Look! It's a bear! A what?! A bear! Where?! In our yard...

As most of you know, our house was broken into almost four months ago. The shortened version is that four guys broke into our car and house. One of the guys actually opened our bedroom door while we were sleeping at 4:30 in the morning. I screamed and Keith grabbed the gun. The guys ran out of the house and fled in a car that was waiting for them. They did steal a few things, but we were safe. (They were caught later on that morning). All the while this is going on our dog, Norah, was sleeping on the floor at the foot of our bed. She started growling after Keith got up out of bed. Not much of a guard dog, huh? Well, after that incident, she will bark (and it's a very distinct and different bark) when she hears even the slightest noise whether it's during the day or at night. (She's learning). 

Well, last night around 1:15 or so in the morning she started barking and going nuts. We heard other dogs outside that were barking and at first wrote it off as that was why she was barking. Eventually, after she had been barking for about 5 or so minutes I told Keith we should let her go throughout the house and find whatever it is she was barking about. He grabbed the gun and took the dog out of the bedroom. I got up and went to the bathroom to look out the window (which looks over our driveway). I noticed our flood light was shining bright and then I saw something walking on our driveway. After a closer look I realized it was a BLACK BEAR!!! Keith and I saw it at the same time and yelled at the other one to look out the window. There were three of them!! I immediately thought of two things: 1) I was thankful it wasn't an intruder who was breaking into our house again and 2) I was reminded of a college memory that involved the ETSU library, college roommate, two other friends, and yes...a black bear. 

Before going to bed I decided that we needed to call the police department. I wasn't sure what they could do, but I didn't want the bears to stay in our neighborhood til morning knowing there are small children who live here. I thought I was being a good citizen. After I called the police station (the non-emergency number...I'm not sure 911 would have appreciated it), the guy merely stated that children should all be in bed and that we should not go outside (does he think I'm that dumb?!). He then said that the bears won't be here in the morning. This must be a common thing around here...you know, bears walking around town. I will say, I think I'd much rather run into a bear than a human intruder outside my house any day...call me crazy.