just let me pretend it's summer

to the little girl who attempted to drown at the sojo rec center-


it's probably rude of me to say thank you for almost drowning.
ok, not probably.
it is rude.
but i'll carry on with this letter anyway.

yesterday my friend ty and i were pretending it was summertime.
we wrangled up our kiddos and went swimming.
actually i didn't have to wrangle much (having only one child) but ty has 3 kids so she definitely wrangled.
but she always makes it look so easy.
curse you ty.

miss kate all bundled up post swim. i know she looks cold but the water was wonderfully warm.

back to you little girl who's name i don't know...

there ty and i were playing in the splash pool when i heard a lifeguard whistle.
my head whipped around even before i could process the sound.
(instinct i guess. drilled into me during the fantastic summer of 2002 when i spent everyday lifeguarding)
i scanned the pool quickly and that's when i saw your little head bobbing and your arms splashing frantically.
i (literally) tossed katers at ty and dove over the rope separating you from me.
i can't remember the last time i moved so fast.
as i kicked harder than i thought i was capable of,
i opened my eyes under water and saw you little body still struggling.
my arms closed the short gap between us and i shoved your body to the surface.

this is when i realized a very young lifeguard had reached you at the exact same time.
silly me, thinking you needed my help!
you had two cute (and older) boys waiting to rescue you, which i'm sure you would've preferred.
the lifeguard in the water even had a sweatshirt on- how did he swim in that?!

but i couldn't help myself from responding.
i didn't even think, just reacted to my long ago training.
and i loved every adrenalin-pumping second of it.
made for a great day-- but only because you were alright.
heaven help us all if that situation had turned worse and it was only me and two (very young) lifeguards.
yikes.

so thanks for adding some excitement to the day.
i really didn't need it- but i'll always take it.
i'm so thankful you're ok!
(good call on wearing a life jacket for the rest of the day)


sincerely,
the crazy mom in the brown and white swimsuit


ps. who wants to see another picture of kate all tuckered out? everyone does?! ok, here you go:

i thought for sure she would nap for hours after this.... joke's on me- 30 minutes is all i got.

.