An arranged marriage, but arranged by who?

I have been following Declan around with my notepad in hand, busily jotting down every comical blurb he makes after being deprived of his witty chatter for the last couple of months. It has been, as you would expect, a lot of fun.

As prepared as I try to be, I am regularly blindsided by most of the comments he makes. Like when I was informed my seven-year-old was already planning his wedding.

As he and Grandma returned from the pool, just a few days back from his grand summer adventure, my mother asked me if I knew my 7-year-old was engaged to be married.

"Engaged?" I replied, looking to Declan for explanation.

He looked up at me with an expression of nothing but complete seriousness.

"Yeah to Betty, she's bootiful," he chirped through his two missing front teeth as he shrugged his shoulders in a "no big deal" manner. (Betty's actual name has been changed to save both of the youngsters from years of us older folks teasing them)

"Betty? Who is Betty?" I said.

"She's a girl in my class. I have to work really hard so I can buy her whatever house she wants," he said, with a no-problem-at-all tone as he waved his hand in the air to further signify the girl's limitless ability of home selection.

I wasn't able to get any details from Declan pertaining to how the engagement came about, but I am certain this topic will make for several entertaining follow-ups in the years to come.