…you come home from the Scout Office on a major high, because you just learned that your cub pack has earned the ever-elusive Journey to Excellence scouting award.

On the offchance that you may not be familiar with this award, let me explain:  It’s an annual award each pack can qualify for by achieving a certain number of points for training, activities, participation, etc. throughout the year.  A Bronze, Silver, or Gold award is earned based on the pack’s accumulated points at the end of the year.  Naturally, as your pack’s fearless leader, you strive to earn the Gold.

Now here’s the kicker:  Our pack, as of July 28, has already earned enough points to qualify for the Gold award for the entire 2011 calendar year.  We could do almost nothing between now and December, and we’d still earn it. (Not that we’d dream of shirking our duties in that way, for any scout moms who may be reading.)

So this morning around 9:15, I had to look myself in the mirror and make a grisly confession:  I am invested in my scout calling.  I…um…care.  Yikes.

Troop 173, you rock the house.  Here’s to you.