Meeting Your Past

We had a really great day today. On my mom's side of the family we have never really met anyone. My grandparents died when we were all pretty young. I have memories of my grandmother, but was too young to have any of my grandfather. My mom had a sister and she died when I was about 1 1/2. I have been working on geneology for many years now. In the early 80's I started writing to a cousin of my mothers. The funny thing is my letter had to go from Illinois to Germany and back to Indiana! I found my grandfather's sister inlaw at the same address in Germany that my grandmother used to write to her at. She called her son and told him I was looking for our family members and that was my first contact with Rudi, my mom's cousin. I wrote his mom for a few years before she passed away and have continued correspondence and Christmas cards with Rudi and his wife Christa. All this time we have never met. They ended up retireing to Arkansa while their children still live in Indiana. While coming to visit their daughter and son they called and asked to visit us on the way out there. I was so happy I was finally going to met them. Older son took off school and younger son skipped most of the day at fine arts because I just wanted them to meet our extended family also.

We had a wonderful visit and got to know each other a little better. It was fun to here about Germany and some family members. Turns out he has pictures of his parents and grandparents and offered to send me a copy. I was so thrilled! That will be my great grandparents and my great great grandparents. I never thought I would be fortunite enough to ever see a picture of them. I showed them an album I had of my aunts. One of the pictures was of my grandparents with an other couple. I never knew who they were. Turns out they were Rudi's parents visiting from Germany in 1961! The brothers hadn't seen each other since they were in their 20's. At the time the picture was taken they were both grandfathers. What a great picture to have. Christa was able to translate a picture of my aunt at about 2 years old that was sent to my grandfather while he was living here and his wife (my grandmother) and daughter (my aunt) were still in Germany. I wondered for years what it said.

The best part of our get together was finding out what lovely people I am related to. I hope we will meet again and my sister and brother will get to make it to the next visit. It is a day my boys will remember.

Of course I am off now to post a picture from today.