Blogging my way through wedding planning, crafts, life and all the unexpected events in between.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Family Roots

I'm a fourth generation American.  My Great-great grandfather and grandmother (on my mom's side) migrated from Poland around the WWII time.  They each chose to settle in the Pittsburgh Pa. area, met, got married and thus, started our American family tree.  I have pictures of all these generations.  I've been "up home" as we call it and have been in the house that my great-great grandfather built with his own hands out of large boulders from the ground.  As I got older I found it more and more fascinating to know this information and would begin bugging my grandparents for as much information as they could provide.  I was a family sponge. 
                                                                              Source

When extended family gathers I get asked questions about this family member or that one.  I was even given a coveted family painting of an idyllic winter farm scene from one of the old family farms (I LOVE this picture - I'm also the youngest family member to own one - yay me!) 

When I met Mr. ST he realized very quickly that family was important and that I like knowing about it.  My mother's side of the family is easy.  My dad not so much.  He was adopted at 18 months old and we do now know some of his birth family but there just isn't a great deal of information about them.  It's frustrating.  I'm working on collecting as much information as I can - I want to know who these people are! I share some of the same DNA with them. 

Enter Mr. ST.    He would KILL me if he knew I put this personal photo there.  But I lovvvve his cheesy smile.  That's his, "I just did something stupid/smart-ass like and you can't be mad at me when I smile like this face." And he's right. 


He's Irish, Polish and a bit of some other European ancesters (they lovingly refer to is as their "mut" family section).  His family isn't all that interested in their heritage.  I've asked before about where in Ireland or Poland they are from...no one really knows.  Mr. ST is VERY proud he is Irish and St. Patrick's Day is a major holiday in our house. 


                                           Personal photo - Sorry for my scary smile...not sure?


 Anywho - Mr. ST was recently talking to a cousin and they began joking about wearing kilts to the wedding.  I had a lightening bolt kind-of thought....


                                *BING*      



It was BRILLIANT!  I would research Mr. ST's family crest and kilt/tartan pattern and present him with this new information and strongly encourage him to wear the kilt on the wedding day.  There is something SO sexy about a man in a kilt.  Not a skirt, but a kilt.  And he could change into pants for the reception, but the kilt would be Oh-So-Swoon-Worthy during the ceremony.  *Think* about those pictures...my fabulous white dress, Mr. ST in his sexy kilt....Swaaaah-Ooooon.

So I'm going to begin this research.  I'm going to start slow and see where this takes me. I'm going to become a part of this family and I want to know who they are and what they are about.

Do you know about your family history?  Have you ever done research?  Any suggestions on where I should start? 

1 comment:

Tiff For Tat said...

Love the kilt idea! Much better than my fiance's idea (which I immediately nixed the thought) of hiring a beat-boxer to introduce us at the wedding..lol God Help me!! I wish I did more family research and have not probably looked into my family tree since my 7th grade history project! Good Luck!