The Adventures of Nahnee: The Big Talk (Kissing)

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“Nahneeeeeeeee!. . . I WISH I WERE MY MOTHER !” whines four-year old Julia squealing to her grandmother.

 

Nahnee agrees, “Oh, I wish I were your mother, too! She looks like she has soooo much fun with seven beautiful babies. Hmmm. . Julia, do you think you’d like to have a family one day?”

Julia responds, “No. I don’t want to get married!”

“Why is that, Julia?”

Julia thinks carefully, “Because my older brother Wyatt doesn’t like being married. Because you have to buy groceries and kiss your husband. And, because I don’t like kissing.” Then, eyeing her sister’s look of surprise, “Yes, that’s right, Liberty. I don’t like kissing!”

Julia’s six-year old sister, Liberty, rolls her big brown eyes and raises her voice a bit, “You know, Julia, you could adopt your children. Or, you could come over to my house and help me with my children.”

We three are sitting on a bed in the Girls’ Dormitory at the home of my incredible grandchildren. We are chatting and sharing dolls and painted drawings.

“Well… I think…” says Julia, “Well Liberty… why do you want me coming over to YOUR house? Why would you want me to babysit YOUR children? Why, I MIGHT be in college when I’m older!”

Liberty pauses and thinks for a moment. “I want you to adopt children because children are a blessing to the Lord!”

Julia questions, “Why do you want me to adopt my own kids?”

“I already told you, Julia …because children are a blessing to the Lord,” said Liberty.

“Why do you want me to adopt MY OWN KIDS?  Because I already have my own mom and dad and you already have your own mom and dad AND WE ARE SISTERS!” asks Julia.

“Julia, Julia, Julia . . .” soothing her sister, “Why do you not want to adopt children or get married?”

Because it makes me nervous. And now, this time of the year with the holidays here, my husband is going to want to kiss me goodnight. AND I DON’T LIKE IT.”

Liberty remarks quietly, “I told you, you could get married or you could adopt, like I already said. Why don’t you want to adopt or get married”?

“Liberty, I told you it makes me nervous. I like kids but I don’t like marriage. Nothing will be in conflict.”

“Hmmm…What does that mean to you, Julia?” interrupts Nahnee with a surprised look.

“Conflict means boring. Nothing will be boring.”

Liberty muses, “I wonder why you feel this way ~ you’re just gonna grow up and have NO ONE!  And you’re going to have to do your own dishes!”

Julia, sticking out her lower lip in a pout, “I won’t. Because I will have an older brother and an older sister to do the dishes.”

Oliver walks in and joins the conversation. He is nine years-old. “I agree with you, Julia, I don’t want to marry either. In fact, I don’t even want to get a car! I’d rather travel on horseback…and have my very own ranch. Just mine. By the way, Julia, just who is this older brother and this older sister who are going to do the dishes and all your work?”

Julia stands up and walks away. “I’m done with this. I want to color.”

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