Tag Archives: England

Welcome The Weekend

Saturdays are for walks and wandering.  Wondering and pondering.

Quiet days in the midst of a busy life.  

I have stilled and quieted my soul.  Psalm 131:2

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Saturday Morning

Downtown Mount Victory

Image via Wikipedia

I’m reading a decorating magazine, writing in my eucharisteo journal, and drinking a mug of coffee. I’m also watching the news. The sun is actually shining this morning, before the rain returns later in the day.

It’s a quiet morning.

I have much to be thankful for, on this day before Easter.

My daughter wants to go to Mount Victory. To check out the shops.

Maybe we will.

Saturdays are good.

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We Are Family!

Kendal

Image via Wikipedia

Over Christmas break I decided to try my hand at figuring out my family tree. I’m using Ancestry.com. It’s really very interesting. So far I’m back to the 1600’s through my paternal grandmother‘s side of the family. I’m finding family from Ireland, England, and Germany so far. It gets a little tricky finding parents of ladies that married into the family.

Things I’ve learned along the way…

1. A lot of young ladies got married at the age of 20.Some younger. Some older. Twenty is the average.

2. As I dig back in time I realize that having 9-13 children was normal. I know this was a common occurrence, but it tires me just thinking about it. If that were me, I’d be the type that would say something like this, ” John, Jacob, Michael, Peter, Robert…… For cryin’ out loud, YOU. Yeah, the one with the blond hair! Thomas. I knew that. Really. Yes I did!!! As long as YOU know who YOU are, I’m okay with it.” Seriously. That would be me.

3. My family had beautiful names… Catherine Eliza (1767), Christina Katrina (1763), Sarah Ann (1827). Also names that showed the times…Mary, Emma, Orpha Maria, Annie, Sophia, Matilda, and Gertrude. You know what’s funny? Several of these “old” names are back in style again. How many Emma’s or Sophia’s do you know? Oh, and one (several greats) grandmother from Germany. Her name was Waldburga Geiger Von Wurttemberg (1705). Try and say that name 5 times, fast. I dare you.

4. Many of the men had Biblical names. James, John, Joseph, Samuel, Philip, Thomas, Benjamin, Daniel, Michael and David. There are also some interesting ones such a Cyrus, Andrew Jackson, Purnell, Raymond, and Johann (es).

5. Most of my mom’s side of the family settled in Pennsylvania after making their way to the “colonies”. Most of my dad’s side of the family settled in North Carolina.

6. I had one of  “those moments”, while sitting researching. If even one of these long line of people had not been born, I would not be sitting here and typing this blog entry right now.

7. Some of my (many great) grandfathers had first wives that died young. The men went on to remarry. I’m thankful for that. Some of my (many great) grandmothers were second wives. Really, if you think about it, they were young women, marrying men somewhat older than they were. In some cases the men already had children with their deceased wives. So the new brides married into already established families–and then added more children. Quite a handful.

8. This is really fun.

9. After I go as far as I can in the family tree—I’m going to start researching places. The one (many greats) grandmother was born in Kendal (or Kendale?) Ireland. I also want to look up Wurttemburg and Mecklenburg, Germany.

10. It makes me wonder about my own legacy. What will my future family learn about me? What history will I leave behind?

I’m thankful for family…

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Through The Eyes Of A Child

Austrian stained glass

Memories…as warm and cozy as a blanket. Memories that I am able to wrap around me, even on the coldest of days. Memories that make me smile, even now, years past my childhood. Memories that are ignited for me, when the weather gets cold and Christmas is right around the corner.

Getting the live Christmas tree from the sale at the local fire department. “This one is too skinny. This one looks like a bush. This one has a bare spot.”  One year we did have a Christmas tree that resembled a pine bush. It was short and fat. Didn’t really matter though, because to a child it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen, when decorated. Pretty glass ornaments that my mom had…blue bells, pink icicles. A ton of tinsel….which my mom had a special way of adding to the tree. She did not appreciate my sister and I throwing the tinsel on in “clumps”. Why not?

My sister and I got dressed in our Christmas Eve outfits. We went to Mammaw and Pappaw’s house for a HUGE family dinner. My cousins and I would sneak upstairs to the living room while all the adults were downstairs still eating and socializing. We would look to see the gifts that were addressed to us. We’d carefully shake them…try to see under the wrapping paper. The anticipation was too great!

Footsteps!!! An adult! “What are you kids doing?” Nothing, was our reply. My aunt knew we were lying…and we knew that she knew we were lying. But, it was Christmas Eve….and sneaking a peek at gifts was part of the fun. After the meal all of us went to church for the Christmas Eve service. Our church was made from stone with beautiful stained glass windows. The church was built in the 1800’s and I heard that the windows had been imported from England. The candles glowing in the windows made the stained glass come alive. I have some wonderful memories of that church on Christmas Eve. All I have to do is close my eyes to see it once again.

Back to my grandparents house for dessert and the opening of gifts! It’s funny the things I remember from childhood. When I was very little I got a small, brown toy puppy. His head moved back and forth and his tail wagged and then he would bark. I thought it was the neatest thing. As I got older, the type of gifts changed, but it was always the family get togethers that I loved so much.

Christmas morning was fun with all the usual excitement of unwrapping gifts, giving gifts, and the expressions on each face. I remember one year, I think I was 13 or 14, I got a miniature “boom box”.  To those of you that lived in the 80’s, you know that was a cool gift! Before we knew it, it was time to get dressed and start the holiday trek to family houses. One relative would have breakfast, one would have lunch, one would have dinner/dessert. This was a great way to visit, see everyone’s tree, get to look at all my cousins Christmas presents, and enjoy family. I have such good memories of my growing up years.

I feel extremely blessed to have such wonderful memories from my childhood. Family, friends, church services to celebrate the Savior’s birth, food, and gifts. All these things wrapped up, making a gift that my heart can open each Christmas…as I reminisce .

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