Midsummer Night

It really is magical!

Although Summer Solstice was Sunday, today is officially Midsummer. And Midsummer means fairies. The tradition is to leave a feast for the fairies since "they" are having a celebration tonight. And if you provide the feast, "they" provide gifts. Anya has read in all of her fairy books that fairies particularly like jelly beans (seriously) and specifically lemon ones. And the kids decided to get miniature muffins...because what fairy doesn't like a bite-size blueberry muffin? The kids also provided little cups of juice.

Anya even left the fairies a little note. She was especially excited for mid-summer night festivities.

And at the end of her note, she included a P.S.: I love your books! How cute is that?!?

In traditional form, James and Peter had to make a silly face for the picture. Now here's the really cool part...

All of these make-believe traditions (i.e.: Santa, tooth fairy, fairies in general, etc.) come from some sort of truth...some sort of reality. Tonight after the kids had gone to bed, Peter burst into our room...eyes wide and mouth open. "I saw a fairy!" Karen and I were encouraging but thought nothing of it. Then, a few minutes later, Anya and Peter burst into the room again and they were both adamant that there were fairies outside. And they shine a bright yellow.

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Yes, fireflies have solidified the actuality of fairies in the minds of our young children. You should have felt the excitement in the room. I walked into Anya's room and they were all huddled around the window...Anya, James, and Peter...watching "fairies" fly around the yard. Anya was amazed--"I didn't think fairies were actually real," she said in wonder. She had opened the windows so she could try and hear them talk to each other. Even when Mark came in and said, "I think those are fireflies," Anya quickly proclaimed they were not fireflies...but fairies. I told them that the fairies were checking the homes to see who was asleep. I think they all fell asleep within 10 minutes.

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Seriously--the excitement in the room was tangible. That kind of feeling doesn't happen very often. It was fun to be a part of that. Kids are awesome!