The Rat.

The other day I had a conversation with Ivan about what TIA means. We've concluded that when it's something awesome it means "This Is America", but if it's something awful it means "This is Africa". Well, last night our electricity went off. It was lovely, actually, because we did praise and worship by candlelight. It was truly incredible. I even showered by candlelight.

Into the evening we decided to have a movie night on the lawn. And the rat race begins. Brace yourself. I walked inside to get something to prop the laptop on so everyone could see and in the dark I see a rat scurrying in the office, down the chair and back out of the door. No big deal. At about 10:30 the electricity came back on and I went inside to update my blog. Rat number 2 comes out from the chair and scurries to the other side of the living room. Startling, but no biggy because he went into hiding and I was not going to attempt to run him out. Well then at 4:30 am I see and hear someone standing at our door. I was so confused b/c it was pitch black outside, but the lights were on and I could see someone in the hallway. I walked out of my room to see Amy standing in the hallway with holding her door open, trying desperately to wake someone up to help her out. I walked into her room, which she freaked out about, and saw a rat on the ledge of the wall.

Amy then explained that she felt the rat scurry across her neck and face, climb up her mosquito net and stand on the ledge on the wall trying to get to her Mister Potato Crisps! The rat was frozen in fear. I'd say he was a good hand length long with another hand length for his tail. After much deliberation I grabbed a laundry basket with a lid to try and catch it in an attempt to throw it outside. Well, I put it up to the wall, he jumped in, and as I went to grab the lid he literally flew out of the basket and ran under the bed. I did all of this while Amy was out of the room so she wouldn't freak out. When Amy comes back we both stand on the bed thinking of a game plan. I'm fine with rats, but I don't like the thought of them running across my feet in the dark. Gross.

Well, we decided to run out of the room and sleep in my room. Right before we jumped on the ground to run 2 rats ran across the floor and into the closet. Amy and I shrieked and ran out of the room, shutting the door behind us. When I climbed in my bed I laughed for literally 5 minutes! It is seriously the funniest thing that happened to me. In 1 night I saw 4 rats in the house. Keep in mind we keep our doors open all day long for the breeze to come in. They come in at night and stay hidden usually. I guess the electricity going out just confused them and they showed their little beady rat eyes to me all night long. So, TIA- This is Africa!

We have given the rats names: Rafiel, Remi, Raquel and Regina. Maybe they even sit secretly under our chairs singing worship songs and praying for peace for Africa. The Lord definitely answered their prayers because they didn't die last night, just sayin'. OH AFRICA!