Our friends would all make fun of us
And we’d just laugh along because we’d know
That none of them have felt this way
Delilah, I can promise you
That by the time that we get through
The world will never ever be the same
And you’re to blame – Hey There Delilah

Innocent love. Crushies (as my daughter would say). Is there anything more pure and fun to observe and feel in our overly cynical world?

I started blogging back in 2009. I’ve shared many stories over the last several years, but one of my favorites is not something I crafted in my mind and completed with a punctuation mark, but instead continues to grow in front of my very own eyes with an ending that has yet to be defined.

I’m just lucky to be able to sit back and watch it unfold.

My daughter is now 7. She was not yet 3 years old when she first noticed Parker at preschool. And Parker noticed her.

Parker’s mom and I were equally tickled by their budding relationship. We soon learned that they would find secret hiding spots on the playground, places of solitude to share their innermost ideas and trade kisses on each other’s cheeks…which they were both told was not approved behavior on more than one occasion.

Their teachers were very much in-the-know about what was going on between the pint-sized pair and would report daily to Parker’s mom and me about our children’s ongoing fascination with one another.

We both sort of assumed that they, like so many relationships before them, would grow older and their memories of one other would fade as quickly as their toddler denim jeans.

I detailed their ongoing courtship in these two posts.

The time came for Parker and Jaycee to say goodbye and head their separate ways to two different elementary schools for kindergarten.

I think Parker’s mom and I were sadder about this reality than they were. I guess they always knew, unlike us, that a good thing was worth holding onto…despite the distance.

In kindergarten, Parker took his dad’s old class ring and sent a text message proposal (from his mom to me) to his favorite girl.

When I showed it to Jaycee, she accepted. And smiled a whole lot.

Parker has surprised her the last two Valentine’s Days with gifts of affection.

After all these years of him treating her so nicely and not forgetting about his first true love in spite of this crazy world we live in…guys…seriously…I’m not even joking…

I don’t know what I’m going to do if these two DON’T get married!

I mean, after college and several years of living on their own and discovering what they truly want out of life of course (wink).

Parker, you’ll always have a special place in not only my daughter’s heart, but mine as well.

Written by Heidi Woodard