Badge of Honor

Yesterday was a first for me. Actually yesterday was literally the 1st, and so was a first for everyone, but that happens every single month so it wouldn't be an especially noteworthy topic for a blog post. I guess it could be if one were clever enough, but I won't pretend to be that talented and will now return to why it was a first for me. I sewed scouting badges onto Charles' shirt for the first time in his now long 5 year scouting career. I know! It is the little things that make one proud. I am not quite sure why I haven't done it in the past, but I was told in no uncertain terms a little over a week ago that he was required to show up at scouts with flying colors last night. I tried to explain to the person that his empty scout shirt, bereft of insignia of any sort, was like an outward manifestation of what a lame mom I am. I didn't know if I was quite ready to give that up, so of course, there is me screeching into the parking lot of the scout store 10 minutes before it closes and 1 hour and 10 minutes before he needs to be uniformed at his scout meeting. I come home and we scramble to find the scout shirt, search through drawers for any merit badges he has received, then we scramble to find the now missing bag with all of the badges I just bought. Baby! Then I sit down to start sewing the patches down and have to call my mom for some advice. She is sweet and wishes that she could be there to help me. I have to get off the phone because I have just sewn a huge pucker in his sleeve and have to unpick it (you think he might be embarrassed to have an empty shirt, try seeing it after I get a hold of it), get the council badge, the fleur de lis thing, the troop numbers (why are they all separate?) sideways and slowly marching down his shirt, the lone merit badge we could find on the sash, and put the little ribbons on shoulder buckles. Whew! Did he look more neglected before or not? It is hard to tell. I thought that perhaps I would feel better about myself after accomplishing this little task, but his shirt is still a badge of dishonor for me as a mother. At least I don't have to wear it.