Looking at my Roots from a DNA Perspective .....

Digging through family photos and other memorabilia 

triggers a wide assortment of memories

(both good and not so good)

but it also raises so many questions.  

These days, thanks to many online resources,

it’s possible to find answers to some of those questions

but sadly, answers to the more personal ones 

must remain in the realm of the unknown.

How I wish I would have asked more questions

 and listened more closely to the conversations 

of the older generations when I was young.  

But I am fortunate to have known several 

of my grandmother’s siblings and their families

so I have a better grasp of our extended 

family’s history than I might have otherwise.   

As I attempt to convert the information I have 

on my direct ancestral line into story form for a 

Family History book, I long to know more 

about these people who lived and died so long ago.  

It’s fascinating to delve into history to see

how their lives would have been shaped by what 

was happening not only in their local communities 

but in the wider world.

My DNA results have proven

to be very interesting as well.

Being aware of the part of Great Britain

where I knew my family roots originated, I suspected

some Scandinavian (probably Danish) ancestry  

but hadn't expected Swedish influence to show up 

in my DNA profile.

And I was completely surprised

by DNA input from The Netherlands.

The large green section in the circle above is 

my British ancestry (81%), 

the blue area is Danish (12%) 

the red section is Swedish (4%) 

and the purple part is the Netherlands (3%). 

So apparently, the colours in this circle

represent the elements of

the genetic recipe used to make me!!  

Until next time, Nanny Anny

Doing Something Different This Week ....

I’ve spent the past few days creating some pages for

a family heritage type of scrapbook.

This book will contain some photos and information on the family

of my maternal great-grandparents so it is going to be all about

them and their eleven children. 

One of those eleven children was my maternal grandmother.

I consider myself to be very fortunate to have some photos

of my grandma's parents as well as her siblings, 

along with some of their descendants

 And I’m finding it to be surprisingly soothing and relaxing 

to choose, trim and decorate

the papers for this scrapbook project, as I try to find just the right 

colours, themes and embellishments to suit the person 

whose pictures and story will occupy a particular page.

.

I suppose it would be fair to say that Genealogical research

is so much more than just a hobby for me.

There's a very personal element within the general research for me 

as I seek to know where I came from and what it was in my roots 

that had a hand in making me who I am today. 

As a first generation Canadian, it seems that the more 

I learn about both my ancestral and cultural heritage,

the deeper connection I feel with my roots across the ocean.

My parents made the decision to move here for a better life for themselves 

but have left a legacy that will span many generations yet to come.  

Counting myself, my children, 

my grandchildren and great grand-kids, 

our family is already four generations deep in this country.

 

It is not lost on me that with each generation, 

the connection with our roots fades a bit more and soon 

there will be no one on this side of the ocean 

who will have any contact with family members overseas.

Perhaps that gives me even more of a push 

to record the story of our roots 

for not only those I will leave behind

 but also for those still to come 

who, although they may not have 

any contact with far-away relatives, they will at least have 

an understanding of some of the answers 

to the many 'who, what and where' 

questions they may someday ask themselves.  

As I look into the lives of my ancestors, their extended families

and the times in which they lived,

it turns them from being merely a list of names and dates

into real people …. people who lived and loved, 

raised families, worked, served

and who at times survived hardships, heartbreak and tragedy.

Through it all, I try to remain mindful of one thing, above everything else: 

the fact that

‘we are’, simply because ‘they were’.

Until Next Time, Nanny Anny