Planning for an unfortunate future

This is going to be morbid...I guess my fog hasn't really lifted all week. I've been thinking of things that I want for Emerson in case I'm not around to see her grow up. These are in no particular order, and I'll probably have more to add to this later .

1. Continue going to All Souls or other Unitarian church if possible. This is the origin of your name, and of you as a person. This is where your dad and I met and where we were married. I know it's easy to sleep late on Sunday, but I'd like for you to be there as much as possible at least until you are old enough to decide for yourself that you don't want to go there anymore.

2. Have a Christmas tree every year and know that I really enjoyed looking at a lit Christmas tree in a dark room.

3. Try playing a sport

4. Try playing a musical instrument

5. Learn how to be thrifty. Know that for the price of a soda at a restaurant you could buy a lot more soda at the grocery store. Learn how to save money so that you don't have to borrow very much. Know that borrowing money costs you a lot more than if you just paid for it up front.

6. Learn to plan ahead. It's best to not wait until the last minute to do things like your homework and taxes.

7. Clean up after yourself, and don't think that it's your job to clean up after anyone else.

8. Be choosy when selecting a partner. Pick someone with whom you can be yourself. Pick someone who makes you laugh and think. Be smart when it comes to having sex - Know that there are consequences to any behavior and it's probably best to keep it in your pants as long as possible, but don't let other people scare you about sex so much that you don't take the time to learn how to protect yourself.

9. Don't let math, science, engineering, and computers scare you.

10. I will always support you in your dreams, no matter how crazy. I'll be there cheering you on no matter how things go.