Tuesday morning, my littlest and I were in the car headed to Andalusia.

We were on the way to Children’s Rehab to pick up her new hearing aid molds (pink sparkle, in case you care) and she was in rare form – singing (very loudly, too, I might add), giggling and chattering away about a bunch of nonsense.

“Ooooooooo, ooooooo,” she said in her best ghost imitation.

“You must be confused about what holiday it was,” I said. “Halloween was months ago.”

“No,” she said. “I’m being scary. See? I’m a vampire. Vampires are scary.

“Momma, what are you scared of?” she said. “Are you scared of dragons?”

I informed her that I had never seen a dragon in real life before, but I bet, that if I had, I would most definitely be scared of it.

“What about spiders?” she said, curling her fingers in the air. “I don’t like spiders.”

“I most definitely don’t like spiders,” I said. “But you know what, I really, really, really hate a frog.”

What I didn’t tell her is the thing that I’m most scared of is this – losing her or one of her sisters.

It terrifies me to think those “what ifs.”

A simple glance at the front page of any newspaper –The Star-News included – gives glimpses of heartache.

Today in Evergreen, the family of 10-year-old Dawson Kirksey is grieving after a hit and run driver slammed into the back of their vehicle, taking from them a beloved son and brother.

Just two weeks ago, an Opp family was left dazed when 18-year-old LBW Community College student Gillian Crayton died after suffering from a seizure.

Within the last year, two Florala families were hit with tragedy. First, there was 20-year-old T.J. Fleming passed away from cancer; then, the horrific bus accident that claimed the life of 8-year-old Lexi Worrell.

Each family irrevocably changed forever by loss.

Truly, that’s what I’m afraid of – the idea of never being able to hold and kiss any of my children, never being able to watch them grow up or see their children laugh and play.

Just the thought makes my heart seize in my chest and my breath catch.

My heart goes out to the parents of each one of those children mentioned above and to the thousands of others who have lost a child be it from illness, accident or maliciousness.

You are my heroes.

As for my children, I’m thankful for every single moment I have with them – even though there are some moments I’d like to pinch their heads off…and I believe there are parents out there everywhere who concur.