Academic

From time to time on this blog, I mention the scouting accomplishments of my twin boys. When I blogged about their merit badge accomplishments on New Year's Day 2010 (here), I felt some ambiguity about whether they had completed all of the merit badges, given that the Boy Scouts had approved some new merit badges and announced the reactivation of some historic merit badges at the end of 2009. Standing at the end of 2010, the ambiguity is gone: Christian and Conrad have finished all of the merit badges! 

One of our local scout leaders is fond of telling the boys about the value of doing hard things, and I completely endorse this message. Earning all of the merit badges has been hard, not just for the boys, but also for their parents and leaders. Nevertheless, I have watched them grow immensely during these last years, and I am grateful for their willingness to do hard things. I am also grateful to their Mom, who deserves a great deal of credit for scheduling, prodding, and guiding.

We have asked Troy Pugh to add them to the list of Merit Badge Knot achievers. Given that they are only 14 years old, I suspect that Conrad and Christian will add to their merit badge talley before all is said and done, but congratulations are due now. Congrats, boys!