Almost... disaster

I like to nap. I try to take a nap every day... and Sunday afternoon is my favorite time to nap. This past Sunday, Tom was watching football, the big kids were off doing their own thing, and the littles were playing nicely outside... perfect time for a nap.

Except that sometime during my nap on Sunday, disaster almost struck. Thankfully, mercifully almost.

A frantic Candace came running into the house to get Tom; desperate for help and not very coherent. Tom runs outside to the swing set to find Thomas, crying hard, with a very frightened Sarah and... a jump rope. A jump rope that for some inexplicable reason, Sarah thought she would attach to the top of the slide. Then it seemed like it might be fun to tie it around her neck and slide down. According to Sarah, she "fell asleep for a little" while she was hanging face down on the slide, her body weight stretching the rope taut. Candace said "her eyes did this" and demonstrated by flickering her eyelids and rolling her eyes back. She was unconscious. Thomas and Candace saved their sister's life by untying the rope; Thomas at Sarah's neck and Candace at the top of the slide. Candace then ran for help. Our beautiful daughter could be gone if they hadn't thought quickly.

We have been a little nervous about letting the littles go out back to play since then. What other dangers are lurking; things we never even thought we would have to explain? We also feel terribly guilty that neither one of us was supervising at the time. Bruises, scrapes and maybe even broken bones I would expect from playing on a swing set... possible death? Never even entered my mind.

We feel very grateful that it all ended up with nothing more serious than a rope burn and a bruise. Thank you, God, for watching over our beloved child.