What's In a Name?

It's late as I write this.  Pete just left for 17 days of business travel tonight.  I feel asleep around 9 PM as I was helping Little Monkey to go to sleep himself (i.e., I feel asleep reading to him ;-)).  Then, I woke up around 11 PM to make sure that everyone else had arrived in bed on time.  I have not been able to fall back to sleep.  I have a lot on my mind.  Today, I heard about a family (friends of friends) that lost their 21 year old son in 2012.  Two days ago, the father of that 21 year old died suddenly.  I can not even imagine what his sweet wife is enduring right now.  My heart aches for her and I don't even know her or anyone in her family.  To lose a child and a husband...

News of this kind always reminds to spend every second of every day being grateful for the time that I have right now with my family.  Tomorrow is not a guarantee.  The time for cultivating love is now.  I want to spend every chance that I can being present with those that I love.  Giving them my full attention.  Showing them that they are important.  Instilling in them that family is important.  I want our kids to know that the bonds we have as a family, The Lehman Family, are their roots, their foundation, their springboard for all other significant human relationships. It all starts here.  Our family shares a common faith.  We have experienced joys and sorrows together.  We serve and encourage each other.  We play together, work together, learn together and love together.  I want our  family name, Lehman, to be more than just a name.  I want it to be our identity.  Our legacy.

So, here are some questions for anyone reading.  How do you cultivate love in your family? How have you built your family's identity?  What legacy are you creating for the next generation?

I love hearing from you.  It makes me think.  You have great insights.  Sometimes I "borrow" your ideas.  Well, maybe more than sometimes.  Because, hey, we can all use encouragement!

Hugs,

Melissa