Oh dear, it looks like my daughter is growing up faster than I expected. When did she turn into this beautiful, intelligent, young lady who looks older than her innocent ten years? Last night, she attended a youth bible study along with hundreds of other kids from our community. Upon returning home, she somewhat sheepishly admitted that several of the boys in her age group were palsying up to her quite a bit. Jen managed to restrain me before I ran out of the house screaming bloody murder like a madman. "Leave my daughter alone you…you…boys!!!!"

In fact, one somewhat shy boy passed notes to her all night long, all of which she kept. The funny part about it is that the messages all had the same consistent theme - "You are butiful" or "I think you are butiful." All five of them. And my witty daughter had the courage to write back after the third message, "You already said that before." Ah, young love. Waitagoshdarnminute. Young love? What the hell am I saying? There shouldn't be any love to begin with. Love shouldn't enter into it!

As innocent as their affections may be, it is still cute in a way. Cute as long as they keep their awkwardly paws off of her. But seeing as how Ariel is bigger than all of them, I shouldn't worry needlessly, should I?

We were also informed that there are several boys Ariel's age on the street we're moving to. Damn. And I wasn't planning on getting out the baseball bat for another two or three years. Perhaps that was my plan three years ago. Where did the time go? A wise woman told me recently, "You just better wear that baseball bat in your back pocket." Ouch. Could be painful. The more I think about it, forget the baseball bat. I should just chain her to her bed until she's thirty - my sweet, lovely daughter who is ten years old going on twenty-five.

I can't wait. It can only get "better" from here on out. I think I better pick up more than a baseball bat. Perhaps a shotgun. Or ten. Yeah, that should do the trick. Especially after tonight's class where that boy wrote Ariel a note telling her that he wanted to be her boyfriend. And telling her *again* that he thought she was butiful. And sexy.

Sexy????????????? #$!@#%$%!!#!#$$!!! Since when did ten year old boys start calling their female contemporaries sexy??? Damn. Forget the baseball bats. Forget the shotguns. I'm going to need something more powerful than those primitive weapons. Do they make Girlcrazy-Boys-Seeking-Missiles? If so, I'll take a crateful. Better yet, make that a semi-trailer full. That should be enough to get me started, if only just barely.

And to think it's only just beginning...*mournful sob*

Almost a year ago today: 44 Down and 6 To Go