Five minutes I never want to relive

Today I took Alex and Mickey to Big Waterpark near our house. We were having a great time: first time the boys have been this summer, we saw some friends there, great weather.

And then a black cloud formed over my head.

And I lost Alex for five agonizing minutes.

I don't know how long it was really. Long enough for me to ask four lifeguards and two inquiring moms to help me find him. Long enough for me to venture to two other pools dragging poor Mickey behind me (who had the nerve to ask if he could swim while I went to look for Alex).

And long enough for Mickey to wander over to the deposit pools of two large water slides, probably 50 yards and many obstacles away from me. A swimmer noticed he was alone and ushered him to a lifeguard. By the time I laid eyes on him his lifeguard entourage had grown to three.

Mickey broke away from me and ran to him; when I got there Alex looked up at me and says simply "hi, Mamma." I'd stopped gasping by then and I mustered "hi, Alex." The guy who looked like he was in charge of lost children and loster parents told me it was a good thing I had a lifejacket on him as a lot of kids his age wander the park without them. Thank you for making me begin gasping again...

I gathered him and Mickey up and we made our way back to the little pool and I tried to explain to Alex what he'd done. Didn't exactly have much impact; I got a big grin and "I wanna swim."

The silver lining to this black cloud? I was not rooted to the ground in fear. I did not panic. Okay, maybe there was a tad bit of hyperventilating, but instead of praying aloud and doing nothing I prayed to myself as I was asking people for help. Who, in my opinion, were answers to my prayers in themselves.

I always knew there was hope...

Oh, a couple of pics I took before Alex's joywalk. I believe he was plotting his escape here:


...and good-natured Mickey, who assessed the situation with his usual "...ooooh, this is not good..."