Stellaluna . . . . Maybe?

I put the kids down to bed at 8:30 p.m. Joe was still at his “back to football” parent meeting. I have been suffering from a cold or allergies (not sure which) so I was in bed too. Keylee was next to me and we were watching Yo Gabba Gabba (yuck) and Kira comes in with her fake sleepy eyes and says she can’t sleep. I said, “get back to bed and don’t get up you have school tomorrow.” She left the room and a split-second later she was by my bed and said “mom a bat just flew past me.” I said, “Kira please, it was probably a moth and get back to bed!” At that point the bat flew in my room and swooped right at me and Keylee. Kira hit the floor. I pulled the covers over our head and then peaked out. To my surprise, it was coming at us again. When I peeked out the second time I couldn’t find the bat and I was hoping it didn’t fly out into the main living area. Kira reported that the bat was behind the TV. I told Kira and Keylee to run out and I shut the door. I called Joe and said I need you home we have a bat in our room. He replied “a flying bat.” I said “yes, I think I can handle a baseball bat.” He came home Kira and Keylee were in hysterics. Joe assured them that now that he was home the bat would be caught. He went to the garage got the broom, put tape to the end of the broom (we know this trick from when I had the bat in my office) and he went into the room shut the door. A few minutes later, I heard a whistle and he said “one bat in a box.” We took the bat outside and let it go. Ick. I think it followed me in when I let Rosie out. I let her out about 15 min. before we first encountered the bat. On the way to school Kira said "Mom, my teachers are never going to believe the bat story." I looked at her and said "maybe we shouldn't tell your teachers that you had a bat in your house." I was thinking, oh great the first day of school and the teachers will think Kira is crazy when, in fact, the story was true. After talking to some neighbors I have learned that bats are not uncommon around here. I have one neighbor who states that they have had ten or more bats on their porch at night. I am not sure that information actually makes me feel better. I would like to think this is one isolated event. Now, I find myself on constant "bat watch." Kira and Keylee are convinced that the bat was Stellaluna. They keep asking me if it was Stellaluna and I can only reply . . . "maybe." I just need Stellaluna to know she is not welcome here.