd bead. I then went to the Kiva where the scribes were set up and put together the first edition of the Gilwell Gazette. My assistant Clint, who keeps me organized and somewhat sane, helped make sure we were all set for the morning when the participants would be arriving. We finished up and were able to head to bed by midnight.
Friday morning I was up bright and early, grabbed a quick shower, ignored breakfast, and went to welcome the participants to Wood Badge. Check-in went rather smoothly and I am slowly learning everybody's names. We had a few familiar faces but most were simply names that I had seen many times in the weeks leading up to the training. We had a great day of training and we kept the Gazette short and sweet. I was able to head to bed by 11 pm.
Saturday I slept in and then showered while the participants were at breakfast. We had a full day of competitions in which we pitted the patrols against each other. Overall though, staffing a course is much more intense for the scribe in the weeks leading up to the training and I was able to be out and about with the participants taking pictures and learning faces with names. I was still in bed by midnight.
Sunday was an awesome experience. We had an interfaith service as part of the course syllabus, but then we had a 20 minute break to allow individuals and groups to have whatever religious cermoney they needed. We have a large contingency of LDS people on course - probably 90% of staff and participants are members. We have a bishop on course who agreed to preside over a brief sacrament meeting. 20 minutes gave us enough time for an opening hymn & prayer, the administering of the sacrament, and a closing hymn and prayer. I have never been so impressed by the power of the priesthood. Women are few on course and I think there were maybe 6 of us in the room. The rest were scouting brothers and it was poignant to be in the company of so many priesthood holders who recognized how important their duty is both as scouters and priesthood brethren.
We returned home by 7 pm, loved on the kids and then sent them to bed to be ready for school. This past week has been much less busy in contrast. Aaron had a band concert on Wednesday night and I had a Visiting teaching appointment Friday morning. Other than that, we've spent the majority of the time here at home taking care of the mundane stuff we call life.
It is time to go read scriptures and get everyone settled for bed. Hope you all have a wonderful week.
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