United

I cannot tell you the number of times I heard my parents say, "Your friends will come and go, but you will have your family forever."  This was always in an effort to help us get along and not fight--an effort to help us realize that we should try just as hard to be respectful to each other as we were to our friends.

Somehow my parents were successful.  All 8 of the siblings are good friends and this started from a very early age.  Yes, the usual fighting was there, but somehow we learned to "enjoy" each other.  What was it?  How did they help us to see friendships rather than foes?

I mention this because I really want this to be a reality in my family too.  My kids generally get along with each other, but they also generally don't.  The bickering and annoyances, the "I hates," the "she's bugging me," the "he's looking at me," the irritability, and let's be honest, the selfishness, it is driving me crazy.  At one point during the break, Christian even asked if we could drop-off one of my other kids at an orphanage.  Help.

I really want to help them see that there is power in being united.  Hopefully I will be able to help them realize that there is not a lot that can be done with a broken chain.

So, although my one word to help me focus and make the most of 2011 is "Embrace,"  I think the one word that I will use as a 2011 focus for my little family is: "United."

How funny that I am now the one saying, "Your friends will come and go, but you have your family forever."