You all remember that yesterday was, “when it rains it pours” well, I think last night I had a bit of a thunder storm.

Quick update; Bunny seems to be slightly improving so we did not head to the vet today we are going to wait and see how he does.

So what is this ‘Thunder’ I am talking about you ask? Ohh Boy, do have a story for yah all today. Last night I got my kids to be late and was doing dishes, finishing a blog post, returning email etc. and decided to turn on the news. Which is an activity I have all but given up on lately in the effort to get some extra sleep, but for ‘some reason’ I strayed from my normal routine. I decided I would get myself a glass of water and a drink for Hannah as well, just in case she woke up in the night it would save me a trip downstairs.

Shut all the lights out and was getting into bed when I thought I heard a car on our gravel drive way. I looked out my window at the driveway but couldn’t see anything. Then I heard what sounded like someone on the front porch, but we do get some pretty bold raccoons. I debate yelling out my window, “Is there someone out there?” Then decided what would I do if someone answered me.

Oh let me go back and set the scene. We live in the country one neighbor is a holiday home and is hardly ever there and the other neighbor is on the other side of a large cow pasture. Dave is working night shift and I am home alone with 5 little ones.

Okay back to the creepy noises, I think I see a light flicker down on the porch. I tiptoe across to the boys room and look out their window to get a different angle I can’t see anything but I keep looking. A few minutes later I see a pick up truck with a trailer backing in to our other entrance to our property. I watch as they shut off the truck and get out and walk around the truck.

I had considered calling 911 when I heard the noises but thought I would too embarrassed if it was just a raccoon, but now with the strange vehicle I felt justified in calling. I tiptoe back into my room and headed to the bathroom to phone. I explain that I am in the country and the noises on the porch could have been a raccoon but now there is a strange vehicle parked on my property. She assures me that they have already dispatched several cars to my home. She asks me if I want to stay on the line, to which I declined. she tells me to call 911 if I see or hear anything else.

As I wait I can see little flashes of light from where the vehicle is. I get a phone call from the 911 operator telling me to keep an eye on the vehicle in case it pulls out the police will know which direction it is headed. Within a few minutes I see 3 police cars pull up and the officers get out with their flashlights and start looking around. Relief. The phone rings again and once again it is the 911 operator letting me know the officers are on the scene.

After a little while two of the officers come to the door they ask a few questions. Did I recognize the vehicle? They asked about the neighbor that is hardly ever there if it could be their vehicle? Oh and do I have a lawnmower? “Yes we have a John Deere riding mower and an older one,” I couldn’t remember what kind it was. They asked about how old my riding mower was and where we keep it? So I came out and showed them the part of the barn that locks up and explained that we keep the lawnmowers all locked up. They told me they would check it out.

I went back inside locked the door and went upstairs to sit on my bed and watch the goings on. More vehicles showed up some vans and trucks other cruisers there had to be at least 12 vehicles. The officer phoned me again and said that they had removed their prescence from the property to the road as my John Deere riding mower and our push mower were on this guys truck and trailer and they were bringing in the K9 team to try and track this guy. Once the dogs were on a scent they were back on the property with flashlights. I forgot to mention several times they offered to have an officer come in the house and sit with me. I thought that was nice but I really didn’t feel the need with all the police just outside the house I felt quite safe.

The 911 operator phoned again around 2 or so to tell me there was an officer coming to the door to take my statement. Thankfully so far the kids are all still asleep. I had along talk with the officier and she told me the dogs were still tracking him. Yeah! It was kind of funny whenever they phoned or came to the door they would always say, “Okay now we’ll let you get some sleep.” Right. There are 20 odd people milling around the property with flashlights, cruisers with fluid lights shining in the ditches, not very condosive to sleep.

Around 4:30 the officer came to the door and told me the dogs lost the scent in a farmers cow field and that they had been to his house and he was not there. At this point they wanted me to come out to the barn and say officially that yes my John Deere and push mower were missing and then head over to the guy’s truck and confirm that the John Deere and push mower in the truck and trailer were mine and to compare the serial number. Sure enough the serial numbers matched…was there any doubt. They explained that their ‘froensic’ guy would be out soon and taking additional photos and either take the tractor for fingerprints or because of the dew return it to the barn but they would have to wait on his say so.

Back inside I go it is now a little after 5am and no sleep, 5 kids, and a husband coming off night shift not a great combo. I can hear them talking as they are going around the property taking pictures, it is now a little after 5:30 I hear my oldest son dart out of his room towards the bathroom. I call him over, “Mom there are strange men walking around!!!!” I explain to him that they are police men and not to worry I called them. “WHAT? WHY?” I explain to him the events of the night thus far he is horrified yet at the same time he says, “Cool.” The flat bed truck arrives to load up the truck and trailer Elijah thinks this is great.

The officer says they are going to return the items to the barn and asks if I could give them the key to the John Deere as it is prettty heavy. They tell me that there will be some officiers come back later in the day to check for finger prints once the dew is dry.

Finally around 6:15 the last of the police cars left and all but one of my kids were up. Did I tell you all that we have been planning to get a puppy in the spring. Well right now I want a big old mean looking Rottie. Okay maybe not but we are reconsidering the purchase of a dog a little sooner.

Well Dave and I with next to no sleep made it through the morning. When Dave was getting bbq hot dogs ready for the kids the officers showed up to take the prints. I asked if they had located the fella and had he conveniently reported his truck stolen? I think they are limited in what they can say but the officier did say that they had located him and that his version of last night was different from what actually took place. I am really hoping that they are able to match a fingerprint. I guess we will have to wait a few days. I have nothing to back this but my gut says that he didn’t act alone. When I was watching the bushes there were two different lights that I could see flickering. We may never know I suppose.

I do feel like we were cased because they knew right where to go and they came prepared to cut off the lock. So that makes me feel a bit vulnerable, especially when Dave is working. Another thing that is a bummer is that when they were loading our John Deere it was too wide so they removed our mower attachment and some of the parts are missing and we have to special order them in. It could be awhile before we can cut our grass not to mention the added expense of the parts.

Oh poor Joel was stung by a bee while waving good bye to the police officers this afternoon. I must say to whoever mentioned plantain earlier on my blog it worked instantly he was screaming and as soon as I put the mushed leaf on his hand he stopped screaming.

So that was my crazy night. The one plus was that I saw the sunrise this morning, there has always got to be a silver lining right???

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