Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a legacy. At times, it seems silly to think that I need to start planning for this, but at the same time it's so important to. I just finished (finally) the book "The Resolution for Women". This book has given me a great deal of understanding what I can do as a woman, wife, mother, daughter, and teacher to give HIM the glory. The last chapters discuss leaving a legacy. The author throws in how in the Bible, Jesus was leaving his legacy with this disciples all along. Our communion is how we remember him and glorify him. In our lives, death will come. We don't know when and we may not know how, but it will come. Our blood-line families as well as our spiritual families need to be creating these memories and keeping them somehow. 

I know of a few women who scrapbook, keep a journal, take photos, etc. The author advises that it doesn't matter HOW you create your legacy, but it's important that you do. Keeping tabs on priorities, family values, and slowing down the pace of life are the things that matter most. 

Here are a few ways that I'm creating a legacy by:

*Photographs: Shutterfly books/Dropbox/blog/phone pics

*Blogging of course

*Journal of Everett's milestones and moments

*Scrapbook of Alex and I while we were dating (includes cards we gave eachother)

*Family Bible (we highlight verses that we constantly pray on, we also keep sermons that helped us move through seasons of life)

*Furniture that has been kept in the family. This also includes Everett's toy box that Papa Charlie handmade for his first birthday.

Here below is Nana Betty. This is Alex's maternal grandmother. She is heaven sent. Talk about a women leaving a legacy! She has done JUST THAT. With 4 children, 11 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild, she has many ways (simply and complex) that she's leaving a legacy. Just to name a few: Her basement still has paintings of hand prints from every grandchild when she babysat them growing up; their measurements of growth are still marked on the walls as well. Every Christmas, the family sits together and sings Christmas hymns before opening gifts together. She is living in the home that her parents had and the same home that she grew up in. What a blessed woman. She is truly a woman of legacy.

 

 Next is Nana Carrie. This is Alex's paternal grandmother. She is originally from Peurto Rico. She also has 4 children, 7 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. This woman is a woman of legacy. She's always speaking Spanish (which is a wonderful way to keep legacy); cooking rice and beans (family favorite) at Thanksgiving and Christmas; and sharing stories about her childhood. We love it when she sings to Everett in Spanish too. :)

Nana Carrie is truly a woman of legacy.

 This is my paternal grandmother, Delma J Loftis. She is also a woman of legacy. Being originally from Oklahoma, she and my grandfather brought their family here for teaching jobs. She loves trying new things and sharing stories about growing up. I'm so thankful that she's spent so many years working on the Loftis family tree. It dates back to the 1400s I believe. With 3 children, 6 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren; this is a woman of legacy. A wonderful way that she's created a legacy is through quilting. Every grandchild has received a quilt made by Grandma Delma. I am blessed to have two. She made one out of many of my childhood clothes and a quilt as a wedding gift to Alex and I. This legacy has carried on to my step-mom, Robin. She has made two quilts for me. This is a skill that I would someday like to learn. Another legacy that my grandmother has left for me are many recipes from family members.

 This is my Great Aunt Joann. She is my maternal Grandmother's sister. She's been like a grandmother to me since Mi-mi passed in 1993. The Colyer legacy is being left through her. With her love and passion of singing and telling stories of growing up, we've always laughed together and joked around. A legacy that she has is not only through her singing but through her prized jewelry. I've always known her to wear huge rings and bold necklaces. Growing up, she would have tea parties with me and made my childhood memorable. She's also not afraid to say anything. She believes in standing up for what's right.

 The picture below is the last picture of the Loftis grandchildren and great-grandchildren with Grandpa Gene Loftis. Ryan Zimmerman is not pictured. He was so happy that day and it was a day to remember that family is everything. :)

 As for our family legacy, I just had to add a few pictures of how Alex and I are creating a legacy for our family. Everett's first Cardinal game is pictured below. Alex and I each have pictures of our first Cardinal game as well.

 Here is Nana Betty and Everett. Everett is sitting on a wooden car that Papa Dennis handmade. This was the first car that Papa Dennis made as a model for the other cars that he made for all of his grandsons.

This is where our legacy begins. Everett Dale Skelton will have many memories in this family and many stories to tell. His duckie is his favorite animal to sleep with given by Aunt Allison. You can see his binky is also a prized possession. :) His teddy bear was given to him for his first birthday by the Waltons (neighbor); and his lamb was given to him before he was born by Great Aunt Bep. Finally his yellow blanket was the first thing we bought Everett before he was born. Blessings upon blessings pour out in our family having him around.