A little miracle

There are just so many pictures down there and I have to think anyone who bothers to look at them must really love us. I can't stop photographing these kids; I may have to ask Santa for a good camera. Anyway, before I index all the fun of the last few days, I want to write about what happened this evening at the pool because I'm afraid I'll forget it (though it's impossible to imagine). And it's going to sound like I'm being overdramatic, but I'm just going to tell it like it happened. We got to the pool just as it opened and we were able to snag my favorite table in the far corner of the kiddie pool area. Big round table with an umbrella. We spread out our stuff, Chase threw on his swim team gear and headed for the deep end, and the littles and I set up shop around the kiddie pool. About an hour in, Cole started begging for a Sprite, and seeing as I had just bought myself a Coke, I figured, why not. So I got him one, and he settle into the corner chair at our table and worked on that Sprite for a LONG time while I followed Caroline around pulling her off of furniture, fences and other people's pool bags. Every few minutes or so, I'd glance over at Cole sitting in that chair, swinging his little feet, working on that Sprite. About 20 minutes had gone by when he hopped down and came over and said, "Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom." That is usually NOT my favorite phrase, especially at the pool because I have to lug Caroline in with us, and it's a big wet, germy, slippery MESS. But Cole declared that he "only had to pee" and would do it himself. Which usually means he comes back out with his drawers halfway down his bottom. But I had my hands full and he really wanted to go himself, so I let him head over to the pool house on his own. I began to chat with an acquaintance about her life (funny how you get to know someone at the pool, then you don't see them for 9 months, so you have to get caught up on all the news). There was a sudden gust of wind, and the movement of the umbrella at our table caught my eye from across the pool. I looked up and watched the wind catch the umbrella, and the big round table lifted up and SLAMMED into the chair Cole had been sitting in, then the whole mess of table, chair and our stuff SLAMMED into the fence, and the umbrella finally loosed itself from our table and tumbled over the fence with half our stuff. Half a dozen friends and lifeguards ran from all directions over to the corner, heaved the overturned table off the chair, righted the chair, gathered up our stuff and recovered the umbrella (which we left DOWN after that). The recovery was actually fairly quick. But my stomach is still in knots. I feel like I've been given the gift of perspective without the accompanying tragedy. I am so so grateful to God that Cole had to pee at that moment. I will try so hard from now on not to sigh in irritation when I hear those "I gotta go" words. And Cole came back just minutes later, britches all twisted around his little hips, and said, "HEY, what happened to my Sprite?" And all I could do was just grab him and squeeze him.
So now on to the last few days - great mornings in the backyard looking for roly-polies. Kids so exhausted from summer days they pass out in the car. Pool & swim team. Museum parties with best pals. Herndon Festival with cousins and grandparents, followed by a corndog dinner at a Rocknoceros concert. Does it get any better?