Christmas gift project

   My cousin has requested a family history book this year for Christmas. Not just dates and marriage records,she wants all that and the stories etc. At first I wasn't sure how I was going to tackle it but I've already got two sides of her Great grandma done and it's actually going well.
  I divided the book into four sections..her great grandma's mother's side and father side as two chapters and then her great grandfather's mom's side and Dad's side as the other two. The last chapter will be her great grandma and Grandpa's story together :) I'm adding pics of family to each section then at the end of the book I'm going to put a religion/tradition/recipe section to give it even more "family feel".
  To say I'm enjoying this project is an understatement!! I love that I have family history on one side all the way back to the old country and the crusades and I like the challenge of one side being American Indian (Native American) and trying to piece that together. I love showing Kaya the pictures and talking about family and stories.
  So I'm thankful my cousin asked for this project. I'm most thankful that she wants to hold onto the stories, the traditions and the recipes and pass them down to another generation! I am very big on things like that. Family history isn't merely numbers and dates..births and deaths..it's feelings and emotional attachment even if you don't "know" the person. It's carrying on stories that keep our family linage alive, their struggles and their successes. That dna that survived the ships to immigrate to the US, that dna that was already here and fought to keep off the reservation, that dna that survived the Depression, World Wars, those genetics that knew how it was to be Indian in a white world, a "mixed breed" in both worlds, rich white and poor white all trickle down to form who we are today. I would be nothing without the family that came before me..and my lineage will continue on with Kaya and any other children we may have one day.
  So the project is moving along well and I'm actually excited to see her face when she gets it :) 

Kaya's great great great grandpa on the farm on butchering day

 This is just one of MANY pictures that I have. They are one of my favorite things...I look at them and see alot of life back then. I'm also thankful to have the pictures because they humble me when I feel like "what next". These men and women worked ten times harder than most of us and still smiled :)
   
  I'm very thankful that I have pictures that go all the way back to Kaya's 5th great grandparents and one day she will have them. :)