February 9 – “Forty Steps”

We are trying to figure something out.  Problem is, it originated in the mind of a two-year-old, so the truth may never be discovered.  We have a new name for the vacant lot next door.  Ready for this?  Forty Steps.  Josiah came up with it, and has been consistent in his use of it to refer to the lot.  I suppose it could be somehow related to his internal Texan, and he is thinking in terms of the proverbial “Back forty.”  It is a vast space from his perspective.  And he does enjoy wearing his cowboy boots.  Or maybe he is drawing from his Daddy’s profession and it has something to do with Jesus being in the wilderness for forty days.  It has much sand like a desert, and he has been repeatedly warned about the dangers of entering the field in his bare feet.  Sounds like a barren, rugged wilderness to me.  I don’t think he is personally acquainted with anyone in a 12 step program for addiction, so I have kind of ruled that one out.  Forty Steps.  It does have a ring to it, I guess.

Josiah and his brothers were here around lunchtime yesterday, so we did what any self-respecting grandparent would do in a similar situation.  Three boys.  Active boys.  Hungry boys.  We ordered a pizza.  Problem was, before it arrived Josiah decided that he was indeed quite hungry.  He duly informed the master of the kitchen, Nana, “I weady for some wunch.”  Kind of a Tweety Bird stuck in the W’s instead of the T’s statement.  Chris was doing her best to stall him and distract him.  There was no way to get his mind off of food, though, and I totally understand that.  So she talked about food.  Here’s a bit of their interchange:

Nana: “Josiah, what do you want on your pizza?”

Josiah: “I want green beans and candy on my pizza.” 
Nana: “Ew.  Green beans and candy?”
Now at that I had to join in.  So I added an “Ew” of my own.
DadDad: “Ew is right.  You don’t want green beans and candy on your pizza really, do you?”
Josiah (by now sensing he has the undivided attention of both grandparental units, and reveling in his successful endeavor to gain just that) begins chuckling: “Yes, I do want pizza and candy on my pizza.  And …”
DadDad: “There’s more?  What else could you put on pizza besides green beans and candy?”
Josiah: “I want green beans and candy on my pizza.  And I’m gonna put it in my pocket.”  (Now squealing with laughter).

Of course we joined him.  He could have said anything and followed it with that laugh and we would have done the same.  There’s nothing quite like the unrestricted laughter of a two-year-old.

Psalms 65:8 says, “Those living far away fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy.”

Father, restore to me the unrestricted joy of a two-year-old in total command of his grandparents’ attention.  Amen.