The Kassel Family Project Life 365

John’s Open House invitations for graduation are ready for the mail. I can check another thing off my graduation list.

It was another last for John. He had his final Hickman Jazz Night concert.

John is in the Purple Lab Band, and they played four songs.

It was a great concert, and all the bands sounded fantastic. It was a great way to end his time with Hickman Jazz.

Jim made a very strange noise today, and I went to see what was wrong. When I picked him up, he attacked my hand. It turns out that the white cat that he hates had come up onto our front porch, and Jim was in attack mode. After a trip to Urgent Care, I now have a stitch in the worst of the cuts. This is not how I wanted to spend my day…

The guest bed has been removed from the guest room, and it is listed on Facebook Marketplace.

My home office is ready for the Koala couch, which I will order later this week. I just have to decide on fabric color.

Today’s blog is brought to you by Laura.

On Friday night/early Saturday morning, I had the incredible opportunity to keep my Vigil for the Order of the Arrow (OA), and I was officially admitted into the Vigil Honor. Few Arrowmen ever get to wear the triangle, and even fewer get to do it while wearing an Eagle medal, so it’s safe to say I’m pretty stoked.

But beyond how excited I am, I’m also reminded of the time and the work that it took to get here. I am incredibly grateful for having had the privilege of giving back to my lodge for the four years since I did my Ordeal. Over the course of around 3 1/2 years, and roughly seven conclaves, I helped new candidates through their own induction into the Order and started them on their own unique journey. Even when I was juggling planning an Ordeal and college at the same time, it was immensely fulfilling, and it was always work I was happy to do. There’s no way to describe the joy I feel when I recognize a candidate from an induction I led at another OA event, and seeing that they love it just as much as I do. My memories of the OA have always been nothing but happy. Whether I was sweating in the sun doing service work, or just enjoying time with my friends. There is always joy and laughter.

Vigil is not the end of my journey in the OA, just like how Eagle is never the end of a scout’s journey. It’s another call to serve, and a reminder of the fulfillment of giving cheerful service. My time in the OA has taught me so much about myself, both as a leader and a person, and I know the knowledge I’ve gained will be instrumental in the future. Leadership is always about serving others first, and it has always been an incredible privilege to serve this lodge.

I am incredibly grateful for every Nampa-tsi Arrowman who has served with and made memories with me these past years. I am grateful for my dad and my brother, who have always been there, from the day we did our induction to the morning I was given my certificate. And I am also very grateful for Matt Pigg, who has been an incredible mentor and was an amazing Vigil guide. Without them I may have never found my place in the Order.

Andy, Laura, and John have arrived at Lake of the Ozarks Scout Reservation and Order of the Arrow Conclave has begun.

Jim is a thief. He keeps appearing on my desk to steal my star stress ball. I keep rescuing the star, but I am guessing it will disappear from my desk soon…