Last week Boo crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. It was bittersweet, not so much in that he is growing up and moving on, but because he did so in a different pack that he started scouting in. During the slide show of the new Boy Scouts’ years as Cubs, none of the pack’s pictures contained Boo, and all of Boo’s pictures had his friends from D.C. I was struck by how much I miss that old pack, where everyone knew each other, saw each other almost daily and lived just down the street. One year, every boy on Boo’s soccer team was also in his Cub Scout pack. Good times.
But we’ve moved on, both literally and figuratively.
Here’s my Cub Scout, one last time…
Every boy in his den earned the Arrow of Light – the highest achievement in Cub Scouts, and the only award that can be carried over and worn on the Boy Scout uniform. A tradition in our Colorado pack is that as each Arrow of Light recipient’s name is called, an Eagle Scout shoots an arrow into a target.
Here goes Boo’s arrow.
The scouts got to keep their arrow. Boo’s was the only one that hit the bull’s eye.
Another pack tradition is the parents making a shadow box commemorating their son’s Cub Scout years.
Here it is close up.
And finally it was time for the boys to cross the bridge into manhood. Or Boy Scouthood. Whichever.
They were greeted at the other end by the boys in their new Boy Scout troop and given their new neckerchiefs and slides.
A new Boy Scout!
Back at home, Bip and Pumpkin Girl put on his new epaulets.
We had one final presentation for him. The Den Leader from our D.C. pack made all the boys an arrow using rocks, sticks and feathers from their summer camp. He made sure that Boo got one, too and it arrived right before the Blue and Gold ceremony.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Okay Lorri, I must be a mother, becasue when I finished reading that I had tears in my eyes. Congragulations to one of my favorite cousins Boo! I am very proud of him for everything he has done and everything he will do! Love you Boo!
Congratulations to Boo and your whole family! My son is crossing over tonight. All of his den earned the Arrow of Light as well. The tradition here is that each scout who earned it gets to shoot a flaming arrow into a bale of hay. Cool stuff when you’re 11. The boys each made a plaque that holds their arrow and all the boys signed each one on the back. Tonight they’re crossing over a bridge at a nearby park. I like the idea of a shadow box. That looks like a great project for me and my scout to work on together. How fun for our boys to become Scouts during the 100th anniversary year. They’ll have lots of great stories to tell their sons.
Congratulations, Boo!!! That is so awesome. What an achievement. You deserve it.
Ah, that brings back memories! Trust me, it gets better–when your boy gets to be the one that wearing the big headdress or coyote skull and skin, being the “Indian” that does the ceremony for the new boys coming in. The wide eyes of those little Tigers when they ask, “Are the Indians coming this year?” “Yes, and they have a new drum, made from a cottonwood that they chopped down, with elk skins from this fall’s hunt!”
Welcome to the adventure. Buy the LONG merit badge sash–he’ll fill it up!
Boo we are proud for have such good grandson
may god bless you
I hear you on the bitter sweet. We all knew we had a great thing going in our Bolling community. Not that the moving on can’t be sweet too, it just takes time to build those bonds.
I cannot get over how different Boo looks. Is he growing up? Is it the longer hair? I’m feeling a bit sad that he is losing his little boy look. Isn’t that crazy?
Sometimes it seems our military friends are as close as family, so when we move away it is hard to not see those kiddos everyday.
Congrats to all on Boo’s bridging over. I can’t believe the boys are growing up so fast. They will be Eagles before we know it.
Congrats!