Valentine's Day may have passed, but love isn't about just one day. There are 364 more in the year and 24 hours in each to love and be loved!

We've spent some time in these newsletters on love of one's self, romantic love, and eternal love... this weekly is devoted to love of family.

This past weekend I journeyed home to the little town that I grew up in, and saw many familiar places along the way.

The house my folks were married in by a justice of the peace, the little community my grandparents lived in as teenagers, and the river bank where we camped each summer of my youth.

Each brought back strong memories and I was reminded of the deep deep roots of my family and how much love we shared.

My grandparents, parents, and older brother are now gone, but I feel their love all the more. My two siblings and I are so very different, but we adore each other all the same.

God used imperfect people to create our family, but the love we shared and continue to share is perfectly strong and true; my foundation of love is solid and firm.

I've built my family in a far different way than my folks built theirs, but all the traditions and memories I work to establish for my kids are because my parents put forth the effort to establish these for me; showing love through words, deeds, and actions.

Family is more than passed on genetic traits. Family are the people you chose to live your lives beside, sharing triumphs and tragedies and loving, loving, loving. Family are the ones that share in the tingly excitement when you meet a special someone, and wrap their arms around you if it doesn't work out.

So let's keep setting aside that ONE day of hearts and candy and flowers just because it's fun and romantic and a great excuse to eat far too many chocolate caramels, but let's not forget to LOVE excessively and without condition the other 364; and let's start at home!