PANIC

On a recent school field trip to the Long Beach Aquarium (our second time as a family), we were able to scour the area with more precision. We skipped the spots we knew, visited our favorites (like the adorable baby stingrays--I don't know if that's what you call them--whose faces look like puppies and feel so gooey to touch) and the scariest sea creature there--the shark. With 3 layers of teeth, I had a thought that what if the aquarium suddenly, I don't know, cracked because of an earthquake (and we know those are quite common in L.A.) then the animals escaped. I imagined myself frantic on how to save my kids. And what would I do if I am not able to save both my girls? The thought sends chills down my spine. I remember when I was in a hotel room in Vegas about 2 years ago, and my husband left for a bit to go to a client's party. It was around 1 AM, and the girls were asleep when I heard the hotel fire alarm. I literally grabbed my kids, looked for the nearest exit, stuffed whatever I could find in my purse (passports, water bottles, boots!, jackets) and I had Sabina and Maxine on each arm. Sabina was asleep so she was extra heavy, and she is the older one, too. I was looking at the halls and no one except for us and another guy half-awake was out there. It was a false alarm and we got a free night stay because of it (who cares), and I almost fainted when my husband got back to the hotel. Talk about adrenaline rush. Shiver...