Friday, May 23, 2014

"You Are Our Living Link To The Past..." -George H. W. Bush


"You are our living link to the past.  Tell your grandchildren the story of the
struggles waged, at home and abroad.  Of sacrifices made for freedom's sake.
And tell them your own story as well —  because everybody has a story to tell."
-George H. W. Bush

Keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)

Thursday, May 22, 2014

“If We Know Where We Came From, We May Better Know Where To Go..."


“If we know where we came from, we may better know where to go. If we know who we came from, we may better understand who we are.” -Anonymous

About this photo: I took this photo of my great, great, great grandparents homestead in Hope, Indiana. This beautiful tree and old tin shed inspired me to capture all the surroundings where my ancestors once lived. I photographed many angles of the exterior and interior of this 180 year old home. I photographed old tools and farming equipment, rocks, trees, an old ladder and the plants and flowers around the property. This was something I will cherish forever!

Have you ever visited an ancestors homestead?

Keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)

Monday, May 19, 2014

52 Weeks of Genealogy - Week 20 - Which Ancestors Do You Look Like?


52 Weeks of Genealogy - Week 20 - Which Ancestors Do You Look Like?

This week, start looking through those old pictures of your ancestors. Look closely at their facial features to see if any look like you. I came across a photo of my grand aunt, Catherine Johnson with some of my features, more than any other ancestors.
Now it's your turn...

  1. Which ancestor do you look like? (Full Name)
  2. What similar features do you both have?
  3. Have you seen these similar features found in other relatives?
That's it! Keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)

Monday, May 12, 2014

"Take Care Of All Your Memories..." -Bob Dylan


"Take care of all your memories. For you cannot relive them." -Bob Dylan

About this photo: This is a photograph of my mother Linda and her first baby (my big brother William). He was the first of eleven children. This photo was taken in Napa, California in June, 1967.

Keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)

52 Weeks of Genealogy - Week 19 - All About Your Hardships


52 Weeks of Genealogy - Week 19 - All About Your Hardships

hard·ship (noun) \ˈhärd-ËŒship\

  • pain and suffering
  • something that causes pain, suffering, or loss
Hardships come to all of us. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, a disease or illness, an addiction, mental illness, financial problems, insecurites, or family issues; we all have them. This week I would like all of us to dig a little deeper and write about our hardships in this life. Because it was those times, that shaped our lives the most. How great would it be for your grandchild to read about your hardships and learn  how to overcome their own, because you overcame yours. For them to be able to relate to you and be humbled by your example to perservere through great trials. What a great gift that will be.
Let's do this...

  1. What are some of your greatest hardships?
  2. How did you cope during your hardships?
  3. How did you overcome your hardships?
  4. Who helped you during your hardships?
  5. What life lessons did your learn because of your hardships?
That's it! Keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Mother's Day Poem - Rock Me To Sleep By: Elizabeth Akers Allen


Rock Me To Sleep

By: Elizabeth Akers Allen

Mother, dear mother, the years have been long

Since I last listened your lullaby song:
Sing, then, and unto my soul it shall seem
Womanhood’s years have been only a dream.
Clasped to your heart in a loving embrace,
With your light lashes just sweeping my face,
Never hereafter to wake or to weep;—      
Rock me to sleep, mother, – rock me to sleep!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Friday, May 09, 2014

Angels Are Mothers Poem By Kathleen J. Shields


ANGELS ARE MOTHERS 
by Kathleen J. Shields 

There are Angels God puts on this Earth, 
Who care for us and guide us.
You can feel their love and gentleness
as they walk through life beside us.

They do great things for us every day
they whisper in our ears,
they even hold us in their hearts
when we are filled with all our fears.

They are always there to give a hug
and try to make us smile.
They treat us with respect and love,
they treat us like their child.

God blessed me with an Angel,
I’m proud to call my own.
She’s been with me throughout my
life, been with me as I’ve grown.

She’s guided me the best she can,
she’s taught me like no other,
and I’m thankful I’m the lucky one
who gets to call her… MOTHER.

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Your Mother Is Always With You, Poem


“Your Mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.
She's the smell of certain foods you remember,
flowers you pick and perfume that she wore.
She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well.
She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day.
She’s the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep,
the colors of a rainbow. She is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter.
She's crystallized in every teardrop.
A mother shows every emotion .......... happiness, sadness, fear,
jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, 
sorrow... and all the while, hoping and praying
you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's 
the map you follow with every step you take.
She's your first love; your first friend, even your first enemy, but
nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space...not even death!”
Author: unknown

Happy Mother's Week!
-Sarah :)

Monday, May 05, 2014

Free Relationship Charts - Canon or Common Law & More.

I recently attended a family reunion on my husbands side and I loved it because of the stories that were told of his great, grandfather; Roscoe Titensor. After one of the stories, a woman sitting next to me said, "but how are we all related?" I was feeling confident about my family relationship knowledge and noticed that she was probably the same age as my husband, so I asked her "is Roscoe Titensor your great grandfather?" She said "Yes he is!" I then told her that my husband and her are 2nd cousins and our children are 3rd cousins, and her children and my husband are 3rd cousins once removed. She was completely astonished that I knew this, so I told her with a smile; "I like genealogy."

I realized at that point that there are probably a lot of people who didn't understand family relationships in their genealogy. So I wanted to put together a tutorial to help YOU understand your family relationships using these Relationship Charts.

Here's one of the most traditional charts out there: The Canon or Common Law Relationship Chart:




Click here to Download or print this Canon or Common Law Relationship Chart.

Here is another, more simple relationship chart created by Teach Me Genealogy. We recommend using both of these relationship charts in your genealogy to figure out your relationship between relatives.
Click image to enlarge

Click here to Download or print this simple Relationship Chart.

Keep learning about your family relations and keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)


52 Weeks of Genealogy - Week 18 - All About Your Mother


52 Weeks of Genealogy - Week 18 - All About Your Mother

This week, let's document some interesting facts about our mothers. Here are 10 questions to get you started:


  1. What is your greatest accomplishment?

  2. What was your greatest trial?

  3. What is your favorite scent?

  4. What is your favorite flower?

  5. What do you love most about being a mother?

  6. If you could time travel to meet one person, who would it be?

  7. What is your favorite memory of your father?

  8. What is your favorite memory of your mother?

  9. What talents do you have?

  10. What advice would you give to the rising generations?

That's it. Keep going and keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)

Thursday, May 01, 2014

Family Tree Magazine Named Teach Me Genealogy A Family History "Social Media Maverick"

I was absolutely thrilled to get an email from one of the editors at Family Tree Magazine telling me they published an article about their top 40 Family History "Social Media Mavericks", and Teach Me Genealogy was one of those along with 39 other great tweeters, facebookers, bloggers, YouTubers, pinners and Instagramers all sharing the same passion for family history. So head on over to the Family Tree Magazine website and start following them and the top 40 family history social media mavericks!!


Family Tree Magazine Facebook Page
Family Tree Magazine Blog
Website: www.familytreemagazine.com

Keep connecting the dots! -Sarah :)