Little Peek Back at Childhood

Even though Michael and I didn't grow up together it sometimes feels like he's been right here with me my whole life. Considering he was ten days into his twenty-first year and I was twenty-two when we got married we have been together a lot longer than we were apart. Sometimes we seem to even blur childhood experiences into one life. I love when this happens.

The other night we had gone out to put something fun I'd found up in the play yard. This little area keeps evolving into a more and more magical place, especially at twilight when the "lightning bugs"( as we've always called them) start to do their thing. We got our project done and sat down on the settee to observe the moment. Of course, our little ones followed with their usual "Whatcha doing?" We watched as they started to notice the blink of the flying neons. We commented on how God must have put those things here just for kids. Why else would he have created bugs that light up? They ran around laughing and jumping at them. Soon Seth came out and joined in the fun. I suppose he is truly the combination of mine and Michaels childhoods rewired and revived in a six foot something "little boy". He is a joy to see with these baby girls. He went back inside and got a plastic cup and proceded to show the girls how a real lightning bug chaser gets the job done. They had three or four caught before I remembered we had an empty pickle jar in the cabinet. I retrieved it along with a piece of clear plastic for the top.
Michael and I watched as the four of them....Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and our own Christopher Robin chased and caught fire flies until it was too dark to see where they were going. Seth told them they could put the jar in their room and have a different kind of nightlight to sleep by. I whispered to Michael, "I did that". He responded, "Yeah, me too". For a second I could see him there as a little boy, big blue eyes, freckles perfectly scattered across his nose in some older brothers pajama pants, smelling like Ivory soap fresh from the bath. Holding up his jar of lightning bugs smiling at me.
What a gift, to get to watch as memories are made by the little ones (and not so little anymore). I pray they remember how their big brother loved them. How he taught them to enjoy the things around them that are free from God.
I am also praying for the girl who will marry that sweet boy, I hope she has experienced the love of a good family, and she's chased lightning bugs and watched them until she's fallen asleep.
And I pray for the little boys who will someday marry these girls. Let them be men who are sweet and tender like the men in their lives are now. I hope they are out there somewhere chasing lightning bugs.