A Solemn Day

We have a pool. We have a high gate around the pool and lock it most o the time. However, this weekend we are painting our kitchen and everything has gone to pot. My house is a mess. Jack took the cupboard fronts and drawers outside to paint and had the kids with him. I got out of the shower and went into the back bedroom to watch my family for just a minute through a glass door that we keep completely locked up because it has direct access to the pool. Anyway, I was watching Jack paint and Emma talk to her dad and Jackson throwing leaves into the pool. And, of course, the moment we have been waiting for since we moved in happened. Jackson lost his balance and went face first into the pool. I had a bowl of cereal in my hand and apparently I completely threw it (I had forgotten all about it until I went back in the room later and saw it all over the place) and I started banging on the windows and screaming at the top of my lungs to Jack, who hadn't heard or seen him fall in. He was literally ten feet away and instantly went to our helpless son who was head first in the water, not even trying to fight or move. I'm sure he had not a clue what to do. It was the most terrifyng five seconds I've ever experienced. It was awful for me to have no control to run out a grab him, even though Jack was right there. Boy, I am glad Jack was so fast to grab him. So I went running out to grab him with a towel and he just wanted to hug for a while. He was so sweet. With all the commotion and attention at Jackson, I didn't realize Emma was in her room just bawling. So I went back there and she kept telling me she wanted Jackson to be safe and we needed to lock all the doors and not let him outside or her would fall in the pool. She was pretty shook up. So we knelt and both of us said a prayer of thanks. She was so sweet in her prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for keeping him safe and then went on to tell Him all of the things that she loved about her little bother the most. I, of course, lost it somewhere in there after playing the scenario through my head over and over, realizing what could have happened. That was a warning for us to do better with this pool. The kids are never out there without us, but apparently even with us we need to be paying 100% attention. It reminds me that I need to get my kids into that program that was on Karianne's website a while back. The mood the rest of the day totally changed. I haven't really wanted to paint anymore. I just want to sit and hug my kids.