To the Rescue!

Back Story - So, Meg has this friend. When we first met Davina she was in foster care and new to Manchester GATE. She's a sweet kid and is now living with her mother. I hear things off and on because I don't like Davina walking home alone, so I pick her and Meg off and drop her at her apartment. Davina says things like, "My mom is having trouble finding a job because she's not legal" and "My mom's car is still broken down. I missed the bus and had to ride the city bus to school" and then today "I'm not ready for the field trip to Disneyland tomorrow. My mom's car is broken, I don't have my $40 ready, and I don't have my lunch yet!"

Ok, so obviously I am obsessed with Disneyland. We are going to Disney in January. Meg has been there a bunch of times. Davina has never been there. I made her a Mickey Mouse hat and I suddenly was faced with the fact that this sweet little kid, who is in a GATE school even with all of the adversity she's had to deal with, may get left behind if her mother doesn't do something today. So, I let it eat at me until Meg got home from her Musical Theatre class. I wasn't sitting idle, though. I prayed that Davina would find a way to get there...and I didn't feel better. So, I ask Meg when she gets home if she by any chance has Davina's mom's phone number. By some miracle she does. So, I call her up! I do NOT call random people up. I was scared to DEATH. I learn that her mom has no idea that I give her daughter a ride home almost every day. She keeps saying "I don't think she's going." I keep saying, "If there is ANY way I can help, please let me do it. I am happy to help in any way I can. So, she says something about a social worker and that she'd call me back. I was on pins and needles waiting and worrying and thinking she wouldn't call back. I am also on the other hand pissed that this mom is getting in the way of disneyland. How could anyone do that? It's mother freaking DISNEYLAND!!! Meg's class doesn't even get to go on that trip. If she did, I would be a chaperone!

So, at about 8:30 I get a call from an excited little fifth grader that tells me, "My mom says I can go!!!" I was practically jumping up and down with joy. I ask if she needs anything besides a ride. She got the 40 bucks taken care of, but the lunch was a hang up. I have that kid stocked for lunch and threw in 10 bucks for a souvenir. I can't tell you how excited I am that this is happening for her. I feel so lucky to be a part of it. I know that this is way bigger of a deal to me than it is to her, but it's a big deal. Disneyland is my happy place. Disneyland is where my heart can be free of all of the burdens of my broken childhood. I'm the one who can't hear "To all who come to this happy place, welcome" without crying. Today was a GREAT freaking day and even though I have to get up at 5 a.m. tomorrow, it will be a good day, too!