We have been selling Girl Scout Cookies since January 1, 2014. I am a Co-Leader in both of my daughter's troops and am Cookie Mom in one. If you don't know what a Cookie Mom is, please refer to Amy Arndt's insightful article, Confessions of a Cookie Mom. She says it best, and the Job Description especially made me laugh out loud. It is a fun, but stressful time. Between planning or helping to plan our regular meetings, activities, badges, journeys, tours, trips, service projects, cookie sales and booths, I have been quite busy for the last couple of months. I worked a minimum of seven booths, possibly more, I lost count. I am not complaining, or rather don't mean to, but I am tired.
Then, Josie brought home the flu. She was nice enough to share it with the entire household. I feel terrible, first because now I also have the flu, and secondly, because I thought she was faking it. Boy, was I ever wrong.
Now everybody in the house is sick with one form of it or another. I can't stay awake for any length of time, I have the chills and my head feels swimmy, for lack of a better word. My husband just complains and hides in our room. My Mom, also hides in her room, trying to stay warm. Maddie can't or will not sleep at night, which is fantastic, since she has a sleep study tomorrow night. She has been sleepwalking and waking with nightmares and night terrors, so we have been looking forward to this appointment for some time.
So, with everyone in the house sick, I am beyond thankful that the 2014 Girl Scout Cookie season is winding down. I still need to collect final money owed and make deposits, etc., but I can see the finish line.
And now that Cookie Booth Sales have come to a close here in Middle Tennessee, I must admit, there are a few things that I will NOT miss.
1. Whining children. Now not exactly exclusive to Cookie Season, my whining child, repeatedly asking me 13,246 times per hour why she can't sit down during the cookie booth has to top the list. She is like a little ring leader of small whiners, once she starts it, the other girls also begin to chime in, saying they also want to sit down, they want to know who made that rule, why did they make that rule, and again, why can't they just sit down?
2. I'm hungry. It doesn't matter that we just ate. Doesn't matter that you just had 2 snacks and pizza before the cookie booth. Standing in front of a store means you are hungry and must have a Lunchable. Or Chips. Candy, soda, cookies (seriously??), chicken nuggets or a sandwich.
3. I hafta pee. Really? Refer to, "I'm hungry," above. It doesn't matter that you went right before we left the house. My children think that the bathroom in the local grocery store/mini mart/mass merchandiser, etc., will be different from the other bathrooms that they have visited. They have yet to locate the one that has a water slide in it, but they are keeping hope alive.
6. I'm cold. This one goes out special to my youngest who refuses to wear a jacket anytime, anywhere. Walking in the Christmas Parade? No jacket. Standing for a 2 hour Cookie Booth? No jacket. 12 degrees outside at the bus stop? No jacket. "It's not cold," she says. "I'm too hot," she yells. "I don't need to wear a jacket," she screams. Obviously I do not know anything, inevitably she doesn't have her jacket and I will have to give or share mine.
7. "Say, thank you." I must have repeated this 14,672 times while reminding the girls to thank our customers, and the people who said no.
Actually, there are many things that I WILL miss about Cookie Season ending. Such as watching the girls talk to so many different people. Seeing girls that were once intensely shy, come out of their shell and start using their voice. I will miss the camaraderie between the girls. Yes, they argue and drive me insane, but we are all part of a girl scout family. My hope is they are building friendships that will last a lifetime.
Undoubtedly, as the year progresses, I will forget about all of my gripes, problems and hassles that go along with cookie season. Next year, silly me will again, volunteer as Cookie Mom, sign our troops up for more booth sites and help the girls sell cookies, all while wondering what I was thinking.
I have been volunteering with the Girl Scouts for 7 years. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to meet, work with and help empower so many wonderful girls and young women. I am proud of all the girls that are growing into our future leaders, full of character, courage and confidence, and I look forward to many more years of helping the girls make the world a better place.
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