Oh My Word! Lexi Grace is going to be the death of me, for sure ... and long before her teen years! She's outside playing right now, safely in our back yard, and there are a group of pre-teen boys 2 doors down playing soccer (or something equally loud and violent involving a ball!). Lexi just came waltzing in the door and we had this conversation:

Lexi: Mommy, can I go play with the big boys?
Me: No, they are a lot older than 5 years old and you need to stay in our yard.
Lexi: Ooooh! (Pout!) But I love one of them!
Me: Oh you do? Which one?
Lexi: The biggest one.
Me: Why do you love him?
Lexi: Because he said my singing was nice!

Truth be told - she WAS out there singing at the top of her lungs, I'm sure that the entire neighborhood DID hear her. Unfortunately, she IS her mother's daughter, and I have no doubt in my mind that there will be many more 'loves' in her life before she finds the real one!

I'm not sure I can put my feelings into words for this next part, but I'm going to try. As cute/funny as this story is, it makes me really sad too. She's barely 5 years old, and already she has this built-in desire to be in love. On top of that, the first compliment that boy paid to her made her instantly love him. It's one of those things thrown in your face by the world - TV, magazines, etc ... and that I wanted to be able to shield her from by limiting her social interaction (to Sunday school, christian friends, etc) and one of the main reasons I'm homeschooling her. Obviously, nothing I can do can keep her completely safe, so I'm praying to God about 7 years earlier than I thought I would have to, to protect that precious little heart and teach her to love Him alone!