My bear cubs became webelos today.  At a sunny ceremony after school, with fruit plates, hamburgers, cake, and big pitchers of hollunderbluten juice.  Mostly American, hey?

Is it weird to hear all these little Israeli and Czech and Austrian kids reciting the pledge of allegiance to the American flag?  Weird, or totally cool that nobody cares?

Jake receiving his medal.

Eli getting high fives from the Boy Scouts.

What do you think, Jake?

I love what Boy Scouts is teaching my boys.  About honor, loyalty, and being clean.  About building birdhouses, camping, knife safety, and how to whittle a fish out of a bar of soap.

Mike was an assistant den leader and was always there to pitch tents, cook chicken, and of course saw blocks of wood into racecars for the Pinewood Derby.

His gold spray paint idea was a hit with all of the kids!

I’m a little short on details since I wasn’t there for the meetings, but I know that every Tuesday the boys proudly wore their shirts to school.  Some of the boys didn’t wear them, but we told Eli and Jake that wearing the shirt is part of honor and loyalty.  Boys Scouts is such a great way to teach them about this, like being part of any organized group with a common goal.  Sports, church, music, hobbies, whatever;  I hope the messages are sinking in somewhere!

The Pledge of Allegiance is nice too.   I understand there is controversy about that back home, but as a Mom raising her American kids outside of America, I find it kind of nice.