Rant aka- how I saved a kids life

Ok- Just to let you all know- this will be a ranting post.

now that you have been warned- let me begin...

We were at the pool at a hotel. The deepest the water got was 4.5 feet (but since i could touch the whole time it wasnt much over 4 feet).
Dave took Zeke in first while I stayed with Abigail in her car seat rocking her until she fell asleep so I could get wet too.

Dave was asked when he got in by a parent if he knew how to swim. They then asked me if I could swim. We both replied- Yes, of course we could.

Apparently she couldnt and was actually scared to be in the water herself.
I watched as the older boys (12, 13?) she had with her haul the younger girls (5?6?) around the pool. The boys were done playing with the girls so they put them up on the side of the pool.

The girls were hanging around the parents who were not paying attention to them.

the one girl decided that she wanted to do some more swimming.

I watched as she went to the side of the pool and jump in.

I got up and started to run/jog to the girl because I could see that she wasnt going  to come up. I was all the way on the other side of the pool. I was over 50 feet away while her parents were about 8 feet away.

As I was running (not cool to do after a c-section btw) I could see her arms flailing (bobbing, arms out, not splashing) and knew she couldnt get up. I get on my knees (skinning them in the process) and grab an arm and pull her above water. (she was right beside the edge- otherwise i was prepared to jump in). This is when her brother (well one of the boys) noticed and came over and popped her out of the pool and onto the deck.

The girl just coughed up some water and was fine.

Where were the parents though all this? chatting.

what was their reaction upon finding out their girl almost drowned? they yelled at her for jumping in by her self.

They didnt even acknowledge that she almost drowned *(I dont think they realized). no thank you or anything.
The boy did try to tell them that I was the one who saw and pulled her out.

If you cant swim and are scared of the water= wouldnt you be watching your kids even more closely?
 as Dave put it "Dear "parent' at hotel pool (with no lifeguard). If you need to ask strangers if they will rescue you if you or your kid drowns because neither of you can swim, perhaps going to the pool is not the activity for you."

Being around water requires supervision. thats why the post signs saying that kids under certain ages need to have an adult etc.

drowning happens in seconds. 

What would have happened if I hadnt seen that poor little girl?
would someone have seen her flailing?
would someone have missed her before she was still?
did anyone know CPR?

I am very glad I was there.
I am very glad that I stayed out on the side of the pool
I am very glad that I was watching the whole pool and not just Dave and Zeke playing. 
I am glad that I could be there. 

but man was my adrenalin going after that, my hands were shaking. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE supervise children in and around water!

Abigails baptism

Abigail was baptized this past Sunday.

I thought I would share some photos of the day:

Zeke was very interested in what Pastor Rob was doing

Baptizing by sprinkling

then he got bored

my sisters (all us kids actually) were baptized in that dress

see how long it is?

My moms mom made it for when my mom was baptized. She passed away when my mom was 4 or 5 making this even more special.

details

Zeke was in nursery at this point

post outfit :) purple shirt, pink pants and purple polka dot socks

my hubby is awesome

Some of you may know Dave.
(he blogs over here)

He has a fair bit of time off for paternity leave (google is awesome like that) and has been helping out A LOT after my c-section.

he does dishes
hes cooked dinner
hes picked up dinner
he does laundry
 and soo much more....

He picked up our son from preschool and grabbed lunch on the way home.

this is how he presented it to me :)

 yes- that is diet dr. pepper in a martini glass

ignore the messy table of baby socks and cars :)


Hes awesome!

Love you Dave

life is short

My cousin's girlfriend was killed in a tragic accident this past Sunday. 

article here: http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/2012/05/07/communal-grief-for-natural-teacher

"A close-knit community was left grieving Monday following the death of a young teacher whose horse ran out of control into the path of a moving pick-up truck.

Chelsea Feddema, 23, was killed Sunday, along with the horse, in front of her family’s Mud St. East farm in West Lincoln."

please pray for the families and friends.
visitation Wednesday and funeral on Thursday.

Today I came across this list and thought it needed to be shared. 

I found it from "Shade Tree Quilting" in this post

now- go love up on your families.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of Cleveland , Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good..

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15.. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words : 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does..

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Introducing Abigail

I will write more when I have time and energy- bu in the mean time here are links to Daves blog about Abigail and her coming home.

introducing Abigail
http://debaere.blogspot.com/2012/04/introducing-abigail.html

Homecoming
http://debaere.blogspot.com/2012/04/homecoming.html


and just a few pics: