If there is one thing I look forward to each March, aside from my birthday, it is the delivery of my Girl Scout cookies.

My family definitely has a problem. About a week ago, two cases of cookies were dropped off at my house.

One case was entirely full of Thin Mints. That’s twelve boxes of Thin Mints. Twelve. Plus two boxes in the other case.

Not to mention four boxes of Samoas, four boxes of Tagalongs, and two boxes of Rah-Rah Raisins.

That’s a lot of cookies.

And yet, it’s still probably not enough. We churn through a box every few days.

My mom is already talking about how “we gotta track down more Samoas.”

Girl Scout cookies are a beautiful invention with a beautiful history.

First sold to finance troop activities in 1917, Girl Scout Cookies began with a single flavor: simple sugar cookies. Three varieties were introduced in the 1950s: Peanut Butter Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints.

In the 1970s, seven choices were available for purchase, including the newly re-named Chocolate Mints, which became known as Thin Mints. Peanut Butter Sandwiches became Do-si-dos, and Shortbread cookies became Trefoils. There were also four additional choices.

The cookies have grown into an empire. Yet, the scouts are careful to avoid becoming too corporate.

Girl Scouts still get to learn five valuable skills that stay true to the roots of the cookies: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics.

These skills are incredibly valuable, and scouts will use them for the rest of their lives.

Plus, the proceeds go directly to the local troops, enabling them to go on trips, undertake community service projects, and more.

Which is great, because now, as I eat an entire roll of Thin Mints, I can feel bad about myself and good about myself at the same time.