Being On Quest and Being Quest

I did it. I went on a quest this weekend.

To a Girl Scout Camp.

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  1. Cindy says:

    Sounds like fun ! I’m sure you and daughter will cherish the memories!

  2. Pat G (Shortcake) says:

    This was so cool. I also was in girl scouts & loved every min. of it. I am now almost 70 & my daughter is almost 48 & she never wanted to join girl scouts or 4-H but my granddaughter, now 10 is a girl scout, living in Des Moines, IA & last spring I helped her sew on all the badges she has earned the last two years!! Those times with your daughter are precious & time goes by so fast. Hope you get the chance to do more with her like this.

  3. Denise Ross says:

    Gosh what a trip. Sounds a fabulous bonding and treasure time together. Even if she does t stay with Girl Scouts I’m sure she along with you will look back on this time together with a very warm heart and a smile on her face. I tend to want my kids to stick out a season and then if they don’t wish to continue then that’s okay. My daughter is 17 and in her last year of school this year. We tend to bond watching Gilmore Girls together – it’s our thing – brushing her hair after she’s washed it and driving lessons. My time with her at home is short now with her planning her gap year away from home – our defence force offers gap year programmes and she’s in the middle of the application process now for it. My daughter would love shopping trips together with me too, not overly my thing, but I do it with her when I can.
    To happy moments
    Denise
    Australia

  4. Joan says:

    OH WOW what a fun time, well if you take out the no sleep thing. Now if you don’t do it again at least you both have the memory – yes YOU BOTH!!! Love the Camp names – sure seem to fit. I got to go to Church camp ONCE and to this day – 58 yrs. later – I can smell, feel, hear, and love all that it was. God bless you for doing this.

  5. denise says:

    that was too cool! 🙂

  6. Doris Hall says:

    I always love your posts! This brought back memories I made at FFA/FHA camp many years ago but I couldn’t imagine any of my children loving it as I did. Your question “should I let her quit next year?”,sort of jumped out at me. As a mother of 5 grown children (my baby turned 45 in Jan.) & 15 grandchildren I think you should ask yourself – is this about her or is about you reliving your wonderful childhood memories thru her hoping she will experience that same wonderfulness you felt. She is not you, she is your most treasured blessing so enjoy the “wonderfulness of what she enjoys while she is making her own childhood memories with the most wonderful mother in the world.

  7. Cindi says:

    That was the most fun blog ever in the whole world!! (Did I say that like a 13 year old?) I wasn’t “allowed” to be in Girl Scouts (mom never gave me a reason for that decision), but as a family, we camped all the time on our own and three times a year with a YMCA family camp group… making life-long friends that I will forever treasure. Your daughter may not be into girl scouts, but I’m sure she knows that she was just treated to a life experience that she will remember and treasure forever. Oh, and I’m with you on those noisy nylon sleeping bags! Ugh. Cotton with flannel lining is the best!

  8. sharon says:

    so the real question is – will your daughter stay in scouting – – I hope so for her own sake. I was in scouting all through high school and also in college with an Explorer Troop (BSA co-ed branch) and its one of the smartest things I have done. I am still in touch with a couple of my scout-mates from high school and another member of my Explorer Post is my SO of almost 35 years. Scouting is a real good thing…

  9. Rob says:

    Such a fun blog to read! I was only in Girl Scouts a short time and our leaders didn’t really teach us much. However, I LOVED Girl Scout camp. Cried when I left home, cried when I left camp and all of my new friends. I’m sure it is from my Girl Scout experience that I got so excited to learn about the badges from Mary Jane’s Farm Girls:) So glad you had this experience together.

  10. WendyLynn says:

    Awesome blog as usual. I wish that my mom & I could have had an experience like yours. :o)

  11. Kate Gatski says:

    I always look forward to reading your posts. They always feel so honest and real. They’re always so fun to read, and make me smile. Just thought I would pop in to let you know! I am sure your daughter will treasure these memories you’re helping to making. Sounds like a great experience!

  12. Cathleen McCormick says:

    Keep encouraging your daughter to continue with Girl Scouts. Sent my older daughter to camp when she was 8 and did not want to return the following year but I “made” her go again. 15 years later and she could not wait to return to be a camp director. Younger daughter followed as well. They both have wonderful memories and life long friends from all over the world (their camp in Maine had many international Staff).

  13. Diane Van Horn says:

    How flip flopping awesome! Does your Daughter want to stay in scouts? After that weekend I surely would. By the way, I have patches made up for my Glamper Jackets that say Camp like a Girl or Camp like a Lady! I like them because is says you can still be girly or lady like and go camping. Glamour camping = Glamping! Not necessarily girly but bringing the comforts of home mixed with a little quirkiness. I don’t know if that was the meaning of your camp sign but just thought it would let you have another perspective. Love your posts!

  14. Lynn Torney says:

    Your girl scout camping story took me back to some “good ole days”. I especially loved the bit about Flip Flop Lady and your mother Teresa (mis)quote! I will always remember that funny way to be charitable when others aren’t. Though not a girl scout, my daughter and I had similar experiences going to the cabin on Lake Minnewawa, MN. Once, while sunbathing on the shore of the lake, we discovered we must be in a dragonfly hatchery as millions of dragonflies began to slowly move and rise into the warm sun all around us! Nothing can beat the serenity of a canoe ride gliding slowly along the waters’ edge. Thanks for sharing your great photos too!

  15. Judy Mac says:

    Great post, brought memories of my Girl Scout camp days. My counsellors names were Cricket and Seal. I was very homesick during my one week stay at summer camp, but now at 64 years of age cherish the memories. I hope your daughter decides to stay in scouting, it offers so many life skills. My husband and I never had children, but we became scout leaders to a wonderful group of girls that gave us much joy.

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Can I Change My Answer?

My daughter jumped in the car at the carpool line after school.

“You know how they tell you to never ever change your answer?” she asked me.

“Yeah….”

“Well, I did on my test today. And I’m glad I did. I changed a wrong answer to the right answer.”

Mmmm. So you CAN change your answer? And maybe SHOULD change it?

Well, that’s excellent news, isn’t it!

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  1. Cindy says:

    Hi there girly! Always enjoy your blog!spring has sprung on our farm in Boise ,Idaho area! Getting excited! Lots of projects! The barn is getting underway! I have always wanted a red wood barn but today I saw a barn that was metal ! I have never liked the look but this one jumped at me! It was white with a dark green roof and green doors with big white XS! Mmmm, stunning! A great green and white cupola! Sooooo now what ? Our farmhouse is new! It is white with a green roof and green trim with cupolas and green XS on the garage doors! We have a huge amount of white vinyl fencing up and down the country lane and all around the property! Out front sits a 20acre alfalfa farm! The horse paddocks will be green panels and gates that will open to the pasture! Ummm! The white and green barn will definitely fit in perfect but my heart is heavy! I have always melted over a red wood barn! HELP Rebecca! Thanks .Cindy

  2. diana henretty says:

    Oh my, so perfect for my morning! Thank you for sharing what you did, as my mom used to say “it just hit the spot”.
    I have found by taking a jar and every day sticking little notes of what is a blessing for that day, it fills so quickly and at the end of the year, sit down and read them out loud to your family! You can peek thru the year, it will put a spark in your life!
    Hugs from the Ozarks, Diana, Noel, MO

  3. Debbie Anderson says:

    This blog hit home with me. My husband will retire in 2 – 3 years and we want to move back closer to our family. But where? It’s a big question looming in front of us and has been scary. This year though, I have decided to embrace it and think of the move as a new adventure. There probably is no right or wrong answer but we need to go with our gut feelings. So I’m starting a list of “wants” for our new place. And down sizing is at the top of the list.

  4. kim says:

    What a beautiful, awesome post. I’m an introvert, and I need, must have alone time. For years I’ve been hearing how it isn’t normal for a person to be alone so much. So I’m not normal. I’m glad the goose found their flock, we all need a flock – but alone is good too. I too an on a journey to recreate my life and step into scary stuff, sometimes I’m good with it and sometimes I get scared. Thank for the encouragement. Best, Kim

  5. Sherry Holmes says:

    What a beautiful post…I really needed to hear it. And I LOVE that you have added to your word for the year. AND…can I tell you what occurred to me as I read your sentence, “There is no hospitality in solitude, being alone. But I believe there is value in solitude.” I thought….just maybe…There is no hospitality WITHOUT solitude….because there IS value in solitude. I feel that way…I love being around my friends…I love the time I spend with them and all that I pour into them and they into me, but I find if I don’t spend time alone, thinking, praying…resting, renewing…I have nothing to give and I can’t receive either. So, maybe hospitality and solitude are not so much opposites as companions who make each other complete. blessings to you, from NE Kansas, Sherry

  6. Brenda says:

    Oh my, alone time. It is hard for me to find in the last nine months. One of our daughters and four grandsons are living with us until they can go out on their own. I try and get up earlier just to do devotions but there are a couple of talkative early risers that even work against that. So….I am not so patiently waiting for the snow to melt so I can do as we all did with you last spring, walk. Not a one of them will be interested in walking in circles around our 10 acres over and over. I will get back in shape along with some daily solitude. It calls my name. PS we cannot let on we are seeing anything special out our windows or the Bug does the same thing, raises a ruckus and scares them off. Blessings from our home in the woods!

  7. Adrienne says:

    My mentor had several good sayings I can still hear though he has left the earthly domain: if you keep doing what you’ve always been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always been getting. Look for the opportunity in the risk, not the risk in the opportunity. You can’t live on the fence: eventually, you’ll have to pick a side and get off. A rut is a grave with both ends kicked out.

    As you can see, I have much to keep me motivated and I see you’ve found some daily wisdom in your choices. Congratulations!

  8. Nan Roberts says:

    Thanks Rebecca. It’s a privelege to share in your life. Where did all the snow go? I thought you all were in the depths of winter. It’s been spring here for several weeks. We’re very short on rain, and if it doesn’t start raining soon and for three more months, Oregon is in trouble. It was a warm winter, so we also don’t have snow pack for the summer. A lot like California. I’ll have to ponder water-saving ways to water things from now on. But the sun’s been out most of the time, and that is so wonderful.
    Hogs and quiches to Blue.

  9. Maggie says:

    I am so glad you told us the lonely goose found a flock. I agree, animals should not be alone. I have chickens and my girls for some reason isolated one of the hens. They would not let her eat or get back into the coop. Until this freezing winter. I kept them locked up in the coop for 5 days and voila!! All is well in my Red Roof Chicken Inn. I love your blog, thank you and enjoy spring!

  10. Joan says:

    Another great visit back on the farm!! I don’t live on a farm but in an open enough area that we get wildlife – I know that the darling rabbit that has lived in my backyard all winter will probably do some damage to the Spring growth but — well maybe he will move on and the geese – we have a pond about a block away along with a golf course so yupper we do get to enjoy the geese. The deer and fox haven’t been plentiful this year – sure missed them. Thanks again for the visit. God bless.

  11. Leslie says:

    I so loved this message today! It came to me in a time of change…old GF, greatly missed, who seems to be dropping our group of 8 for 25 yrs for who knows what because she won’t talk to us. Old man friend who I have decided that we don’t meld properly for a together lifetime. My well loved mother who is aging past an area my siblings and I are uncomfortable with. As I am first born, I have decided to be with her as much as I can be because she was there for me and my siblings for that most special time…she is now in good health so praise heaven for this extra time. Changing direction and answers are good things.

  12. Diane Van Horn says:

    Hospitality and Solitude…what a juxtaposition, even a little oxymoron. Sorry, I just like those two words. I think that with the right amount of hospitality and the right amount of solitude all will be balanced. Beautiful post. I am glad that goose found his V.

  13. Victoria says:

    I LOVE solitude and being alone….sometimes I think too much. Most times I have to push myself to be social and felt perhaps there was something wrong with me. But gee…we can’t all be the same. That would be boring. You are so fortunate and blessed to be able to be alone and travel through your own woods. I live in SoCal, in a busy subdivision. Maybe that is why I NEED solitude?

  14. Denise Ross says:

    Loved this post Rebecca. I also have two words, both of which are helping me this year. Open was the first one I found, here actually, a little while back. The other is adventure. My mantra for this year is ” everyday is an adventure”. It’s helping me stay open and even though change and challenge are scary if I think of them in the context of open and adventure it makes it easier to embrace and enjoy the day. I love solitude. I used to escape to the bathroom and lock the door. A four bedroom home with 4 siblings and two parents – I had to carve out the space I needed. I run also and have quiet time with painting and devotional time. I need time alone from everyone. It makes me a better person, better able to give to others. Have a blessed week
    Denise R
    Australia

  15. susana says:

    Geese by in a v shae fir several reasons, one being as you sad, to see where they are going, but there’s only he leader and usually its slightly bigger than the rest. And they honk, all of them, its a natural response , but the v shape is so the ones behind have a better wind air stream do they follow that/air stream. And they dont have to work as hard as the leader bird. And because of this air stream, they can fly together, faster. 🙂 Just like the jet/stream of an air plane….being light creates more lift for the birds and gives them more speed. Its dues to the air stream made by the leader bird! These geese even know when to return! One good built in innate thermometer….I always know when spring is here, for the birds and other animals know when spring or fall is here!
    Lovely blog! Lovely photos. I look forward to spring! Our best thermometer for spring here, in my area, is the muskrats.,,,when we smell their musk -which is a very husky heavy smell,and we know within 30 to 40 days, spring will be here. The muskrat will only come up to mate, and only if they know it will be warm in 30 days because they won’t allow their young out in the cold! Sensitive to weather makes them a good thermometer. Looking forward yo their smell!

  16. Jennifer says:

    I am changing my answers right now, too. There are so many facets to a person and a girl needs different things at different times.

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