Lightning Bugs & Flashes (Of My Childhood)

Unfortunately I don't have pictures or video to do this post justice but just have to blog about it.

Last night I had one of those "hearkening back to my childhood moments" that I will never forget. Now that it's Summer time, the boys love to stand at our patio door in the evenings and watch the lightning bugs do their dance as they flicker their lights on and off. They shout out a "I see one" as they watch intently so see where they will flash next.

Saturday night, they decided that they wanted to go out and try their hand at catching some, so Tim and I indulged them and waited until it was dark and went out and helped them catch a few to look at (no we didn't hurt them, we practice catch and release at our house). As we watched the lightning bugs that we held captive in our hands, I told Jack & Mason about how growing up, my sister, brother and I would catch dozens and dozens of them in jars and would lay in bed and watch them glow brightly in our bedrooms for the night as we drifted off to sleep. Of course....they wanted to do the same.

As the sun set last night, we headed back out to our back yard, with plastic lidded jars in hand, to see what we could catch. Watching Jack leap into the air to catch a lightning bug that was hovering above his head was such an awesome sight. It was like watching a cat leap into the air to catch a butterfly or moth. The smile on his face and the "Got one!" that he'd yell out each time he was successful was just priceless! Then Tim and I started to get into it. We'd watch for the flash, head in that direction and then wave our hand out in the air hoping to capture the unsuspecting bug to put them into our jars. Mason was a bit hesitant at first but then perfected his technique and joined in on the fun. It was AWESOME! I felt like a kid again!

After 15 minutes, darkness had totally engulfed the backyard and our ability to "see" the lightning bugs had diminished, we explained to the boys that we could take their jars into their room so they could watch them light-up but before Mommy & Daddy went to bed, we would let them go outside so that they wouldn't die. The boys raced down the hall and into their room, plopped down on their beds and smashed their faces into the mesh siding on their bed rails and watched the lightning bugs glow brightly in the darkness of the bedroom. Tim and I kissed them goodnight and left the room. Giggles and gasps came over the monitor as they enjoyed the fruits of their hunt. It was just wonderful!

Another one of those memories that will be hopefully ingrained in Jack & Mason's minds. One of those times that they will reminisce back on with a "Remember when we caught lightning bugs in the back yard with Mommy & Daddy when we were little?" - I know that it's a memory that I WILL SURELY NEVER FORGET!

When was the last time that you caught lightning bugs like a child? Try it sometime!