A Real Game

 Cade had a great second year as a Charger football player!!!

They went undefeated (11-0) going into the championship game. Dad was a very proud coach and I was a thrilled, over the top crazy cheering momma decked out head to toe in Charger gear. 

Cade played mostly offense this season as the left side tackle - protecting his quarterback and pal, Caleb Horner. 

This group of boys played hard all season and really became good friends. 

Cade had many fans come see him play including grandma and pappy Miller, Jim and Julie Miller, Bubba, grandma and pappy Hite, Blake, Daylee, Rigglemans, Torlones, Bridget, Liam and MK. One game I even caught a little halftime pep talk going on over the fence (great memories!)

As the season went on Cade told us that he really wanted to go to a 'Real Game' after his season. We finally got a definition on 'Real Game' = NFL game. So on December 8th 2013 dad, Cade and I headed to Pittsburgh to our first NFL game. 

It was a little cold

And snowy

But one for the record books. 

Ben Rothesburger broke Terry Bradshaws record for throwing more franchise Steeler touchdowns. 

They steelers ended up losing a close battle with the Miami Dolphins 28-34

So much fun!!!  Looking forward to more games with my favorite boys in our future!!!

Here we go!!!

Addy turns 9

(This first part was my Facebook post this morning)

She is my sunshine. 

She is a perfectionist. 

She is confident. 

She is smart.

She is my dad's name sake. 

She is a stranger to no one. 

She is a friend to everyone. 

At 9 she wants to be a baker when she grows up and she is confident that her husband will someday be the president of the United States. She wants to have 10 kids and even has names picked out. 

I can't imagine the past 9 years without her and can only begin to imagine what lies ahead of her. 

Happy birthday Babydoll!  

Pappy, daddy and Cade wrote you notes this morning because they left before you woke up. They were sweet!  Cade's cracked me up. 

He does love you!!!  :)

When we walked out the door this morning you yelled out to the yard 'it's my birthday everybody' like there should have been a crowd there just waiting on you. Then you said 'it's a beautiful day to be someone's birthday'. I love your joy of life.  You are beautiful inside and out - don't ever change that!!!!

After dropping you off at Ms Joann's house this morning, I got in the car (a little sad that I didn't have you with me for the rest of my drive to work) and the song 'God Gave Me You' by Blake Shelton came on. It's my Addy Jaye song!!!  God gave me YOU for the Ups and Downs. I'm one blessed momma!!!

Teenagers - read this over and over and over again

Ok, again, I didn't write this but I back every word of it and want you to read it as many times as you need to so that the full truth of it soaks right into your core.  I love you now, tomorrow and forever!!  Love - Mom!



Life is learned as you live it, but as my mind started spinning, my fingers slowly started typing the things that I wish someone would have told me at 13 years young. And although I’m sure someone did tell me these things, I probably didn’t listen because I probably thought I already knew everything. Grin. So I’m praying that even if these words seems useless or boring to you today, that you would keep them tucked away and read them when life seems confusing or hard.

For years I’ve loved the word becoming. It’s one of those words that I’ve latched onto for different reasons and at times have even desired to start a ministry called “Becoming Ministries”. Don’t tell me you don’t think things like that, too. And if you don’t, well, just humor me. I really latched onto that word in college because I remember thinking that that season would either make me or break me.

That who I chose to become in college would influence the rest of my life.

That is true, but what I realize now is that it starts long before college.

The choices you make affect who you are becoming long before you ever get to college.

You are always becoming. You never arrive. That is, until you meet Jesus face to face. Until then, it’s one long (or short the way you look at it) journey of becoming more like Jesus Christ. Because each circumstance and situation we find ourselves planted in is another opportunity to respond like Jesus would.

Hence my love for the word, becoming.

So, as you are becoming a young woman devoted to the Lord, here are a few things I’ve learned on my own journey of becoming who God has called me to be, for such a time as this:

1) God is the author of your story, not you.
That is so much easier said than lived out, but it is the Gospel truth. He has a plan and a purpose for you that is greater than you could dream up or imagine. If you think your dreams are big, imagine how big His dreams must be for you! If He is the author, He knows the beginning, the middle and the end. Nothing is too complex for Him, no detail is left unnoticed, and His timing is perfect. Sometimes life can be complicated, hard and confusing, but that’s why we have to remember that we have the God of the universe in charge of our story.

2) You are beautiful.
I want you to hear that with fresh ears. God made you unique. He made you, you. And He made you in His image. Since you bear His image, I am praying that as people see you, they would see His face shining upon you. Beauty really is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)
Side Note: Yes, it’s okay to like cute clothes, just don’t let that be your measure of beauty. (I mean, let’s be honest, some girls like to shop. Hand raised!)

3) Know the Word.
And know what it says about you. If I’ve learned one thing, I’ve learned that if I can’t always believe what I think about myself, and I can’t always believe what people are saying about me or what the internet says about me, I can believe what the Lord says about me. I can rest in the truth of His word and the promises He gives.

4) Life Consists of Seasons.
Just like the four seasons come and go, so will different seasons of life come and go. Don’t despair! “This too shall pass.” is true in both sweet and bitter seasons of life. While you don’t need to wish any of it away, remember to savor the sweet seasons, take the joy when it comes and stay faithful during the bitter seasons. Worship in the good times and bad. Jesus will be faithful over and over and over again. It’s in the valleys that God develops your character.

5) Be Humble.
At church my pastor always tells us to “go low”. Going low means being humble, staying humble, becoming a servant instead of searching for the spotlight. Serve, serve, serve. Invest, invest, invest in people. Never get too comfortable in your routine that you can’t go out of your way to help somebody else. Work quietly with your hands and your Father in Heaven will reward your faithfulness. Be faithful in the small things. You’ll never be too good to do something “meaningless”.

6) Be bold.
In a world of social networking, we can hide behind our computer, our phones, or our iPads. Be bold. Learn how to communicate face to face. It’s a life skill that’s becoming extinct, especially to our teenagers. Refrain from posting things online that you wouldn’t say to someone in person. Passive-aggressiveness (posting something for all to see when you only mean it for one to see) is not attractive.

7) True Love Waits.
I don’t mean that in the way you hear it in church all the time. Staying pure until marriage is a gift, by all means, yes, pursue purity. It’s much harder than you think in the sex-saturated world we live in, but whether you believe it or not, it’s possible. What I mean is, wait for a man that will pursue you, not confuse you. Wait for a man that will protect your purity, not use it. You are responsible for how you present yourself; so present yourself in a way that’s worth protecting. Sex doesn’t equal love, so wait for a man that loves and respects you enough to practice restraint towards you instead of giving into temptation before marriage. Building a relationship and romance takes time, something we’ve lost the art of in a world with technology at our fingertips, so don’t feel pressure to rush things. Remember, before you are someone’s wife, you are first their Sister in Christ, so don’t settle for less than being treated like a Sister. Your future husband will admire and value you. But also remember, there is forgiveness in Christ. You are not your past; your future spouse is not his past. The Lord redeems and renews. Praise God! But be patient in the waiting. (That’s coming from a girl whose story is still being written. It’s not easy at all. Not one ounce is easy. But Jesus is good and He is better.)

8) Pursue Your Calling.
You may not know what the Lord is calling you to do today, and that’s okay. But pursuing your calling is a bold and courageous thing. Run after the things that make your heart swell. Ask questions, ask for wisdom. Be friends with those younger than you, older than you and in the same season as you. Do things you love to do. Make a plan, but keep in mind that you can make all the plans in the world, but the Lord is the one who directs each of our steps.

9) Your Words Matter.
Speak kind words to, in front of, and behind your friend’s backs. And make sure your words and your actions line up with each other. Be honest. Be loving. Be kind. Be generous. A lady named Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Make people feel loved with your words and actions. In a world of email and text messaging, don’t loose the wonder of snail mail.

10) Laugh.
You are never too old or too young to simply stop and have fun on this journey of life. Laugh until your stomach hurts. Laugh with your friends. Laugh with your family. Enjoy life Savor it. Journal about it. Talk about your experiences. Visit places you think are interesting. When all is said and done, you don’t want anyone to remember you as a Negative Nelly. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom and joy! So own that joy, live it out and share it with those around you.
You are dearly loved, my Sister in Christ. This I know, the Lord has a plan for your life that no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind can comprehend or imagine. Believe it. Believe that Jesus is better.

“No one has ever seen,
 no one has ever heard,
 no one has ever imagined 
what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

“3 So trust in the Lord and do good.
Live on your land and be dependable.
4 Enjoy serving the Lord, and he will give you whatever you ask for.
5 Depend on the Lord. Trust in him, and he will help you.
6 He will make it as clear as day that you are right.
Everyone will see that you are being fair.
7 Trust in the Lord and wait quietly for his help.
Don’t be angry when people make evil plans and succeed.
8 Don’t become so angry and upset that you, too, want to do evil.
9 The wicked will be destroyed,
but those who call to the Lord for help will get the land he promised.
10 In a short time there will be no more evil people.
You can look for them all you want, but they will be gone.
11 Humble people will get the land God promised, and they will enjoy peace.”
Psalm 37: 3-11

Creek time

These two are as redneck as the Robertson family of Duck Dynasty!!!

One Sunday afternoon (Cade was at Reece McDonalds farm 'helping' with the pumpkin patch) we took the 4-wheelers to the end of the subdivion. 

 

Then we parked them and crossed the road to Butler Farm.  Mike had the bucket tied to the back of his 4-wheeler and noticed when we parked that his muffler had burned a hole in the bucket. So he whipped out some duct tape and fixed it up!!!

Then the 'fishing' began

 

They didn't fill the bucket but they caught quite a few - 6 big enough to bring home and boil. Oh boy!!!

Love my little rednecks!!!

 

The trip home (I'm leading the pack, as it should be when you have a farmer's daughter for a mom).

 

Love this life we lead - thank you God for the beautiful blue skies behind us, for the sunshine leading our path, for the simple things and for hearts focused on you!!!

 

Spirit week

It's Anti Bully Spirit week for you both this week. 

Monday was Blue day for Cade and red day for Addy. 

(No pictures taken :( )

Tuesday was Super Hero day for Addy and hat day for Cade.

 Wednesday was Rock N Roll day for Addy and Wacky Wednesday for Cade

Thursday was sock day for Addy and jersey day for Cade.

Friday was hippie day for Addy and school spirit day for Cade. 

How fun and what spirit. Good job guys!!!

Trick the teacher

Part 1 - Addy in Kindergarten

I was recently reminded of one of my favorite stories of Addy in kindergarten.

Before I go there I must mention that I received a call from Mrs Stephens in week 2 of Addy's kindergarten year. I had NEVER received a call from the school before this and I quickly thought "oh boy, this girl is going to be a challenge". Mrs Stephens said 'I hate to bother you, but Addy is sort of bossy to her friends and I'm afraid they aren't going to like her.'  Oh no - I thought!!! I told her how you were the oldest kid in preschool and they used you as a 'helper' but promised her that we would talk and make sure you knew that you and the other kids were on an even playing field now and you couldn't be bossy. It all worked out from there. :)

So a few months later I asked you how school was going. You explained to me that you were not getting called on never often enough. You said that you knew ALL the answers, you raised your hand and Mrs Stephens just didn't call on you often enough!! Then you explained that you figured out the trick!

Me - really?  What's the trick?

You - I just look around like I'm not paying attention, but really I know the answers and then she calls on me!!!

Brilliant I thought - I'm in REALLY big trouble with this one!!!!



Part 2 - Cade in Fourth grade

In fourth grade, Cade had Mrs Wright.  He adored her.  She "got" him.  They both shared a love for theater and it showed!!

One day Mrs. Wright was trying to get a particular idea through to the kids.  She was asking questions and no one was answering.  So finally she pretending to pass out (from agrevation with the class) and she fell dramatically to the floor.  The kids all froze for a moment wondering if this was for real.

Suddenly Cade jumped out of his seat and ran to his teacher aide yelling "It's ok everyone, I know mouth to mouth". 

Mrs Wright has perhaps never jumped up off the ground as fast as she did that day stating "No Cade, that's quite alright, I'm good, I'm good!!!".

Love your sense of humor Cade, don't ever lose it and always keep it kind and clean!! 

 

Grandkids, Grandkids and more Grandkids

We have some of the best family conversations and you two CRACK me up!!

I'll never forget the day we were at the outlets shopping and Addy got very excited and said "Now that's my dream car!!". 

I said "where?"

"Right there" she said and pointed to.....



"REALLY?"  I said

"Yes, of course, for my 10 kids!!!" she said.

A few months later she told us that she had named her 10 kids - 5 boys and 5 girls
()

At that point Cade said "I don't want 10.  I just want all of mine at one time.  Maybe fiflets!!" 

We all looked puzzled but were then told that fiflets were like triplets but FIVE.  Oh boy!!

He proceeded to tell us that he has names picked too - Cade Jr, Caden, Edac, Cader and Cadette.  (Yikes!)

So daddy and I will be somewhere in the country (most of the time but occassional month trips to other countries) in this....



'
Call us and we'll let you know where we are, if we are in your "neighborhood" the kids are welcome, if we aren't - we'll catch up soon!!!  Send lots of pictures though, can't wait to see those cute little things grow up!!

Fifteen grandkids is a LOT you know!!  :)

(Here is what that could look like - esp since Addy plans to adopt!)

Summer Fest (Part 2 June)

The month of practices and performances!!!

The Mets and the Panthers finished up their winning seasons at the beginning of the June and we headed right into a FULL Tech Week for the Dance Recital.  Cade packed his bags and headed to the farm for a week (good call on his part with all that dance/girl stuff going on).

Addy worked hard and soaked up the stage lights with her ballet, tap, jazz and (new to her this year) modern numbers.

 

Tappin along

 

Jazzin' as Madonna

 

Aunt JoJo and her ballet dancers - Gabi and Addy

 

My modern "Plastic" girl

It's a LONNNNGGG week at recital but the girls had a blast and put on an amazing show.  We are once again blessed by this community.  Tari Jo, Kendra, Greta and Chris really care about these girls and it shows. 

Next up - Summer Theater practice.  Cade came back from fun on the farm and immediately headed into Annie auditions.  He spent some time on the farm with Japhie who coached him through his song - "If I Only Had a Brain".  It was a great experience for Cade and he landed 6 different parts - more to come on that next month!

June is also Father's Day and we are blessed with some awesome dad's in our lives.  We were lucky enough to spend the day (at the recital) with two of those great dads.

Love this man!!

 

You are two lucky kids to have a dad who is always there for you - treasure that!!

Summer Fever (Part 1 May)

MAN!  We had a GREAT summer of 2013.  We really maxed it out (that's the way this Miller household usually does things - to the max!).

I'm going to do several posting about this summer because looking back, it was really THAT good!!

Let's start in May! 

We were hot and heavy into baseball and softball.  Addy and Daddy were rockin it out with the Mighty Pink Panthers of South Berkeley County while Cade (and mom cheering loudly) were making a come back to baseball as a MET! 

When Cade made the Mets team, we were excited about Tony Mosby was going to be your coach.  Tony is a great guy, big heart, tough some times but solid coach!!  Tony got sick and before we knew it, you were playing for Brian Kleppner.  We didn't know Brian, you knew his son Cole a little from the school bus but that's all we knew.  We soon learned that Mrs Kleppner (Holly) was the Musselman High School principal (that's a great connection to make).  Then we learned they live in our subdivision - bonus!  New friends in the neighborhood.  We met so many other great people through baseball this year too - Noah Wright's family, Jake Rife's family, Bocca and family and the list goes on.  Cade, after not playing for several years, you made us very proud - you went out, did your best, made HUGE improvements over the season and did it all with a smile.  Boy, do I LOVE WATCHING YOU TWO PLAY SPORTS!!




Addy and Daddy headed back out this year to play with the Panthers.  What fun they had!!  After a tough season last year, they recruited hard, practiced hard and came out this year, a winning team!!!  We were all lucky to have MK join the team.   This rekindled a college friendship between mommy and Bridget as well as introduced you two to MK and Liam who are awesome kids.  Addy was focused on catching this year.  She did well and sure looked cute all suited up in her gear.  Watching you play ball brings back LOADS of fond summertime memories for me as a little girl playing a ton of softball every chance I had (and I was a catcher my first few years too).


 






Next up in May - Luke Bryan concert - we had a blast.  It was a little wet that day, but we know the "Rain is a Good Thing" and we partied on.  We bought tickets for the Summer Concert series at Jiffy Lube Live - more to come on this.  :)

School was out at the end of May and it became another summer of Camp Hannah!!

Memorial day weekend ended the month and we headed to the bay with the Roy family.  Thanks to Mark and Stacey for inviting us to their new house - we had a great time with the kids, on the boat and just relaxing a bit.

Check out Caption Barrett!!

Sittin on the dock of the bay

The boy LOVES his dogs!!

And she loves her babies!!

Safety Net

Grandma Hite:  I've got you!

There is no better safety net than God and your family.  I love this picture because it says it all.  Grandma was more than willing to go exploring with you, Cade.  But she wasn't going to let you go without a little safety net - she held tight to your belt as you inched your way over the edge to check out the creek below.

As you grow up, you'll appreciate this safety net less and less then eventually you'll circle back and appreciate it more and more.  Funny how we have to go through these cycles in life.

I also felt safest with my grandparents - honestly, looking back, they were the closest thing to Super Heros in real life.  They could do anything.  They knew stuff that no one else knew.  They could build things from nothing.  They could turn a drawer of old clothes into a magical playhouse.  They could tell us stories about horse drawn buggies that would keep us seated and quiet for hours (or at least for long minutes).  They had the best jokes.  They played games with us from Monopoly and Careers to Kick the Can and Tag. 

But they ALWAYS warned us, protected us and made sure we knew their house was a safe place.  We could share our deepest secrets.  We could tell them our biggest fears.  We could cry with them and laugh with them in the same conversation.

We also knew the rules - no getting too close to the pond, no running through the upstairs of the old milk barn (there were holes in the floor that could be covered with hay until you step there), no playing with guns (ever) - they aren't toys, be careful on the roads whether crossing it or biking it, always wear a helmet on the 4-wheelers, and the list goes on.  We didn't ALWAYS like the rules but looking back I certainly understand each one of them.

Just remember that you have a long family history of safety nets.  You have grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, first cousins, second cousins, parents and even a sibling to back you up, hold you up and encourage you along this journey that we call "life".

Goodbye to G-town Elementary - it's been fun!!

First day 2012-2013 - 2nd and 5th grade

  This is the last day at Gerrardstown Elementary for the Miller family.  That's sad.  I have to admit, up until about a month before Cade started school, I didn't think much about where you would go to school, who your teacher would be, whether you would get a great education, who would be in your class, etc.  I started to panic right before Cade started school.  After I settled myself down, I prayed (a lot).  And my prayers were answered in a big way because Gerrardstown Elementary was WONDERFUL in so many ways.  Mr McBee is great, he is encouraging and very friendly.  It was because of him that Cade felt he wanted to someday become a principle and dressed as one each year for career day.  Mr McBee was quick to pick up on Addy's smile and love of life.  He commented often on how he loved that smile each morning and hated to see her move on to Mountain Ridge. 

 

And then there was Mrs Stephens and Mrs Collis - they made kindergarten a HUGE success for all of us.  They were so perfect for both of you and I instantly knew we were right where we were supposed to be!! 

 

The list is long but Mrs Randolph (the nurse) needs to be called out as well, she has been a huge blessing to me as a working mom and someone that can't always be there exactly when you need me - she has called to let me know you aren't feeling well, she has sent me pictures throughout the day of your smiling faces, she has cheered you on when I wasn't there to cheer myself and the list goes on. 

 

Then of course we love Mr Bowers (gym teacher) - he may not be a Steelers Fan (right Addy?) but he is a Penguins fan!!  Ms Allen (computer teacher) what a sweet and encouraging lady!!  Mrs Keys (the secretary) rocks!  Mrs Marchase (Cade's first grade teacher), Mrs Neely (Addy's first grade teacher and FAVORITE teacher of all times), Mrs Ellers (Cade's second grade teacher) and Mrs Brooke (Addy's second grade teacher).  Then comes all of the great friendships that you have developed over the years and the parents of these children.  We live in a wonderful community.  There are plenty of "bad" eggs all over the place, but I feel that we have been surrounded by some amazing people and I pray that we can be a blessing to them just like they are to us!!

 

Thank you God for these people, the lives that have blessed us and the lives that we have a chance to bless.  Thank you for guiding us (without us even knowing it) to a place where our kids can grow up and form relationships with other Christian children to continue to do your work here on Earth.  As I dropped the kids off today for their last day of school they both said - I wish this wasn't the last day, I'm going to miss my friends and school this summer.  That's amazing - thank you God!!!

Addy and Mr. Bowers at Field Day

Addy, Jayson, Rebekah, and Jacob at Field Day!!

 

Times of Tragedy

The country has been going through some tough times recently - a bombing at the Boston Marathon and a large tornado that tore through Oklahoma.  Some of these tragedies are "man caused" and it's really hard to understand how one human could do this to another human.  Other times they are "Acts of Nature".  This doesn't make it any easier - why would God allow this to happen.  I don't have all the answers and it's much easier to sit where I'm sitting then were the victums parents, siblings, etc are sitting.  However, I beleive with all my heart that God has a plan for the good and the bad things that happen to us - we may not understand it but we don't need to, we need to have faith.

I read this in a devotional and I'm holding on to it.  I hope that it can someday be helpful to you too.  We need to stand when our "brothers and sisters" can't.  Shine your lights!!


One

Mary Luti
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. - 1 Corinthians 16: 26 

If you pray, pray more than ever today, for many people in the town of Moore are unable to utter a single word to God in their shock and sorrow. Their hearts are locked down today. Your prayer may be the prayer they would say if they could.

If you cling to God, cling more than ever today, for the trust of some people in Moore is as shattered as flattened schools and the bodies of children. Their arms are limp today. Your clinging might be the clinging they would do if they could.

If you hope, hope more than ever today, for some people in Moore are wondering with Job why they were ever born and whether life can be good again. Their eyes cannot find the horizon today. Your hope may be the light they would see if they could.

If you love, love more than ever today, for many in Moore have nothing left but each other. They have only their love for each other. Love, the great survivor, is all that remains to them. Enrich, strengthen, and sweeten it with your own. It will return to you when you need it most. We are one body.

Puberty - oh boy!

God love you Cade!

So you just watched your 5th grade puberty movie in school.  On the way home from baseball one night it was just you and I in the car. 

Mom:  How was the movie the other day?

Cade:  It was ok......they just told us to shower, use deodorant, stay clean and...(trailing off) we'll get hair.

Mom:  Oh really.

Cade:  Oh yeah, and MOM...  It's called a Penis - not a Pee Bug (in a very disturbed voice)!

Mom: (turning to look out the side window and now laugh) I know Bud, that's just what we called it when you were little.

Cade:  Next year I have to watch the sex movie

Mom:  Oh!

Cade:  Yeah, I thought that meant pretty.

Mom:  (puzzled) what do you mean.

Cade:  Sexy means pretty, right?

Mom: sort of

Cade:  Yeah well Dad told me that's how babies are made - that's about all I want to know about that. (putting his hand up at me)

HA!  I love you son.  And I'm fine with you waiting until your 18 to know more about that one.  :)

Keep that innocence about you - that's what makes you YOU!

Duck Dynasty

So currently our favorite family TV time is watching Duck Dynasty.  They might be rich rednecks but they are good people.  They value family, they help one another, they drive each other crazy by times but they love each other always and they always stop to thank God for their blessings.

Life appears to be about so many things - by times our focus is school or sports or yard work or laundry but always make sure that's just a temporary focus and that our ultimate focus is always that we are living here in God's earth, doing God's work with God's things.  Respect what you have, be quick to forgive, and always look to do God's works by serving others with a happy heart.

Whenever possible be - Happy, Happy, Happy! (per Phil Robertson)

and remember I.....

The Crossover

So this weekend, Cade, you are camping out with Dad and the cub scouts/boy scouts at Mr Neil's place.  You've done this now for 5 years, but this one is different.  Tomorrow night you'll 'crossover' from a cub scout to a boy scout. 

Daddy has done a terrific job of keeping the den going, ever since your second year, he has been your leader.  You've made great friends in the Leaks (Brian, Justin, Jacob, Josh, and Jenny), the Duers, Kyle and his family and the list goes on. 

 

You attended Camps, made pinewood derby cars, made cakes to be auctioned, dutifully place flags on graves, collected food, carried the colors, learned your pledge, earned pins and belt loops, went fishing, went hiking, tied knots and volunteered by planting trees - just to name a few.

Some days daddy and I complained about scouts, but you always claimed that was the one thing you didn't want to quit when our scheduled seemed too full.  You were a fan!  You loved the activities and the outdoors (maybe not so much the 10 mile hike).  You were a born cub scout just like your daddy was when he was your age.

Always remember the things you learned in scouts - there are some wonderful lessons there!!!

Love ya bud!!




Added after the crossover camp out -

You've come a long way kid!!!