Driving home from piano today I had to chuckle as my meandering thoughts picked up on this conversation.
Amanda says, "I can't believe I am only eight. I really feel like I am ten!" to which Emma replies, I KNOW! I have been waiting for YEARS to be twenty!". (Big sigh from Manda)"Me too". They sat quietly then with their twenty year old dreams and I could not help myself. I HAD to ask. "So, girls, why do you want to be twenty?"
Realizing that they had been overheard, we all giggled, and one of them chimed "Because you get to do GROWN UP things then!". "Like what, for example", I pressed (slightly nervous about what grown up things might be).
"We can have LOTS of MONEY!"
"And we could read old books and watch old videos."
"Yeah, we could ride bigger bikes and drive a car," jumps in Manda.
"Go shopping All by OURSELVES!"
"Eat grown up food!"
"What is grown up food?", I want to know (since they eat everything Steve and I eat).
"NOT ONIONS! I mean, we won't have to eat onions!" chanted Manda, "Yeah, and we'll eat delicious grown up food whenever we want!" agrees Emma.
Emma repeats, "We can read books that we can't read now."
"Like what?"
"Like Lord of the Rings and stuff."
"Okay, anything else?"
Emma states the obvious, "When I am twenty I am buying a horse with a white star on its forehead!" (She has WUUVED her stuffed black horse since she was itty bitty. It's name is Star. Any guesses why?)
Amanda concludes with, "I don't want a boring job when I am grown up. I don't think I even want a job! I think I'll be an artist. Is that okay?"
Emma answers her, "But you won't have ANY money!!!"
Maybe I should have given them I nice sound lecture on the evils of materialism but I didn't. They have been saving their allowance now for months. Every week they count and recount it. They clip pictures out of those pesky catalogues that come in the mail to decide what to save for. A couple of months ago, they both decided to go in on mountain flutes and I have to admit I was pretty proud of them for their well thought out choice. A few months back Emma saved and bought herself a Narnia pop-up book. So, right now money means the power to buy things they want. Granted, they are not things they NEED. And, they do cheerfully give a percentage to the Lord. I can only pray that we are setting an example in our gratitude, generosity, and mindfulness toward those who have far, far less. In the meantime, my kids really, really like money! What can I say?
