Started this Family History Research Journey a few years ago, to learn about a missing section from my family tree. While I knew a lot about my dad’s side of the family I did not much about my mom’s. While doing the research and asking questions to extended family members that I learned that I had, I found out some things that I didn’t know about both sides of the family tree. Which excites me to know where my family comes from and who all is in my family. I knew that my dad’s dad was born and raised in the same town that I was raised in and the town that I live in now. His mom was born in Texas but moved a bunch since that is how her father could find work but that is all I knew really about them. My mother’s side on the other hand I did not know that much about when I started this journey. I was excited to learn all I could about that side. The two people that I am doing this foundation blog on is my mother and a cousin of my dad’s. So, I am going to start the first section with of course is my mom. So here we go.

MELANIE ELAYNE (NORDLUND) GRIMES

My mom is such an amazing support system when it comes to me learning all I can on where my family comes from. She told me once that she wanted to look into our family history, so I decided to do it for her and what I have learned about both sides of my family is amazing and I would not have started this journey if it was not for my mother. My Mom Melanie was born in Hawaii and after she was born moved around a bunch since her father (my grandpa) was a US Soldier and he changed bases throughout my mom’s childhood. I knew somewhat of where my grandfather’s family was from but not that much on my grandmother’s side (My mom’s mom). I knew that my great grandma Viola was married before they had my grandma but then got divorced. But I did not know what happened or where my great Grandpa Cecil (which I did not know was his name before this journey) was at or if he got remarried. Which during this journey I found out that he was married two more times before he died. Which I will explain more about my mother’s side in later blogs. So stay tuned for that.

In other news I am going to start talking about a very special person and who we miss a bunch during the Christmas time. And that is my dad’s cousin,

ROY EDGAR GRIMES

Roy would most of the time spend a few hours on Christmas Eve after my church’s Christmas Eve Service with us. During the time he was here with us somehow my family would get on to a discussion on family history. I wish I knew back then that I would be on this Journey and if I did, I would have taken notes or did a voice recording of all the things that Roy would talk about when it came to our family. Like I said Roy is my dad’s 1st cousin, but I will always call my dad’s cousins mine too. To me it doesn’t matter how many generations back you are to me because if it says cousin at all you are my cousin.  Family is Family and Family is important to me. I will also explain more about my dad’s side in other blogs so also stay tune for that.

After rereading what I have written for this first blog I do not know if it makes sense, but it is just a small part of my journey through the next 52 weeks. I did not know how this challenge was going to look like or how I was going to do it, but I am excited to see the process come together in the end and everything that I will be learning with it. This is my first time going through the 52 Ancestors in 52 Week Challenge. I do not remember how I found out about it, but I am excited to go along this journey and learn more about my family history while doing it. So, with that being said this is the end of Blog 1 and I so excited to see you all next time.