My Aunt Kate has told me more than once that her father always wondered what happened to everyone else in the family. I won't say that's what compelled me to research my family, but it was probably a contributing factor.
It wasn't until I was fully adult that I met someone outside my immediate family with the same last name. I started researching my family in earnest in 1994, finding out where the family came from and what happened to its members. It was only a few years ago, after 2009, that I came into contact with someone from another branch of the family. That led to my invitation to the family reunion.
It also led to the awareness of old family photos being held by some family member. I am hoping somehow that the family reunion leads to my viewing of the photos. I guess those have been my Holy Grail.
I'm hoping to put together a display for the reunion. It hasn't seemed to me that the family knew much about its history. It's going to be something of a challenge. My elderly mother has to go into a rehab center to rehabilitate from the neglect she suffered from the awful rehab center that she was originally sent to March 10th. While I am pretty sure that the new center will be a good place for her, it's also an hour's drive from home. My personal life has suffered greatly in my efforts to support her, rescue her from the original center's grip, and find a better place for her. Normally I would greatly enjoy preparing from this. I hope I can tap into that joy. Wish me luck!
