Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Interviews with the past...


All of my grandparents are still alive except for one. I cherish the time I can spend with them, so afraid that I may not get home again in time to see them one more time. This year when I lit the candles on All Saint's Eve and thought about family members who had passed on, I wished that I had something more for my children. I wished that I had photos and stories to share to make these loving and wonderful people more real. When I was home over Thanksgiving, my Aunt and I decided to start a family history album, each of us has one.
I interviewed my grandparents and learned amazing things.
These are my great great grandparents Joseph and Tina Michaels. The baby girl on the right is Viola Jane who my Aunt Pamela Jane is named for and who Sophia Jane will be named for.
My great grandmother Anna Marie Fisher was the youngest of five children when her mother died. All of her siblings were passed to relatives in Denmark. No one would take her, so her father brought her to America. When World War I began they lost contact with her siblings and never spoke with them again. My Grandmother showed me the actual stitched patch that was sewn to her coat with the address of her Aunt in America, so that she could get there if she became lost.
My great great great grandmother on my Grandpa LeRoy's side was a full blooded cherokee woman. Rumor has it she was very homely in the face but had beautiful hair. She married a fur trader.
My grandpa Jim was a tailgunner in fighter planes in World War II.
We collected many many photos and stories. We are putting them into scrapbooks. Next year for All Saint's Eve I want to have a photo and story for each person we light a candle for.
For me, I want to hold onto whatever I can from them. Some day this will be priceless.

17 comments:

Mardi said...

Truly Priceless...

What a great picture and story!

kerri said...

These photos and stories are truly amazing.
Handing these down generations is sucha gift.

~Amy~ said...

so awesome! What a great thing to do!

3 Peanuts said...

That is such a wise and wonderful thing to do.

Kim

Sassy said...

Oh! How lucky you are to still have all of your grandparents and all the knowledge they have. It will be so precious to your children - once they're old enough to appreciate it.

Steffie B. said...

Glad you are home safe and sound......now about those jumpers.....and once you have come to tems with driving a mini van......you'll want a sexy beast like mine! lol!

Kim said...

Love it...
We have done the same..
actually my grandmother did it for the whole family..
Love it...
Kim

Liz and Ava said...

Pictures and History...what a treasure to have!
Glad you arrived home safe...I drive a minivan and I'm still "cool"
Ava has her surgery tomorrow...can you say a few prayers for us.

Deb said...

That sounds like quite a labor of love. What a cherished treasure it will be. You are very lucky to have your grandparents still with you. I have one left and sad to say I haven't kept in close contact with her. Thanks for the kick in the pants! I needed that.

Unknown said...

What a precious beautiful post!!

Juliette said...

This is such a great thing to do, I you will cherish it forever. Your family history sounds very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I wish I weren't so far away from my 2 Grand Mothers (my Grand Dads are in heaven) to do the same kind of thing before it's to late.

Jewels of My Heart said...

WHat priceless treasures...
I love that you are preserving your family's history.

k1 said...

Brava to you for realizing the importance of learning and preserving your family history.

I'm sure you will be facinated by some of the things you learn and your grandchildren and great grandchildren will be too when they read about Grandma Kimberley.

Glad you're home!

Nancy said...

Wow! You got some great information when you were home. Best of luck with your memory book.

Dannye said...

it's amazing to learn about your family's history isn't it??? you are so very lucky!! what a great past!!

jennifer said...

Love all those old stories. What a great gift to each of you.

Linda ★ Parker's General said...

They are priceless now. Since they mean so much to you, they will mean even more to your kids. I have scrapbooked for several years and I know I am doing a good thing. It is a blessing to me and I know it will be to my grandkids(I make them look thru them occasionally). The stories are so wonderful. Thanks for sharing so much....