I wrote this post last summer, but forgot to post it. I found it this week and thought I’d share it with you. Next week I’ll be writing about our family reunion in Iowa. I’m late, but whatever.
When I was a little girl, I loved my summers in Iowa. As I grew older I didn’t spend much time there. I had college to attend, jobs to work, life to live. Now that I have children, though, it seems incredibly important to show them life in a big family and life in the country.
When you live in a city—even a city as small-town as mine—you miss out on certain life experiences: counting stars, catching lightning bugs, freedom to run around without fear of strangers and dangers.
I have been trying to take my children back to Iowa at least once a year. They love it and I love it. Chilihead, Jr. keeps an eye out for “corn fields and dirt roads.” We know we’re close then. When we see the Iowa state sign, we know life can move a little slower now and we savor each activity without worrying about being late for the next.
When we visit in the summer, Max and Chilihead, Jr. love to catch lightning bugs. They are in awe of the sheer number of lightning bugs seen each night. They think it is hilarious that we used to pinch the butts off the bugs and stick them on our fingers as diamond rings. As I told my son this story, he laughed—until I wiped my hand on his cheek like I was wiping bug guts on him. Then it wasn’t so funny.
When we left the farm the first night it was just us on that dirt road. Max looked out the back window and yelled for Chilihead, Jr. to join him. “You can’t believe how many lightning bugs there are out here!” Wild Thing responded, “But look out the window! You can’t believe how many stars there are!”
I used to think the exact same things.
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Aww…love it!
Oh I do love this post. I particularly like that you have noticed the part about being able to savor the current activity without having to worry about getting to the next one.
This is really one of the finest posts I’ve read in a while. It was like being there with you all. Thank you for sharing your family with us.
I have similar memories of visiting the south when I was a kid. My kids have yet to see a lightning bug. *sigh*
Thanks for the trip chilihead.
For awhile there I felt like I was right in the car and then I remembered, no…it was a bridge we were riding under and my Dad was driving. My sister was with him in the front seat because she could read a map and I couldn’t.
We were headed to his hometown of Hannibal, MO. and I was with my dad, my best friend in the world. He shared something more than a trip that year, he shared his childhood with his child.
Much the same as your trip chilihead.
Wonderful post; though you’ve always been my fav, this is the first time you brought tears to my eyes!
We currently live in Iowa and my boys love the lightning bugs. We can sit out on the deck and just watch them for hours. Loved the story.
I JUST posted about cornfields and fireflies. True story.
Lovely post…
Hi Melanie – I’m here via your interview over at 5 Minutes for Mom. Nice to meet you!
We lived in Illinois for four years and I do miss that rolling country that just surrounds you with night-sounds and sights.
Lovely post.
I grew up in small-town Iowa and I feel exactly the same way. I miss it. I miss being able to have my kids spend more time there. And, we don’t see many fireflies here in Atlanta.