Stayin Alive

We were dangerously close to having a Mitchell Family disaster this morning.

Hubby headed out really early this morning for a weekend trip so I got up a little early, knowing our routine would be a little off.  We were running a little bit ahead of schedule and I was feeling pretty proud of myself for keeping us on track. As I went in to make lunches, I told M to feed the fish. 

I few minutes later M runs in and tells me that M2 took the lid off and Rosie jumped. WHAT?!  So I walk in the office, scan the empty tank and ask where the fish is. In a panic M tells me that he's in a book.  There is no book. After some confusion, I realize she's talking about a video case.   I check the case - no fish. At this point, I'm in a little panic. 'Where is the fish? Where is HE?' I'm getting a little frantic and the girls are frozen. So I say, maybe not so calmly,  'Help me find him! We need to put him back in the water or he's going to die!'

I may have put a little too much emphasis on the word die.

At that point, M burst into tears and confesses that she took the lid off the tank and then wails that she doesn't want a fish anymore, it's too hard to take care of it. She may have been just a tad bit overwhelmed. 

Maybe it was the fact that I had just highlighted the possibility that she may have killed her pet fish.

I did find Rosie and get him back in the tank.  He swam for a few minutes so I reassured the girls he was fine. I'm hoping that's true. I checked as we were walking out and he wasn't swimming. But he's a lazy fish so I'm not sure if that really means anything....really, really hoping it doesn't. Six might be a little young to start needing therapy.