"But I don't know where it is!", Max called back to his mom in "exasperation". "Well", Therese called back to him, "That's no excuse to throw it in the water". She turned back to her friend, Wendy, to continue their conversation while the children went on a quest in search of a trash can. Just before she started talking, though, she put her youngest son, Tommy, on the ground a foot or two away from the water. He had recently learned to sit up on his own, though he was too young to stand. Therese had meant to keep an eye on him, but had gotten so involved in their conversation that before she knew it ....

Splash! Both women jerked their heads towards the water, startled. There, in the water, was Tommy, face down where he obviously couldn't breathe. Just as Therese was getting into the water, though, the little boy miraculously turned over and lay there, in the water, floating perfectly. Therese, not knowing how long he would be alright, jumped into the water and pulled her baby out. Therese gathered her three other children and got them in the car. She wrapped Tommy in one of the beach towels that she kept in the car, and everyone drove home.

On the way back home, Therese explained to her three oldest children what had happened. Even Max was able to stop talking and listen intently. She told them without the slightest hint of doubt that it was Tommy's Guardian Angel that had saved him and without him, Tommy wouldn't have done so well.

Therese's eldest and only daughter at the time, Bernadette, thought to herself over and over again that she should write down this little story, but she never did. Until, that is, years later when she entered it in a contest on a website called: catholickingdom.com in hopes that not only she would win, but to share her story with others so they too would look up to their Guardian Angels with more confidence as she had learned to do herself.

And that, my friends, is my story. I hope you enjoyed it and God bless!

- Bernadette Tirador