Friday, February 27, 2009

Marriage and Mermaids

Last week, we were all in the car when Ella asked a question I had been dreading.

"Mommy, when can I get married?"

"When you're 30," I said.

"How about when I'm 39?" said Ella.

"Even better."

"Or, when your post-graduate studies are completed," said Corey.

I looked at Corey. "But I never completed a post-graduate program."

"Well, you shouldn't have gotten married."

"Nice."

"But Mommy, Ariel was 16 years old when she married Prince Eric. Why can't I get married when I turn 16?"

"Well," I said. "That's because Ariel was a mermaid. You're a human."

"Yeah, but she got legs and became a human."

"Yes, Ella, but she was BORN a mermaid. Even though she got legs, she was still a mermaid, so that's why she got to get married."

I turned to see Ella with her arms crossed and a, "hmph" look on her face.

"Well, when am I getting swim lessons?"

"Soon," I said. "But that isn't going to make you into a mermaid. You have to be BORN a mermaid."

And then a fight erupted in the back seat when Genna piped up by saying in a sing-songy voice, 'You can't get married, you can't get married."

4 comments:

kimmyk said...

did you pull over and let corey out?

Pinterest Failures said...

Ha! Unfortunately, he was driving.

Anonymous said...

Dude. Somebody needs to tell her that marriage is overrated.

I mean - I like it, but being single in college is way better.

Tell her that. Her Dad will be ALL ABOUT her getting married at 16.

Anonymous said...

That is freaking awesome.