"NO!! BATS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS!!!"

So, the kids and I found ourselves in a bit of a predicament today. We clean the church building every week. I was quite pleased today because Jacob and Heidi finished detassling corn on Tuesday, so I had extra help with the cleaning. Many hands make short work. :) We arrived at the building and I gave everyone their jobs and we were off to a running start. My first job on the agenda was bathrooms. I began making my rounds of spraying down the toilets. I spray them down and then go back and scrub. We only have three toilets total ...two in the women's restroom and one in the mens. Toilet number one spray spray....toilet number two spray spray....toilet number three spray BLEEEEEEEEEACK!!!!!!! I shot out of the bathroom like a cannon. Jacob was standing right outside with vaccum in hand...wide eyes  "MOM, MOM WHAT'S WRONG?!! ARE YOU OK???" I stood with my back to the closed bathroom door with spray can in hand and calmly said "There is a bat in the toilet...a bat in the toilet....a bat in the toilet" YES!! You read that right. A bat  nestled under the inside rim of the toilet...yes...alive!! As fast as I shot out of the bathroom, Jacob shot back in ....lol...to take a look. Isaac and Gracie followed shortly behind coming to see what all of the commotion was about.

Ok. So now what do I do?? My first reaction text Tom. text Loretta. text James. LOL!!! I don't know why? What are they gonna do about my predicament?? I am desperate for HELP!!!

Loretta did not respond. I'm sure she was working. Hmph! :-/

Tom's response "Have fun! :)" YES...a smiley. He responded to me with a smiley....and a have fun??  I asked him WHY the smiley because I was most definitely NOT smiling!  No response. Hmph! :-/ 

Heidi took a quick look in the bathroom and was GONE...no response...she just left...she continued cleaning windows at the opposite end of the building. A lot of help she was!! Hmph! :-/

I had 3 very excited kiddos with all kinds of ideas about what to do with the creature. All ideas that I was NOT fond of! Hmph! :-/

And James. His response to my text. "YUCK"...ok. now we're talkin'! He understands where I'm coming from!  He can relate. And he continued to communicate with me through texting. Bless Him! I didn't feel so alone! He was actually trying to help. He wasn't leaving me high and dry like the others! We went back and forth through texting with ideas on what to do. I finally concluded:

Me: I think I'm gonna leave him there
James: U can't
Me: Why?? lol!
James: Cause u just cant
Me: I know, but I don't know how to get him out???
James: Idk :) have fun

WHAT?? The smiley face again?? Have fun again?? He was my last hope!!!  It's NOT funny people!! Hmph!! :-/

So, there I was with three very excited children who actually seem to be kind of fond of this creature in the women's toilet and myself not liking ANY of the ideas we were coming up with to get him OUT...HMPH! :-(

I have to confess and say that at this point I really let my children take over the mission at hand while I stood at the door and occassionally shouted out warnings of caution....such as "BE CAREFUL THEY CARRY RABIES!!"...or "THAT WON'T WORK!!!" ...or "GET HIM!!!" I mean after all my boys live for this stuff!! I couldn't deny them the opportunity of such enjoyment now could I? ;)

The task required all kinds of tools such as.....all 3 toilet brushes, the broom, bowls of various sizes, cardboard boxes, butter bowls with lids, towels, a variety of different types of bags. Gracie went after the kitchen tongs at one point, which I just absolutely could not allow! ewwww!  What they(not me!) eventually did...Jacob's idea! GO JACOB!! He put a white garbage bag over the bowl of the toilet. White.. not black... so that you could see the bat through the bag...BLECK!!! Then he began poking the bat with the toilet brush on the outside of the bag in an attempt to coax him out from under the rim of the toilet onto the bag. He didn't like that poking much and he began squeaking and objecting. YIKES!! Jacob, Gracie and Isaac were all very inquisitive about the creature and stood surrounding the toilet while I observed from the doorway. He finally clung to the bag with his feet and Jacob scooped up the bag with him inside and I sprung into action at this point and did my part..."HURRY...GET HIM OUT!!! GET HIM OUT!!! OUT OF THE BUILDING!!!! NOW!!! HURRY!! GO!!! GOOOOO!!!" They all three ran out the back door of the church building and I shut the door behind them and watched through the window! Jacob stood outside holding the bag and shouted to me as I peered out the window. "MOM!! I WANT TO TAKE HIM HOME!" Isaac started jumping up and down "PLEEEEEEEEEASE MAMA!!! CAN WE TAKE HIM HOME??"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! BATS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Put down the bag and get back in here!"

We watched the bag from inside through the window. Nothing. We came back in a bit and he was on the sidewalk. Ewwwwww! A bit later we actually watched him fly away. GOOD! Whew!!

What a day!

Hmph!!!! :-/

Love,
Wendy

ps He looked just like the above photo. The kids say he did not, but he DID!!!!