hold her a little tighter

i've hesitated for some time, and gone back and forth on do I share this or not??

I've wanted to, yet I've also had reservations on how.
and to be so vulnerable is not easy.

talking with a close friend recently, she encouraged me to do so and with that little push... here we go.

my hopes are to maybe just help at least one mama out & put out a reminder that I learned the hard way.

without sounding like i'm tooting my own horn, I see myself as a mama bear who is very on top of things. it's rare that I don't know where/what my kiddos are doing at any given moment.

a couple weeks ago we were having a play date with close friends at my in-law's pool. our afternoon was full of swimming, snacking, and relaxing in the sun. just what we go for as much as possible during these amazing summer days.

harper and her little bff have such a blast playing together and us mamas can't get enough of watching their happiness and joy just being with each other. it's the sweetest darn relationship!

hours of this and we were all having the best time!

a few hours later, a few snack breaks later, along with potty breaks ;) the kids had been in and out of the pool, us adults were chatting and hanging out with the little babies up on the patio, and my mother-in-law said as commonly as ever, "where's harper?".

we all took a quick sweeping look. 

--my heart is racing just as I type these words and am reliving it--

...and the worst thing you ever can imagine as a mama, there my precious little harper was, in the pool, without her lifejacket on, kicking her little legs so fast, bobbing up and down.

everyone says I looked to keep so cool and calm, but let me tell ya I was frantic inside. 

running and jumping in that water as fast as I could, thinking that every second that it took me to get there, was one more second she was in there alone.
thank you, JESUS, that not a single minute more had passed.

needless to say, she is fine. we all are fine. and we are thanking the Lord for that.

this happened with FOUR adults around. FOUR.
moms. who are alert, aware, and on top of everything.
all i really can say is, stuff like this can happen quicker than you'd ever imagine.
and you would never imagine it would happen to you.
just be aware.
take the pool & water activities more seriously. pay even closer attention than you already do.


I am so so thankful that she has not had a fear of the water since.
but let me tell ya, I don't take my eyes off her anymore. it's less relaxing to go to the pool and my kids are not out of my sight for a second. I'm the one who has been more traumatized by it.

talk about guilt.
how did I not see her go in?
why wasn't I the one who asked "where's harper?"
what if... all the what if's...
the image of her little self helplessly looking up at us, unable to speak.

I share this because, it is unbelievable just how quickly this happened.
we are beyond thankful that God was looking out of us that afternoon.
I hold her even tighter and see her preciousness a little deeper.

Xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth