May the Words Be With You! A Tribute to My Family

A genealogist's family might have moments when they think that we love our dead relatives better than the living ones.  2015 has been the best year of my life and I have my family to thank for that.  We are never at a loss for words when it comes time to tease or joke with each other.  Sometimes it is hard to find the words to sincerely say I LOVE YOU!

So here are a few words of affection and appreciation to my family to start off the New Year right!

Robin and I celebrated the 40th anniversary of our first date on January 1.  Our 40th wedding anniversary is coming up on November 20.  She has helped me to become a happy man, a joyful father and the luckiest grandfather in the world! She has mentored me to becoming a professional genealogist.  She has given me the inspiration to faithfully write this weekly blog.  ROBIN, I LOVE YOU!

One of my favorite memories of Nicole and Suzy is taking them to the Father-Daughter Valentine Dances back in the Reno days.  I love to dance and I especially love to dance with my daughters.  I have had the great joy of dancing through life with them.  It was a bittersweet moment when I got to dance with them on their wedding days.  I handed them both off to their new dance partners, David and Todd.  It was a fair trade though.  I have truly enjoyed having both daughters and sons.  I look forward to all of the new memories we will make together. NICOLE, DAVID, SUZY & TODD, I LOVE YOU!

I don't think that Julia and Katy are regular readers of my blog yet.  Maybe some day they will come across these words in the universal search engine. I have always had especially fond memories of my grandparents.  Perhaps this is partly what has inspired me to become a genealogist.  Now I know what it is like to experience the feelings on the elder end of the grandparent relationship.  Having these two little girls in my life is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!  JULIA & KATY, I LOVE YOU!

To my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins from the first to the Nth degree and to my friends, readers, clients and social media followers:  please know that this genealogical quest is all about you. My greatest hope for 2016 is that genealogy can be a path for reconciliation and reunion.  I look forward to the next family reunion.  EXTENDED FAMILY, I LOVE YOU!

THE WORDS ARE WITH ME!  MAY THE WORDS BE WITH YOU!