Conquered or confirmed?
Thursday I went on a field trip with a local homeschool group. It was against my better judgment really. Last year I marked my calender for the very same place- but I just couldn't bring myself to take the kids there alone.
This year, the group that we are taking our science class & history club through, planned a trip. So I thought I could do it, knowing that I had other moms to take over for me if I couldn't hang.
Where did we go? The Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.
How did I do? Not so great. I was able to look at the ones they had boxed up in glass boxes- barely. I couldn't keep my eyes trained on any one big ugly thing for longer than maybe 3 seconds. At that point my heart would start racing and my breathing would quicken.
Still, when it was time to enter into the main pavilion, where spiders run free of glass boxes, I forced myself in. I got about 10 feet in and stood still. I held Olivia close and stood looking around fearfully for wayward spiders. I wasn't left looking long. I strange smallish spider was dropping down form the ceiling a little bit off the trail. It had a yellow belly that had a shield like quality to it. I stood rooted to the middle of the trail, fearfully looking for others- occasionally spotting huge, intricate webs in the plants. I managed to glance a several large (really large) spiders off to the side. Owen Emma and Evan happily made their rounds through the whole place. Evan the most interested, the others not scared, but not really into it either.
I tried to begin my journey again, only to see a very large web that spanned over the trail. It seemed as though it might be high enough that I could pass under it with out disturbing it, but I couldn't be sure. As I tried to determined the bottom of the web, I caught a glimpse of a very fat and rather large beast up above it. One of the boys in the group was in the same spot as me, also frozen with fear. It got the best of him and he began to cry. His mom was further in with his younger brother. I could so much relate with K. I was not to the point of tears- yet- but I was close. My heart was racing and I was making an effort to breathe in a more controlled fashion. I decided that I simply could not get by that web and took the path to my right that cuts over to the other side. I got a few feet over and again stopped in fear. I began looking around again, and while there were none dropping down, the reality of how many spiders were surrounding me began to take hold. I could see webs everywhere, and many very large, strange looking arachnids. After a few minutes it just got the best of me. Tears started pooling in my eyes and I could hardly breath. I felt, quite literally, as though if I did not leave right away, I might just die, or pass out, then die.
I let my kids know that I was going out side, and they all oped to go with me. I do not doubt that Evan could have stayed much longer, but he is quite attached to me still at this point and left with out argument.
Needless to say, I will be skipping that party next year. The kids are welcome to go, I'll wait outside, thank you very much.
Conquered or confirmed? I think you can guess.