Lesson Learned?

Why does it seem like time goes by so fast...

then you hit Thanksgiving and it's all WARP SPEED until after New YEARS?

That's how our time has gone the past two months... as told by my lack of posting!

I did manage the nice Christmas background and header... doesn't that count for something!

So get ready for a flurry of posting over the next week or so or so or so ... so time is still flying by just not the SUPER Warp speed.

Thanksgiving was great... I think I posted about that.. and my gift idea postings... I manage all of 1!!! WOW!!

So our real craziness started the weekend before Christmas (with only 2 weeks home from Thanksgiving before leaving again.. those were 2 crazy weeks too!! Mostly those were school work and getting presents purchased or somewhat put together!)

Before plunging in.. take a moment to enjoy the peace and serenity of our lake..

still -

frozen -

calm-

beautiful

Also a nightmare for a mom of 3 boys...

before reading on there is a warning...

terror WILL BE STRUCK in your heart!!

On Wednesday the 17th of December Carter fell through the ice... see terror... is your heart in your throat... it was in mine...

Unlike you I knew how it ended before I knew how it began...

Carter came in the door of our house wet up to his chest and said.. very timidly..

Carter - "Mom, I was walking on the lake with (a friend) and fell through the ice!"

Me -"WHAT... you did WHAT... Carter are you SERIOUS!!! YOU COULD HAVE DIED!!!"

(Yes, I did yell that.. Yes, I was crying ... I don't usually cry when he does crazy stuff and narrowly avoids death... but this time I DID CRY!!)

Me- "What (sob) happened (sob, sob)"

Carter - "Well I wanted to test it out and I walked on the thin ice and fell through."

Me - "Where"

Carter- "Halfway out to the blob platform" (the Blob is a major hit during the summer for our camp and the water out at the blob is over 6 ft deep... with all the rain in the fall the water has risen so it was about 8ft deep out there)

Me- "Could you touch the bottom?"

Carter - "No I floated"

Me- "WHAT !!!! You FLOATED!! - How did you get out? "

Carter - "I swam over to the one side, but it broke so I swam over to the other side and climbed out."

Me - (SOB SOB SOB) "Carter.. You (sob) could (sob) have (sob) died (SOB SOB)!"

Carter - "Mom, I'm OK!"

Me - "I know because GOD kept you safe"

Meanwhile I received a phone call from the concerned mom of the friend.. (who didn't fall through and was OK ).

I think I was short and cut her off because I was getting the whole.. (sob sob) story from Carter. I did call her back later and told her what happened and that he was fine although I FELT LIKE KILLING HIM!!!

Being the smart mom that I am -

I decided to Google "falling through the ice" to teach Carter what COULD have happened to him.

I found a great video from Discovery Channel.

You can see it if you click here.

Anyway, all that proved is that if Mommy had fallen in.. she would've drowned!!

Carter did what he was supposed to do in that situation!!!

His angel's are always busy that's for sure!!!

So instead, we've had DAILY talks about not going near the lake...

walking on the lake..

testing the lake...

touching the lake...

LOOKING at the lake...

I think all three boys realize to STAY AWAY FROM THE LAKE.

At least until next year...

or until something really cool walks out on the lake...

like the geese...

So this year I'm THANKFUL for my boys... all of them.. and for God's mercy and protection of them.. It's great to know He's ALWAYS with them watching over them !!

Notice in this picture..

THE HOLE and the footprints leading up to it..

YEAH... my heart is in my throat too!