I am NOT even ready for this!

As you may already know, The Boy has a "girlfriend" of sorts. They've known each other since first grade, I'm friends with her mom, The Girl is friends with her, and we've all spent a bunch of time together. Since they live about 9 ½ hours away from us, The Boy and this girl write each other regularly. It is very sweet.

Recently, The Girl has become enamoured with a boy at school. Trying not to have a double standard, The Husband and I have said nothing to encourage/discourage The Girl. Over the course of this year, she has come home and told us first, that this boy likes her; second, that she likes this boy; and third, that they sit together at lunch.

Later, she came to us to tell us that she and this boy hug each other at the end of the school day. OK. The Husband made her hug him the way she hugs this boy so we could make sure the little shit wasn't laying as much as a finger on her inappropriately determine all was innocent. It was.

Then came Valentine's Day.

We had to go out of town for The Girl's gymnastics meet for the weekend. While we were gone, The Boy picked up a trinket for his "girlfriend" and The Girl was upset we would not allow her to get something for her "boyfriend" as well. I ignored this silliness. I also knew that The Boy's friend had sent a gift for The Boy...her mom texted me and told me.

Sunday night when we got home, there was a confusing message on the phone. The woman from the gym had called. Apparently, The Girl's little friend called the gym to get our number so he could deliver a gift. The gym would not give out our number but took the boy's number and promptly phoned us with the message. I called the boy's mom back but she was not home. I figured, at that point, that the valentine would be delivered at school on Monday.

After school, I noticed The Girl did not have a gift with her. She said the boy told her it was big, red, and had a heart on it but that was all. The Girl also told me she had to talk to The Husband and me "in the office," which means serious stuff. Once at home, she proceeded to tell us that her little friend had ASKED HER OUT ON A DATE!!!!

WTF?!

Remember...The Girl is 10! She's in 4th grade!

The Husband and I calmly explain that she is not going on a date - that there is absolutely no need for her to date anyone. She is too young and has far too much else to think about! She was totally OK with this, by the way. She knew we were going to say no and didn't fight us. I told her that was how I knew SHE knew it wasn't a good idea! She'd have fought us if she had expected to go!

ANYWAY (because, you know, there IS more to the story!) I was getting ready to leave the house and saw there was a message on the machine. It was the boy's mother. She said the boy had a valentine for The Girl and would like to come to my house and deliver it, please!! WHOA! That was pretty much it for us. I couldn't call her just then because I had to run out but did try back later that night. She did not answer when I called.

Seriously?! This step took it too far. They're in FOURTH GRADE!! Ugh! The Husband was pretty pissed at this point as well!

Tuesday, The Girl came home with her valentine. It is a cute, floppy, red teddy bear. The card said "I *heart* U!" and was signed "love,"

*sigh*