This morning.

5:45 in the morning. I'm up and putting my makeup on at the vanity in the bathroom. I'm literally 3 feet from the bathroom window when I hear crunchy leaf footsteps. Two of them, then they stop. Then heavy breaths on the window. SOMEONE IS BREATHING ON MY WINDOW!!!

I freeze. Not moving a muscle, I don't think I've listened so hard in my whole life. A million thoughts are going through my head. What do I do?! I sit and listen for about 5 seconds, then realize I can't be so quiet because whoever the hell is try to look through my window is moments away from breaking it with me sitting feet away. I jump up, run and turn every inside and outside light on that I can find. Grab the mace out of my drawer. Run to the security system panel and hold my finger on the Police alert button. If I push the button the police will come. I'm now across the house from where I first heard the person, so I have no idea if they ran after seeing the lights come on or if they're still lurking.

I waited about 1 full minute there with my finger hovering that button. I knew all the doors were locked. Now every light was on. Surely this person isn't going to still be peeking through windows, but I was still too afraid to look. Imagine me pulling back the blinds to peek out and seeing a face. Terrifying. I went back to the bedroom where I mistakenly left my phone, grabbed it, then went back to the security panel.

I called Chris, who was already at work in Atlanta and told him what happened. He said "I'm coming home." Told me to keep my mace on me and if I heard anything, to push that button and/or call 911.

Martha woke up right at the end of my phone conversation with Chris, so I calmed myself down as much as I could and went to her bedroom to get her up and ready. She saw the mace in my hand and asked me why I was holding a keychain. I stuck it in my pocket when she asked if she could hold it. Told her it was a grown up keychain and had to stay in my pocket. I forced myself into fake, chipper, everything is ok mom mode while my heart is still racing.

Chris got home right before it was time for me to leave with the kids. He drove around the neighborhood and didn't see anything weird. Looked around our house and nothing looked strange. He's going to work from home today so he can go get some motion detected flood lights to put in on his lunch break. We're also going to finally put up our Security yard signs and window stickers, which we should have done weeks ago.

If someone broke in, the alarm would have gone off. So I'm thankful for that. But it's still unnerving to hear breaths on your window that early in the morning when it's dark outside and you're home with your two sleeping children. Good Lord.