Swimming scare

Yesterday I took the kids swimming. As usual, it was chaotic getting them ready but it was going to be a fun day with Daddy. We have a slogan in our house - "a day with Daddy is a day with treats". So I had my chips ready, Tim Hortons, everything needed to keep it bearable.

But usually when we go swimming, it gets better. This time, it didn't. My kids were everywhere and into everything. It was the first time that I've ever had a problem with feeling outnumbered. Anyhow, after doing the waves and chasing them around the boat, I convinced them that the hot tub would be a fun place to go.

When we get there, I settle in and start to relax. When suddenly, my girl says she has to pee. Now, recently she says that a lot. The night before, I took her to the bathroom five times within about 5 minutes. And since both kids went before we swam, I figured it was another false alarm. So I told her to hold it.

When you are 2.5, I guess "holding it" means literally. So she peed into her hand - right there at the side of the hot tub. Not only that but she was making the grimacing faces like something else was moving inside her. So I'm freaking out but trying not to bring too much attention to the whole situation. But as scary as that was, that's not the scary part.

Next thing I hear is a panicked yell, "DADDY!" and I see Jordan slip into the hot tub a few feet away from me. I guess he had walked along the seat and didn't see the ledge. So down he goes and drops like a rock to the bottom of the hot tub. In a second I ran over to him but in the meantime, I catch a glimpse of his face - panicked, eyes and mouth open but motionless, underwater. Obviously, I got him out and he was only there for about 2 seconds but the sound of "Daddy!" and his facial expression are burned into my memory. I couldn't sleep last night because everytime I closed my eyes, that's all I could see.

God, please protect my kids. Protect everyone's kids. I can't even imagine.