The Day We All Went Swimming

Yesterday we had a cookout with some sweet family friends that we've known nearly all my life. It was great to see everyone and let the kids play and swim.

After dinner we let Brenley get back in the pool because she's a pretty good and very independent swimmer. Brooklyn had her swimsuit on but we had told her she could only splash around on the steps because Al and I didn't really want to get back in the pool. We were sitting down, visiting with some friends while the kids played/swam. The pool had a few blind spots but our friend Mike had a good view of the girls. At one point I saw the look on Mike's face that something wasn't right. He hopped up to check out the girls and I jumped up right behind him and before I knew it I was in the pool with all of my clothes on.

I guess Brooklyn either jumped or fell into the pool and Brenley thought she needed some help. So Brenley grabbed a hold of her and tried to get her to the side but instead she was pulling them both down. They were bobbing up and down in the water and the look on Brooklyn's face made me forget all of my life guard training and jump right in to get her. They weren't that far from the side, but not close enough for me to just reach out and grab them. Brooklyn is a decent swimmer and I know she could have swam to the side on her own but Bren but was trying to save her. It was a pretty scary moment for all of us.

My girls have both been in swimming lessons and are pretty aware of their limits in the water and have been taught how to save themselves. I think this just made us aware of the need to teach our kids how to help someone who is struggling in the water and how NOT to. Brenley didn't know any better than to try to "carry" Brooklyn to the side. But I think if they had been out any farther and if we hadn't seen them they both could have gone down. Such a scary thought!

So we have some work to do with our girls to teach them more pool safety. But I thank the Lord that Mike was paying close attention and that our girls are just fine. God is faithful and all our prayers of protection over them were answered yesterday. They both went swimming again today, so thankfully they weren't scared at all. Brooklyn told me later that evening, "Mommy, you saved the day!" Oh how that melted my heart!