Josiah has always been an incredible communicator. I've been able to understand him since he began talking. While the tone of his voice sounded like a toddler or pre-schooler, his words never have. His sister on the other hand, well she has her own language!

Josiah loves to talk. He thinks about things when you don't even know it and then begins to explain everything he was thinking about. However, when he runs into a stranger/adult that he is not familiar with, he tends to turn shy. He especially does not respond well to hugs if he does not know you. But it doesn't take him long to warm up. This trait comes straight from Daddy. Mommy is the talkative one instantly but Daddy takes more time.

I absolutely love having a four year old. He teaches me a lot. I see how much he takes in and gets excited over things like sitting at a railroad crossing while a train passes. By his reaction you would think he had just seen Santa Clause. He can also play by himself for hours. I have never seen someone have so much fun playing with trains on the kitchen floor as him. Sometimes he takes the trains outside into the sandbox and makes tunnels and bridges. That is when he is most content.

Josiah is sensitive. He knows when I am sad. He knows when I've cried over something. Even if I hide it, he knows. And almost always, he offers to pray for me and it goes like this. "Dear Jesus, mommy's heart is breaking. Please help her feel better. In Jesus name, Amen!" It's a short prayer but the most powerful!

So this morning while I was taking a bath and praying (most praying goes on in the bathtub), he walks in and begins to talk.

Josiah: (with ten trains in hand) Mommy, what are you doing?

Me: Taking a bath. What are you doing?

Josiah: Well I just want to talk to you. What do you want to talk about Mommy? Oh do you want to talk about being friendly?

(Here's some background for you. One of the things I tell him a lot is to show himself friendly. Sometimes he doesn't respond to people. Probably because they are strangers but I have been trying to explain that he is safe when he is with me or daddy or grandparents. One day while we were out, a stranger told him how his eyes were so dark they looked like chocolate. The stranger also told him how handsome he was. Josiah said, "Mommy, I can't talk to her because I don't know her." She laughed, thankfully. From that point on we have looked for scriptures about being kind and showing ourselves friendly.)

Me: Sure we can talk about being friendly.

Josiah: We are supposed to be friendly to people that talk to us. Right?

Me: Yes. We need to smile and show others that we are kind.

Josiah: Okay, I didn't do that when we were a the hospital and baby Zeke was born but I can be friendly now. What else do you want to talk about?

Me: Easter? (why did I ask this?)

Josiah: and the Easter bunny?

And then I realized he has a lot to learn about Easter and I need to find a way to explain it to a four year old. So I think I will tell Jeremy to do that for me! :)

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