LP Day 4: Rainbow Bridge & Lincoln's slip

(I am WAY behind in blogging so it is serious catch-up time. Makes me laugh that I'm still blogging Powell when we've been to California since then, Kenedee started Kindergarten, sold our Pilot, and Kenedee turns 5. But I'll get there!)

Day 4 at Powell was our day at Rainbow Bridge. Even though we go pretty much every year to see this beauty, it still amazes me EVERY time! With the water being so high the hike was crazy short...

The little insert was taken two years ago showing that where we usually had to hike before was now completely covered in water...



The FAM!


Our Barlow family under the bridge!

Kate & I; Kurt, Paige & Benson (Paige was 18 weeks along with their second and you couldn't even tell!); Kate, Mom & Dad

Back to the boat...

Pierce-boy, a serious champ!

It was after I took this picture when things got a little crazy. We had made it back to the boat. Knowing there was a floating bathroom on the dock, I wanted Kenedee & Lincoln to go before we left. So we headed over, did the deed, and walked out. (Keep in mind the floating dock that the bathroom was one was about 3 feet higher then the water, and the water is super deep at this point.) We walk out of the bathroom and I'm directing the kids around the corner back to Grandpa's boat, holding Kenedee's hand and telling Lincoln to keep up. Lincoln was so into the Ranger boat that he saw as we walked out and couldn't take his eyes off of it. He asks me 'mom, what are those two things?' I reply, 'the engines. Come on, Linc, we gotta go!' and turn to keep walking. A few steps later I turn around to make sure Lincoln is with me and he is not. He is about seven feet away, still staring at the Ranger boat, and walking backwards about a foot from the edge of the dock - about to step off the dock and into the super deep water. (it still makes me sick thinking about all this!) I see it coming, panic and yell 'LINCOLN!' knowing I can't reach him in time and hoping he'd realize where he was before he stepped off the dock. Too late. He turns around, realizes he just stepped on the edge of the dock, gets the most scared-look in his eyes, tries to correct himself but he's still moving back at this point and goes straight in the water. I run straight for the water, can't see his body but keep my eyes straight on where he fell in, jump in the water, grab around for his body, feel his arm, and pull him into me while swimming back to the surface (I don't think he was too far in the water but definitely not on the surface). I think me yelling his name at the top of my lungs startled everyone on the dock cause when I pulled him out and swam him to the edge of the dock, my family and bystanders were right there to pull him out. They lift him out, me next, and I remember standing there just shaking and wanting to bawl. (I don't think my body stopped shaking and heart didn't stop racing for the next half hour). When they pulled me out of the water my flip flops were floating a ways from the dock so Kurt jumped in to rescue my flip flops. I then reach for my sunglasses that were hooked on the top of my swimsuit but they were long gone, now sitting on the bottom of Lake Powell. Bummer deal but how can you get upset about nice sunglasses when you've got your child. I can't even describe the awful feeling that came to my mind thinking that I could have lost him, but I just thank my Father in Heaven that I saw it happen, reacted so quickly and was able to find him in the water. I swear this little boy has angels protecting him! The kids are in lifejackets 90% of the day at Powell so I never really have to worry. But apparently Lincoln needs one 100% of his day because this kid gets so distracted when he's walking. ugghhhh! It could have been so much worse but it wasn't, a HUGE BLESSING in our lives that day. The rest of our trip went as smoothly as could be.

Pierce with his Aunt Kate...