Dear Adam, Charlie and Ruby,

Last June we carted all you kids along with us to a little house in Catonsville that was converted to a law office.  Across the squeaky floors covered in low pile carpet we trekked, sitting each of you in a chair with a device to keep you busy.  Dad and I continued into a room with ‘Mr. Lou’ and we sat and signed the papers that would tell other people what to do if something happened to both of us and you needed new parents.

We asked questions and made sure we understood how things would work, imagining the calls our friends and family would be making to each other as they made sense of our wishes.

And I felt a prayer of gratitude for getting to be your mom and asked the Lord to leave us here to raise you.  I prayed that no one would ever need to see this will and that no one would have to set up your trust.

For days after we signed our will I felt grateful – grateful for the arrangements we had made for you and thankful for the incredible friends and family who would hold you three close and raise you in incredible ways if they needed to.  I also thought of life’s big moments that lie ahead for each of you and how I look forward to seeing you experience them.  And I started thinking about a million little things I hope I will be here to teach you and help you through as you grow.

And then one day, it occurred to me that I could jot some of the things down that I hope to teach you.  So in addition to the will and trust that sit with Mr. Lou, here are a few little letters of life lessons from me to you.

Love,

Mom