I Want to be a DARE Officer

I hope your local school has a DARE program because we do and it's terrific. Two of our kids have been through the program now in fifth grade and have taken away a lot of preventative info about drugs and other dangers such as cyber predators and bullies. The DARE officers, who are very cool just because they arrive in a police car and teach in full uniform, also carry so much more convincibility than Checkered or I do. My kids have come home from every session quoting and quoting and quoting their DARE officers. And although I believe we have done a fair job of keeping communication open with our kids and talking about dangers, the DARE officers have moved far beyond some of the topics we've discussed with our kids. I mean it when I tell you that I LOVE DARE.

Our fifth grade boy just finished his DARE program in December. He was genuinely sad that it was over, but excited because the Sheriff was rumored to be coming to the ceremony. Now you must know that we live in a populated, suburban county and the sheriff is commonly regarded as the most powerful man here. There is always speculation about what state or federal job will come his way.

So the day of DARE graduation arrived and it was exciting. Music pounded from the speakers, the teaching officer was a gifted presenter and the ceremony was fun.

And there he was, the man himself: the Sheriff.

And then it was time for my boy to walk up to the stage and receive his certificate. He climbed the steps with self-confidence, made eye contact with the sheriff, the school principal, and the superintendent of schools. I stayed comfortably seated in the last row while my much more nervy friend walked up to the front row. She calmly asked the sheriff to slow down and pose with my boy so she could get a picture.

I heard people laugh, but I was a little teary eyed thinking of how God has brought our boy so far physically and emotionally, so I thought the people were laughing at the self-confident photographer ordering the sheriff around.

The school district taped the ceremony and put in on the local access channel. We watched it, and then Checkered shouted, "Wait a minute! What did the sheriff just do?"

We rewound the tivo and watched again, but I didn't see anything except my beautiful miracle boy.

SO Checkered rewound again, and put it in slow motion for me, and there it was:

The sheriff shaking hands with my boy while making bunny ears behind my boy's head.

I think I will settle for simply posting this more innocent picture: