Charly and the fire house

It was Charly's very first field trip ever in "real" school. A trip to the firehouse replete with a visit from Puddles the dog. I had been hearing about the fire house rules, and in particular, how we're NOT to pull Puddle's tail for a couple of days now as Charly became more and more excited about this trip. One of the reasons for her enthusiasm was that mommy got to go as a chaperon. Yesterday, I went to fill out a CORI form so the state, which allows me to drop off and pick up my child from the school, which allowed me to go into the school for orientation, which certainly accepts my checks for any school related activity, could ensure that I am NOT a level 3 sex offender. I was told to do this prior to the field trip, so in I went, the day before having no idea that it took 8 days for the state to sanction me a non-perv. I was told that I couldn't go on the trip. The Secretary and admin sat there telling the skinny bald woman who was in tears that she couldn't go. I was devastated. I knew how important this was to my little girl, almost as important as it was to me. These ARE the milestones, these are the memories I so want to have in my children's heart. Such a small thing to most, a trip to the fire house represents the entire reason for my being right now and I couldn't go.
5 Minutes after I left the office yesterday, Charly's principal called me on my cell phone. Apparently the superintendent overheard the conversation I had with his underlings and thought it was ridiculous to not allow me to participate, so he squared it away. Good people:)
This morning, I donned my wig, put on a light jacket, proudly held Charly's hand and went about the morning like any other "normal" mommy. I will remember ever single glance over the shoulder that Charly sent to me, every one of them said, thank you mommy, every one of them said , I love you.