With the boys in the Land of the Mouse
There was a great meme going around the genealogical Facebook community this past week after the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack by hackers took down the Ancestry.com site.
There were several versions but all of them said something like:
“I wasn’t able to spend time with my ancestors since Ancestry was down. So I spent time with my family.
They seem like nice people.”
Yep, every so often, we all need to spend time with our own families. To create our own family history. And to reacquaint ourselves with these nice people.
Like my youngest nephews, aged 10 and 13, with whom I am stealing a few days here in the Land of the Mouse.
They are chalk and cheese, these boys.
Duncan, the younger, is still all boy. Elementary school humor, lots of hugs and even occasional hand-holding. I’m guessing I have a few years left with this one before he hits the stage where he doesn’t want to be seen — or even associated — with the grown-ups.
Dennis, the older, is teetering on the brink between boy and teenager. One minute all boy, the next all sarcastic (and hilariously funny) mouth. He still tolerates hugs from aunts and doesn’t even mind riding the rides with me… but his ever-increasing height and ever-deepening voice makes it clear that that “leave me alone” stage is coming up fast.
So this is all the time I’m taking on this glorious Saturday morning to spend with you, dear readers… because there are two boys waiting for me next door here in the Land of the Mouse. And because there is so precious little time we ever have with these young ones…
What are you doing today to create your family history?
We will be attending a 90th birthday party for my sister-in-law’s father. It is going to be quite a celebration!
Sounds like a wonderful day, Pat! Hope everyone takes lots of pictures… and that the young ones ask their older relatives lots of questions!
From the time my grandsons were just toddlers, I would tell them “You never get too big to hug your grandmother!” Now 30+ years later, they still repeat that sentiment when we see each other. Enjoy those nephews!
I’m going to have to try that with my nephews!
I love my wife deeply. I have enjoyed studying her family history: in my own I can only go back about six generations in any line. I have traced my wife’s family 21 generations, yet until recently talking to her about genealogy was “talking Greek!” That was until May when we went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania; when she got to stand next to a pioneer’s headstone; when she got to look at 200+ year old farms. That’s when her family history came to life! Now she won’t stop talking…
You’ve created a genealogy buddy, Tim — good for you!
We’re planning a Christmas trip to the Land of the Western Mouse. The “kids” are all in their twenties. Looking forward to a really fun vacation this year.
That ought to be a blast!
It’s family reunion season! Got two coming up this summer 🙂
Good for you! We tried to get one scheduled this summer and kept running into scheduling problems. 2015 we hope!!
I created my own family history this week – a brand new granddaughter was born on the summer solstice! Sarah Loraine shares a middle name with my grandmother, Mildred Loraine – I’m in a Loraine sandwich. And I love every minute of it.
Congratulations! And welcome to Sarah!
My husband and I are blessed to have two wonderful children who have been able to come back to their hometown to make their own lives. Along with that comes three grandchildren who we are able to spend lots of time with. We help on a regular basis to allow our son and daughter in law to develop a business.
Spending time with grandchildren is so very different from raising your own children, we go the zoo in the middle of the week, we have picnic lunches and hikes. It’s very grounding to stop and say say I’ll reply to that email later right now I’m playing cards with my grandson! Before we know they’ll be all grown too!
Rosa
Sounds like you’re doing a good job of creating your own family history, Rosa!