Mothering a future bride

Nothing prepares you for having a 10-year old. 

All of a sudden, she is 3 years shy of being a teenager.  She'll hate me.  She'll resent me.  She'll know everything.  I'll know nothing. 

She could fall head over heels at 14 for the boy who could be her future husband (like me).

She'll be driving in 6 years.  She could be moving out in 8.  Married in 9 (like me).  Is she ready?  Am I? 

I know it sounds like I'm panicking.  I am.

All of a sudden, I find myself cramming for a final that I'm not prepared for.  Sitting in my dorm room typing ridiculously fast trying to meet a deadline when I had months to get ready for this as "outlined by the syllabus".

We've had 10 wonderful years with her.  But all of a sudden that feels like only months of milestones,  especially when we realize and remember that in 4 years she could be looking at a boy with a head in the clouds and twinkle in her eye.  And that is the scariest feeling in the world, when you were just reminding her a few moments ago to cover her mouth when she burps. 

I've really been uneasy about the thought of boyfriends/future husbands.  Have we taught her by a good godly example? 

I don't remember how exactly it came up, but we were on our way to Cookeville.  Abigail mentioned something about getting married one day.  Louis and I had just the day before, gotten into a deep conversation together about wanting them to hold the highest of standards when it came to choosing a husband.  Louis interjected, "Just don't settle".  To which Abigail replied, "The Lord will provide".