A Conversation with Hope and Liam

The other day, I was driving in the van with Hope and a friend of hers, Liam, who had come over for a playdate. Anna was at another friend's house for a playdate. Hope, her friend, and I were on our way to go pick up Josh at his summer day camp.

Liam had never met Josh so I realized that I should probably interpret a bit about who Josh was so that he wouldn't be surprised, confused or scared upon meeting him. Here is how our conversation went:

Me: Liam, do you know what it means to have special needs?
Liam: No
Me: It means that some people's bodies or brains don't work the way that most people's do. Have you ever seen people like that?
Liam: Yeah. Some of the kids at my school are like that. They don't talk.
Me: Yes! I just wanted to let you know that Hope's brother is like that. His brain doesnt work as well as yours does. For example, he doesnt know how to speak very well yet. Josh is a little different from other kids his age. I just wanted to tell you that, okay Liam?

Liam: Ok.

(After a few minutes . . .)

Liam: Hope, does your brother annoy you?
Hope: No. My sister does but my brother never does.
Liam: Why not?
Hope: Because I love him the most. First is God, then Jesus, then my brother. Do you know about God?
Liam: Yes, I go to the Unitarian Universalist church where we have helping hands and healthy hearts. I go to the yellow room.
Hope: Well, I am in the big kids church now but my sister with the little kids. Want some gum?
Liam: I love gum. Sometimes I eat a whole bunch of it and I think about when I am going to poop it out.

Treasures within the conversations of kids are so easy to miss because they fly by so quickly and there is always so much going on. I just had to capture this one.