darwin at work?

She's in love.  For the time-being.  Like all of us, I suppose.  For today.  My E loves a boy.  The same boy she's crushed on nearly all year and now they've settled into mutual affection.  And I really feel like there's been some major progress evolution-wise in this generation because let me tell you how sane she is!  How calm and rational.  How accepting she is of their limited time together (she's changing schools next year), of their mutual restrictions on dating (I mean, we'd never be allowed to go to a movie together even if he asked), of their open communication (You can't be a jerk to me.  ~  I'm sorry.  I just really like you and I don't know how to act.)!

I thought I loved a boy when I was in 5th grade, too, and all my calm was a sham and I was nowhere near rational and we never spoke of the way we treated one another and there was not one ounce of my brain that anticipated that I might not love him FOR-EV-ER.  So, because of all this rapidly progressing human nature, I'm actually fine with love.  I'm excited for her.  I see her eyes glimmer when she talks about him and it makes me a little giddy.  Besides, I know my place in the evolutionary chain.  There is no competing with love.