And It Begins...

Well, we've been lucky for quite a while and and it happened over here alot later than it has for most... but Emily is officially "boy-crazy" now...


I know those of you with young daughters are reading this and cringing and saying "NO", "she's too young", "mine won't start that young", etc. Sorry to say - yes they will!


And what's even worse about Emily's generation, and heaven help us will be worse yet with David's generation, is technology. The texting, cell phones, My Space, Facebook - they are inundated with ways to communicate and access to their friends and boys. Of course you limit it and monitor it and all the things a "good concerned parent" does. And believe me - we do this. It's done here and at her mom's house too... But we don't keep her in a cage or a bubble. She has a cell phone as does EVERY other child in her 7th grade class and they text each other the way we used to write notes in the '80's. They talk to each other on the social networking sites, share pictures, the music they like, the movies they've seen, hairstyles, clothes, etc.


You know what though - I'm confident in Emily and in myself and Dan and Arlene & Danny (her mom and step-dad). We love her, monitor her, give her boundaries, set expectations, talk to her about God and ultimately we trust her. The "boy-crazy", social butterfly phase is something we all go through. It's fun and heartbreaking and dramatic and silly and just part of growing up. I want her to experience life and all that it has to offer. Would I rather her not be hurt by a jealous girlfriend a creepy guy, etc. of course I would. I would do anything to protect her, but ultimately the best way to protect her is to let her live with loving boundaries and to PRAY and pray often.


So we're "buckling up for the ride"... It's gonna be an interesting one.