adrenaline rush

For the last two weeks, I've been really burdened to pray for Mahalia's physical safety (which isn't something I think about hardly at all).  But today, I found out why . . . 

Being that the kiddos are on Spring Break, a bunch of us went to the beach - 5 kids & 3 moms.  As you can imagine, with that many folks, there was a bit of stuff to carry from the car.  I looked like a pack mule!  As soon as we hit the sand, the kids were OFF to the water.  I had my hands full of blankets, food, chairs, umbrella etc.  One of the moms was at the water's edge keeping an eye on them, so I was focusing on getting the gear all set up.

When I glanced down to the get an eye on the kids (about 25 yards from where we set up), I noticed Mahalia was up to her neck in water.  I set everything down & got really focused, but there were plenty of adults within 10 feet of her, so I didn't panic . . . then her head bobbed under the water and no one reacted . . . I started sprinting to the water . . . literally running out of my shoes . . . then throwing off my sunglasses, hat & shirt . . . leaving a trail behind me.  I dove into the water & by the time I got to Mahalia, her head had gone completely under the water three times!  

I grabbed her & held her as she sputtered to get the water out of her lungs . . . then I realized I wasn't cold (the water was freezing) . . . and I was completely wet - head to toe, and was breathless - but not in the exhausted kind of way . . . in the kind of "adrenaline just took over & I just ran 30 yards in about 5 seconds flat".

My friends later told me that it was like watching a scene from Bay Watch.  They hadn't seen Mahalia go under until they saw me running like a mad woman towards her.

Thank God for adrenaline.  Thank God for the spiritual heads up.  Thank God that my only child is ok!

The post script is that while I got everything else off, I couldn't get my pants off in time & dove in with them on.  Fortunately I didn't loose my keys, but my phone got completely wrecked.  So after playing for a few hours & dropping our little friend off, Mahalia & I spent 2 hours at the phone store getting a new phone.  Yes, I have insurance.  No, they don't cover water damage.  Boo! 

And to top the day . . . after an hour drive home, 2 hours at the phone store, and putting everything away . . . as I was bending over to put the cover back on the sand box (to put the sand toys away) my pants split out the back side.  Ah - I did take a picture of it, but am still setting up my new phone & can't send the picture to myself yet!