Near Drowning

Ok so it wasn't as close as near drowning but it sure felt like it!!! Yesterday Haylie, James and I went to a friend's house to swim, along with our playgroup buddies. Haylie was playing on the step of the pool and I was sitting on the edge with James on my lap. Haylie was having a very fun time splashing in the water and playing, and I was chatting it up with the girls. Then it happened, Haylie bent over and bumped her bottom on the back of the pool, sending her head down, diving into the water. It was only a second or two before I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the water and up onto the side of the pool, but honestly it felt like an eternity as I watched her go straight down, towards the bottom of the pool, completely under the water. When I pulled her up onto the side of the pool, our playgroup moms were so amazing... I must have had an absolute look of panic on my face and James was screaming on my lap (since I probably smashed him in half jumping to get Haylie). Haylie looked at me and was about to start crying when all the moms started clapping and telling Haylie what a good job she did. Haylie instantly felt like she was a little diving star, which thankfully made her comfortable enough to return to the water later. In addition, right when I pulled Haylie out, my friend Sara who is so great at helping and sensing a need, ran right over and took James off my lap to calm him down so I could focus on Haylie. After it all settled down, my friend Christine reassured me saying, "I know to you that felt like forever but it was really just a couple seconds." Looking back I am sooo thankful for the great moms we were surrounded by and most importantly for the fact that I was right there next to Haylie, paying close attention. I hear so much talk about water safety and the fact that it only takes a few seconds for a child to drown - yesterday I really felt the truth of that. I praise God for that lesson!!