So I wake in the night to the sound of “Yap-yap-yap” then “arararhoooooooooooooooooooooooo” then another “yap-yap-yap” followed with another “arararhoooooooooooooo”. VERY CLOSE if not IN our back yard.

In a sleepy fog a MILLION things go through my mind “Oh NO is Cracker inside?  Did I accidentally go to bed and leave him out? Great he’s going to die at the paws of coyotes the VERY animal my children are T.E.R.R.I.F.I.E.D of!!! How am I going to explain this?  They are never going to want to go outside ever again! Aidan is already scared to eat supper in the kitchen when it’s dark out.  Now this!! So glad none of them are in our bedroom to hear the attack!!”

I SPRING outta bed dashing for the nearest light switch HOPING to step on the dog as I usually do when exiting bed in the night.  I figure stepping on him inside is better than him getting dismembered by coyotes in the backyard.

The howling and yapping continue. I flip on one of the bathroom lights throw myself to the floor to search under the bed. No Cracker.  I run back to my side of the bed to look out the window as if watching the dog being attacked will help?!?!  It’s then I realize that the dog is on my side between the bed and bed side table looking up at me like “What’s your deal lady?”.

Whew.  Sigh of relief. No dismembered dog.

It’s THEN…..then people…..AFTER what felt like hours of stress and torment that Matt rolls over and says “What’s wrong?”

Really?  Weird thing is once I turn out the light and attempt to go back to bed the sounds totally stop. DEAD silence. Then in comes Emma my first bedside begger of the night. Sweet dreams all.