Woman: I'm sorry! I thought she was their mother!
Me: Oh, I'm not their mom. I'm their nanny.
*walk outside*
Ketan: That was mean of her.
Me: What? Why?
Ketan: Obviously you couldn't be our mom. *gestures to skin colors*
Me: Sure I could. I might have adopted you.
Ketan: Will you adopt us!?
Me: No! I don't want your parents to die.
Ketan: But if they die, will you adopt us?
Me: That's sweet. We'll see.
Ketan is always the one who creates memorable conversations, but Anju is pretty hilarious in her own right. And she's super cuddly. After piano lessons today, I took her home (Ketan went off with his dad) and she sat on my lap while we both read to ourselves. It was literally a page out of my "I want my future family to be like this!" picture book.
All of which leads up to this: Every once in a while, over the last couple weeks, I have... *deep breath* I have...wanted kids.
I know, WHAT. There have been times in the past when I've thought, "I want to indoctrinate kids," or "kids would be useful for visiting the zoo three times in one month" or "it'd be cool to have the adoration of kids." All those things are still on the table, but now I kind of just...want kids for the sake of having kids. Of doing life with half-formed people, seeing their perspective and teaching my own. Putting on lotion and getting kleenexes for bloody noses. Complaining about dinner and dog piling on a bed to wheezing laughter.
Those big feelings don't last. They're fleeting. But they're NEW. And maybe they'll get more common from here on out.
It took me nearly 25 years, but I finally learned to stop thinking of kids as parasites (adorable parasites, but still). Who knew this nannying job would be so important?
Just a word of caution...kids are wonderful and fulfill your life BUT they are also a ton of work, worry and responsibility and it does not stop for a long, long time if ever. Most people who are raising or have raised children will agree that they never really knew what they were getting into until they got into it. Parenting is very hard work and it will age you pretty quickly. It is also an extremely worthwhile endeavor and I think God is pleased when we create more people to know Him and accept Him. And when your child tells you that they love you, there is nothing greater.
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