Our Promise To You

Bailey,

We promise to love you, unconditionally, for the rest of the time we are together on this planet.

We promise to set limits and expect you to follow them, and to understand when you are just too tired, hungry or cranky to NOT push those limits.

We promise to expect you to take school seriously, and to dedicate ourselves in whatever ways you need to help you succeed.

We promise not to set standards of success by grade scores, standardized tests or salary, but rather help you find and develop the standards that will make you feel sucessful.

We promise to show you ways that you can be give back to the world, and we promise to be right by your side, giving our share with you.

We promise to teach you about fiscal responsibility early, by making you earn your allowance and by allowing you to spend and save what you earn on the things that are important to you.

We promise to accept the love (or loves) of your life without judgement.

We promise to remain whole individuals, with a life outside of yours, so that you can see two strong women living fully in their worlds.

We promise to love each other, and to express that love in many ways, so that you can learn what real, honest love looks like.

We promise to help you find peace when you need, offer comfort when you can find it, and move through pain and grief when it comes. Because it will.

We promise to not shield you from real life, but rather help you see the world around you with clarity and understanding.

We promise not to expect too much.

We promise to apologize and be honest when we are wrong. And we will be.

We promise to let you take the lead when it is appropriate, even if we are uncomfortable with the choices you make.

We promise to teach you how to drive as soon as you get your permit.

We promise that we will clearly explain our expectations of your behavior and when you do not live up to those expectations, we promise that the punishment will fit the crime.

We promise that we will not be your friend. We will be your parents.

We promise that when you are an adult, if you want two more friends, you'll have them.

We promise that you will always have a place to call home as long as we are alive.

We promise to plan, save and invest so that you will not have to care for us financially when we are old.

More than anything, Bailey, we promise that you are safe with us. That we will never hurt you and that we will provide a place for you to run to when you need it. We love you.