The Will

Before we leave on this trip, we need to update the will.  I must admit that our current will is terribly outdated and if it went into effect, the kids would be pissed!
The last will was written when all the kids were under 18.  Now we only have Jacob under 18 and that will change next summer.  The old will had the house being sold and the kids moving back to Cedar Rapids to live with Aunt Crissy.  Now Hayley and Ashlyn become Jacob's guardians and they stay in the house.  Our life insurance has quadrupled, but our debt has gone down.  The kids would be in a good financial place and wouldn't have to worry about much in that area. 
It is a strange thing, will writing.  Obviously, picking the persons that will raise your children is a struggle.  There are not a lot of people that fit all the criteria.  Danny and I struggled frequently with that one.  When the kids were little, it was easier but as they grew and established a life in West Des Moines, it became harder to imagine them being uprooted and moving back to Cedar Rapids.  And taking the kids also meant taking the animals.  No easy favor to ask of anyone.  Luckily, no one had to!
Now that the kids are all almost adults, the will becomes much easier.  Three way split.  But it is weird to imagine what would become of all our stuff.  Would they just keep it all as it is and keep living like we always had?  Or would there be a massive garage sale?  Would they stay in the house until Jacob graduated?  And what of the kitties and Harlow? 
I am not at all concerned that Danny and I will not safely return from this trip or any of the many others that we will take.  I am not fretting over who will get my china or my jewelry or my little yellow car.  But I am also thinking of trying to make things as easy for the kids as possible. 
I have a folder with all the info inside.  There is the will.  All the life insurance policies.  A list of who gets paid off before the kids start spending their inheritance on fancy cars and tennis lessons.  There is a list of phone numbers of people that will be there for them. 
The military always kept us up to date on our will.  It was just part of the plan.  After those years, it was very easy to just live day to day and not think about the inevitable.  We think the inevitable is fifty years away.  But it is better to be safe then have everything tied up in courts and leave the kids with nothing but headaches.  So check this off the pre-vacation list!  Now back to packing.