Genealogy. Family History. For a really long time I didn't get it. Both of Ben's Grandmas are avid family historians. My own Grandma is going to serve a mission in the Family History Mission in Salt Lake City. They all amaze me. It takes so much work to research and discover those who have gone before. Then last year, when I was searching for a family name to use for Thomas I realized that eventually, I will just be a name on a family pedigree chart. Someone will be researching their ancestors, and my name, my birth date, and my death date (let's hope that's in awhile, I'm not ready to die) will be all they know about me. They will pass over me just as I have passed over so many names. There are so many that have gone before me to help determine where I am today. To me, this connection is magical. For those who have gone before, what were their lives like? What were their struggles? What were their stories? How am I like them? Wouldn't it be a choice experience to have the ability glimpse into their lives, and find out what they were like? I think it would be great.
Interesting bit of information, my dad is in town and has informed me that I am related to a lot of amazing, famous people in history. Pretty sure that is why my kids aspire to greatness. It runs in the family
*After I wrote this, my dad and I went on a family history site that is done by our church- familysearch.org. We were able to trace one of our family lines back to Adam and Eve. Yes, first man Adam, first woman Eve. It was an incredible experience.
It wasn't work that we did. We happen to have royalty in our family line, and a lot of people for many centuries have been working to prove their royal heritage. Still, AWESOME.*
7 comments:
Of course you are!
And hi, Emily's Dad! Thank you for helping mold Emily into the phenomenal Emily that Emily is. We all benefit from her wonderfulness. :)
And how did my Google thing not tell me about your post from a couple of days ago until tonight?!?! Those McDonald's pictures are adorable! And that one of Thomas with his ADORABLE little cheeks and the one of Ben and Jack on the beach... darling!
I, also, wonder about who came before me and what they were like. I wish I had something more personal than just names and dates.
And I just have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE your new fonts. They are just beautiful!
I think that you and your family will just have to come here to Fort Wayne to visit our main library. It houses the nation's largest public genealogy collection. I know of a local with tons of time on her hands that would be willing to give you an excellent tour of all the sights ;-)
Isn't that why we changed the words from "Genealogy, I am doing it!" to "Family History, I am doing it!"? So that we know more than just the birth and death dates.
Aaaah, primary songs :)
My dad has traced one of our lines back to Adam too and it's amazing seeing the historic names that are all tied to us. So so so cool!!
I would go so far in my lineage! so far, we have found great surprises in it. My maternal grandfather was a descendant of a French pirate who escaped from the ship with the captain's wife ... (is a funny thing for me) he was from the city of Lyons in France. Only a cousin of my grandfather has been able to travel to Lyons, France to collect information from the family, but she is not a member of the church and do not want to give us that information (because they know that Mormons do "ritual" in the "sanctuaries" .) but I know God will help us in this great work.
Genealogy is one of my favorite thing at church...
Em, I just love your posts. You manage to inspire AND keep it real! I'm glad to hear you guys are thriving in Mexico. We miss you!
Amazing that none of your family died in the flood. Either they were excellent swimmers or they were animals. Just kidding. I just don't believe anyone can go back to Adam and Eve. I am addicted to researching family history, so way to go.
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