Lisa Schulte

Now it is February, I'm in the water, I'm dog paddling too.

We're both dog paddling.

Now the vision's getting really small because I'm going to die.

But I'm knowing that I'm going to eventually have to hold Sadie's head above water while I'm paddling with my feet while my husband Mike tries to figure out what to do.

So I'm paddling, paddling, paddling.

And of course, I put my hands up the ice breaks, put my hands up the ice breaks.

And through that panic, through that fog, I hear a voice.

And it's Mike.

And he's saying, honey, stand up.

I stop paddling, I'll sink, I'll drown.

I put my feet down and I feel muck, the kind of muck that will grab you and drag you in.

So I paddle, paddle.

Honey, stand up!

Put my feet down a little further, I feel solid earth.

I stand up.

I look Sadie's on the ice, shaking off, running to Daddy, saying, Daddy, look what Mom's doing.

I walk to shore, boots filled with water, jacket.

I learned something that day.

Next time you feel like you're over your head, you're drowning, you're losing your nerve, just stand up.