precious things

November 2036 - Jack Cooper is 34, Jillian Cooper is 33, Jackson is 8, Rachel is 6, Piper is 3.

Jillian quit her job as a kindergarten teacher at the end of the last school year to be a stay-at-home mother. Instead of going to daycare, Piper spends the day at home with her mom. Jillian loves spending the day with her baby girl. When Jackson and Rachel were toddlers, she was constantly exhausted from taking care of them and baby Piper. She was relieved when they got older and more independent. But now Jackson and Rachel are in school all day, and Jillian enjoys every second taking care of her youngest.

Every day is so sweet and simple. They play games and read stories. Piper loves being read to.

Piper's also happy spending hours playing by herself. She's a very sweet, quiet little girl.

Now that the kids are older, Jillian has more time for other things. She's started painting again.

She's also started gardening. They have an enormous yard, but right now it's almost completely empty, and she wants to put in some flower plots and rose bushes.

Jackson plays with his little sister every day after school. He loves Piper, and she adores him.

He also spends a lot of time playing with his train set. His father and mother help him add the houses and trees.

His parents also let him adopt the stray dog that's been wandering around Forest Hills. They were hesitant at first, but the dog is well-behaved, and the vet assured them he doesn't have any diseases.

Jackson names him Tucker. It's nice for him to have a dog to play with, since they live so far from town. He's a shy kid, and he doesn't have many friends.

Rachel doesn't mind living out in the country. She's good at entertaining herself.

She is completely her father's daughter. She runs out to greet him every day when he gets home from work.

She loves playing in her father's office. "I want to be a lawyer just like you, Daddy," she says.

"I'm sure you will be," he tells her. "You'll be a great lawyer someday."