In Grammy and Grampa
Chosen Children #2
written by Jessika N Pearson
July 11, 2013
Hi there. I'm Dane. I grew up as an orphan. While living on the streets, I met two other homeless orphans, Allie and Travis. The three of us pretty much stuck together. We lived by ourselves, finding work and shelter and food wherever and however we could. Then one day Allie met a lady in a ragged, run-down street we'd spent that night in. A rich lady, and actress. The lady, Miss Kaitey, took us in for a few days, and later her and her husband, Nate, adopted us.
We've all grown up now. I married Allie and we had two kids, Annalise and Samuel. One day, my daughter had an interesting question...
ANNALISE
Daddy, why do you and Mommy have the same mommy and daddy?
DANE
Because we weren't born into their family. They adopted us when we were twelve and fourteen. We lived by ourselves in the streets before that. We were really poor and they were really rich, so they wanted to help us.
ANNALISE
But didn't that mean you were brothers?
DANE
Sort of. We had the same mom and dad because they adopted us, but we weren't really siblings. Not the way you and Sammy are.
ANNALISE
Hmm...
DANE
You and Samuel were born into this family. Mommy and I didn't even meet each other until we were older than you are.
ANNALISE
Okay.
DANE
Does that make sense?
ANNALISE
Yeah.
But it didn't really, of course. Not to my seven-year-old, anyway. So later, when Travis came for a visit, she tried again.
ANNALISE
Uncle Travis, is Mommy your sister?
TRAVIS
Yeah.
ANNALISE
And is Daddy your brother?
TRAVIS
Yup.
ANNALISE
So isn't Daddy Mommy's brother?
TRAVIS
Yeah, kind of.
ANNALISE
Oh.
TRAVIS
Why?
ANNALISE
Well, aren't brothers not supposed to marry their sisters?
TRAVIS
No, they're not. Except, your mommy and daddy and me aren't siblings the same way most siblings are. Most siblings live in the same family all their life because they were born into that family. Your parents and me were born into different families, but then our parents died, or they didn't want us. So we lived by ourselves until we met each other. Then after a while your Grammy found us, and her and Grampa adopted us so we wouldn't have to live on the streets by ourselves anymore.
ANNALISE
What does adopted mean?
TRAVIS
That means that they chose to make us their kids. They let us live in their house just like we really were their real children, as if we were born into their family.
I think that made more sense to her than what I said. But there was still some piece of this puzzle that was missing...something she still didn't quite understand.
The next morning, Annalise helped Allie make breakfast. I wasn't there, but Allie told me about their conversation later that day.
ANNALISE
Mommy?
ALLIE
Yes, dear?
ANNALISE
I'm confused.
ALLIE
Why are you confused?
ANNALISE
Because you married Daddy, but he's your brother. Except Daddy and Uncle Travis say he's not really your brother, just sort of.
ALLIE
Well, you know how Jesus adopted you into His family when you got saved?
ANNALISE
Mm-hmm
ALLIE
And your friend Trevor is saved. That makes him part of Jesus's family, too, right?
ANNALISE
Uh-huh
ALLIE
So that makes him your brother. Right?
ANNALISE
Yeah. Sort of. That makes him my brother in Christ.
ALLIE
See, that's like how your daddy and me are siblings. You and Sammy are siblings because you were both born into the same family. You and Trevor are sort of siblings because you were both adopted into Jesus's family. Me and Daddy were adopted into the same family, like you were into Jesus's. We were adopted into Grammy and Grampa's family.
ANNALISE
Oh, I see now. So he's your brother in Grammy and Grampa.
ALLIE
haha Yes. Something like that.
ANNALISE
Okay. Thank you Mommy!
Leave it up to Allie to have a good answer. She always was the smartest of our rug-rat trio.