Our little scare!!

Yesterday I posted that life is short, hug your little ones, etc.  I am sorry if I alarmed anyone.  I needed just a little time to pull my thoughts together. Yesterday not because no one was watching, but because things can just happen so fast.  Shea wandered off on the very busy/full beach.  She was looking for us, couldn’t find us, and kept walking.  It all happened so quickly that she was a ways away.  I was at our beach house when it happened unpacking. 

I was 3 flights of stairs up in the house.  My in-laws had come back to the house, and the ones down at the beach thought she had come back with them.  When I saw a couple of them run towards the house, I realized something was wrong.  I don’t think my feet hit any single one of the stairs. I ran… hard!

I got to the beach and a state of panic entered my body!!

Life is real & this was a hard reality that took me to a completely out of body experience. 

She had no idea that she was lost or even that she had gone as far as she had gone.  The one thing that I was so amazed is how many strangers stood up once they realized what was going to help us.  We had people standing at every exit of the beach to ensure she didn’t walk out.  There were several women that were walking up & down the beach, and men that went to the water to make sure she wasn’t in the ocean. 

I was asked by so many – her name, how old, hair color, what color of swimsuit, and most importantly “does she know her name”!?!  My girl knows her full name, she knows her age and she knows her mommy & daddy’s full name.

My brother in law found her a good ways from where they were sitting. A million things went through my mind.  So many walked up to us as I was holding her and hugged us!!  One lady came up, hugged us, I sobbed as she was sobbing with me. 

A trick the lifeguards told us about was to go with the wind.  Kids will walk with the wind.  Also, this happens more often than we are aware according to the lifeguards.  One of the greatest things is that when the lifeguard sends out over the walkie talkie it goes to the police.  Police were already up on the street off the beach looking!  

If you see a little one walking around looking confused or lost…ask them if they are lost.  I have always been a little worried asking because I didn’t want a parent to get upset.

We are so blessed!  I am still feeling a little edgy today.  I didn’t sleep well last night…but today is gonna be better day!!

We’ve had some talks about if you get lost, or you can’t find your group go straight to the lifeguard stand.  Let them know you are lost. You don't think this can happen to you...I sure didn't!  Our group was packing up & looked down for just a second...and she was lost!

Bottom line is… Life is short!  Hug our little ones!  Things can happen so fast…in a split second!!

~Lynn