Something Extra II

The 52 Week Genealogy Challenge is now in it's third week and this challenge was to think about how we - you and I - are documenting our existance for the future generation of genealogists. At first I was taken back....I know I have dispaired when my ancestors haven't labeled a photo, or recorded where their home was or in the case of Lillian - especially in her later years - put her diaries somewhere safe and let those that cared about her know what treasures they are...so they wouldn't have been thrown in the garbage after her death. But what have I done? It took some thinking!

I have the usual documentation all in one place....my birth certificate, baptism certificate, diplomas from high school and colleges, marriage certificate, and I have even started planning my funeral. I have made scrapbooks of our wedding, special occasions - like my 50th birthday - and each of the girls' weddings. But that still didn't seem enough! Then I remembered 2 books I had received as gifts. 1 from our oldest daughter, Heather - entitled "The Story Of A Lifetime: (which I think she gave me 10 years ago) and the other one recently received from Tambi, our middle daughter, for Grandparents' Day, entitled " A Grandparent's Book". Both have hundreds of questions about your life - everything from your first pet to your first kiss - all your dreams and disappointments are exposed and in each is some sort of a genealogy tracing - who are my parents, grandparents, children, etc. The more I thought about these books the more I thought how wonderful it would have been if all my ancestors had kept one - and given them to me! Then I would know all the little stories that round out the statistics and make all those dates and places into a real person - with dreams and plans and loves and disappointments! So I have renewed my plan to work on these books daily and to get them back to the giver! So future generations, when you want to know my story ask Tambi or Heather for the book!