Happy Birthday Baby Camille!

Happy birthday sweet Camille.  It's hard to believe its been a year. I've pondered lately on what each of my girls have taught me about life.  I think Camille has taught me joy.  I can be uptight as a Mom sometimes.  I want things done my way- behavior, attitude, appearance.  The longer I am a Mommy the more I learn about what to let go and what is really important to me.  Of course I still expect a lot, but I've learned to breath a more and let life flow a little more.  Camille is full of love.  She smiles easily.  Laughs often.  She makes people happy when they pass her in the grocery store with her loud & energetic, "HI!"  She has taught me that sometimes the most important thing in the whole wide world is whatever she is doing.  No phone, no Facebook, no e-mail.  In the moment.  She is a JOY.

When Todd and I were considering having a fourth, we were all kinds of uncertain.  Originally we decided that maybe we'd only have 3, but I just couldn't shake the thought that maybe 4 would be better.  It's what we had always said we wanted...and it does make a nice even number.  I'm grateful that the Lord knew what He was doing when He placed Camille in our family.  She is a perfect blend of cute, fun, and happy.  We are blessed to have her in our family and celebrate her sweetness today!

PS I know I am missing several faces in the pictures below.  This is why *I* like taking the pictures- because no one sends me pictures of them.

Our first swim lesson...well, almost

I thought we met our quota on emergencies.  No?

Breaking news from last night: http://www.khou.com/news/local/9-people-overcome-by-fumes-at-swim-school-249651331.html

As posted by me on our neighborhood site when the news broke out:
To give a little more info- lessons were underway when all of the sudden half of the swimmers and instructors were sick (and panicked-which is understandable). The rest of the pool, then the entire building was ordered out. We weren't sure what was going on, but kids and instructors were throwing up and coughing like crazy. Staff passed out water and checked on everyone. The swimmers closest to the middle of the pool seemed to be the most effected. My little girl was on the side and her class all seemed fine. Several of the instructors and children went to the ER via ambulance- some just precautionary. It was a scary experience, but we are grateful to be fine so far. Thanks again to EMTs, fire fighters, & police officers for running into the danger when everyone runs out. Hats off to FINS for being ready in the face of emergency.

Our Sydnee, fun-loving 7 year old with a heart the size of Texas.

****
The full story: Sydnee had been 15 minutes into her first swim lesson when all of the sudden I could tell something was not right.  I watched as one of the instructors and a little girl came to the side of the pool panicked.  Soon after the little girl began throwing up, and I later saw the instructor receiving oxygen. There is a viewing room for the parents and within seconds everyone was out of the pool and the parents were all super confused as to what was going on.  We assumed that there had been some of sort of pool contaminate and they were going to have leave the pool.  Unfortunately, it was way more serious.  Somehow chlorine gas had burst out in a plume into the middle of the pool, although that's still a presumption.  The authorities- of which there have been loads- cannot figure out what exactly happened or how.  I will say this- because the weather was nice- they had opened one of the large wall openings (I'm not sure how else to describe it)- this act alone may have saved Sydnee and several others from getting the brunt of the chemical blast.  The pool, from the viewing room, is like a broken T or an upside down/backwards L.  Sydnee was on the side and the people most effected were in the middle.  Once all of the parents/children/instructors were out- ambulances began to arrive and access the situation.  As an adult this was serious stuff and at this point in the night we still were not sure what was going on.  Sydnee seemed fine.  EMTs asked her to breath deeply and let them know if there was any pain or if there was any tummy pain.  She was fine.  Scared, but fine.  They treated the most effected first.  Several of the worst were instructors- which should read high schoolers/college students.  Soon after the treatments began 4 were rushed to hospital.  We stayed and watched.  I wanted to make sure Sydnee was OK and she had a tag around her neck which put her in line to be treated (if needed).  Since she was non-emergency, she was one of the last to be seen.  The EMTs decided to admit everyone left to the hospital for tests.  Sydnee at no time showed any signs of exposure.  They said she would ride in the ambulance unaccompanied (meaning I couldn't go with her) and I could follow.  I decided to decline.  I felt like riding in an ambulance without me, when she was by all appearances fine, would be more traumatic than necessary.  So I signed the papers, they told me what to watch for, and we left.  By the time we left, the only people remaining were searching for the clues as to why this had happened.  Fire trucks, police cars, and soon HazMat authorities lined the streets.  We got home and cried a little, then watched a movie and ate ice cream- our solution to a rough night.

Isn't it a scary world we live in sometimes?

I have to give props to the FINS team.  They were very concerned about their own instructors, but they were also attentive to the parents and children involved.  It was emergency that they never saw coming, nothing they planned or trained for- but they were ready.  I have to also express a prayer for the emergency personnel.  I know I said it before but it takes a lot of guts to walk into a situation, unknown, ready and willing to help whomever needs you.  They are heroes to me.

I should mention one more little hero.  At one time Sydnee looked at my with wet eyes and said, "Mommy, I'm scared."  I told her that she was going to be fine, that the danger was over, and that good people were here to help.  Then I leaned in closer to her and said, "The best thing you can do right now is pray.  It will make you feel better."  And she did.  In the middle of chaos, my sweet little girl bowed her head, closed her eyes, and said a little prayer.  No one saw her but me, but it is an imagine in my head that I hope stays forever.  

When life is crazy, when the unexpected happens, when there is known or unknown danger/ fears, when people are hurting or when we just don't know what else to do- we pray.  Sometimes its all we can do. Later that night we prayed as a family.  We expressed our gratitude that our little one was safe.  We expressed thanks for those that stepped up to help.  We pray for FINS, their instructors, their staff, and owners.  We pray for those that were admitted, and we will keep praying for their recovery.  I'm not sure what next week's swim lessons will be like- it will require bravery from everyone involved to step back into the water.  It was a night to remember and a sweet reminder that when life gets scary, we know where to turn.  What a blessing.