ugly word.

At the lake this afternoon the boys and I had a traumatic scare. I was helping Kep out of the water at a friends lake house today and I had stepped down on the steps that were in the water and its a SNAKE, out. of. nowhere. I snatch Kep from the water (he can't walk yet because of his broken foot but can swim) yes the snake was right there (the closest I have ever been to one) and set him on the grass then S***! what about Dax. I turn around to see where Dax is and I try to remain calm. BUT the snake is coming up the steps toward me. What do I do? Dax is right behind the snake. I am staring at the thing sticking its nasty tongue out and tell Dax (who doesn't know what is happening) to swim back away from the steps. Can I just say how big this thing was... it was as long as my house. Not knowing what the heck the snake is doing now, I just want my baby out of that water, I tell Dax to swim to the right, I was thinking I could just grab him when I laid down on the bank. At that time Dax sees the snake and oh bless him, he freaks out, screams and starts crying (I remain calm) you would never want to see your child do this, it was horrible. I was thinking do I jump in, do I jump in on the snake? My baby was so brave and swam his little heart out to the right of the steps and I snatched him out like he weighed just a couple lbs... I am still horrified and shaking as I write this. This all happened so quick but I remember every little detail and exactly what "snake" looked like. I thank God that he intervened and it was not worse. I will be in the water from here on out. I will have a boat paddle to whack the (ugly word) out of it and we will be back at the lake. (ugly word) snakes (ugly word) you to (ugly word).