Growing A Legacy

When I think about the legacy I want to leave, it’s not a list of accomplishments or perfectly checked boxes. It’s in the way I live today—in the small choices, the everyday moments, and the way I show up for my family.

I hope my children see me as bold—not because I never felt fear, but because I chose to keep going anyway. I practice that boldness when I advocate for them, when I speak truth even when it’s uncomfortable, and when I remind them that courage is often quiet. Boldness looks like moving back home to start over when I had to, or standing firm in faith when life felt uncertain.

I hope they feel my energy in the way I make room for joy, even on ordinary days. Energy is chasing them through the yard with water guns, turning on music in the kitchen and dancing while dinner cooks, or bundling everyone up for a rainy walk just to feel the fresh air. It’s in the way I try to bring laughter into the room when the weight of the world feels heavy.

I try to live with thoughtfulness—noticing when they need extra hugs, when silence speaks louder than words, or when a small gesture matters more than a grand one. It’s in the handwritten notes tucked into a backpack, the whispered prayers over them at night, the way I bend down to meet them at eye level when they’re upset.

My drive shows up in the way I work hard—both in my career and in our home. It’s in pushing through long days in the OR and still coming home to be present for bedtime stories. It’s in planting seeds in the garden even when I’m tired, believing in the slow work that will bear fruit later. It’s in showing them that perseverance and purpose matter more than perfection.

And my generosity—I hope they’ll remember that too. That I gave of myself, even when it wasn’t easy. That I opened our home, our hearts, and our time. That I chose forgiveness over bitterness, kindness over judgment, and presence over distraction. Generosity doesn’t always mean grand gestures—it’s often in the daily pouring out of love, the willingness to listen, the gift of showing up.

If there is a legacy I leave, I hope it’s not just words on a page but a life they inspired me to live. I hope my children carry forward a spirit of boldness, energy, thoughtfulness, drive, and generosity because they saw it practiced right here, in the messy & beautiful days of our lives.