A New Obsession

Now that a healthy chunk of stuff is unloaded, between garage sales and consignment and eBay sales, and now that I've had time to sit and ponder (thanks to less stuff being around), I think I have found a new obsession.

I just finished reading The Mistress' Daughter by A.M. Homes (who also wrote The Safety of Objects, which was turned into one of my favorite movies, and The End of Alice, a great book). She was adopted and in her 30s, her biological parents got in touch with her. She learned that her biological father's people were American Revolution descendants - so she could join the Daughters of the American Revolution. For many reasons, this doesn't happen for her, but it now has me obsessed with the idea of finding a link to an American Revolution patriot. Oh, how exciting!

After the boys went to bed last night, I did A LOT of searches of Google, and I've already found a wealth of information - like, my distant cousin (I think she'd be my second cousin, maybe) has NINE published books AND homeschools FIVE kids. I feel like such an underachiever. I am, however, ordering at least one of her books. She has two books on homeschooling, too, so those of you into that might want to look her up.

I also found that my great-grandma (the only great-grandma I remember well) is descended from a man "probably" born in England around 1700 and was "in bondage." For a second I thought I was black, but I believe that means he was an indentured servant, but I like to pretend he was a pirate. So, yes, I'm a 12th-generation pirate!

I have the name of a major from the Revolutionary War who shares a family name and area with my family with the same last name - so I may have found a link, but I'll need to trace it through. But it seems like a pretty solid lead.

All this in just like three hours of free searching. So amazing.

Also, so many beautiful and old-fashioned names to sort through. I just LOVE looking at the names.

I have to get walking - I am watching the three boys from House of Boys for a bit after school, and the whole gang of us doesn't fit in the car.