twilight33 | I come from strong people

This is the response my almost (in less than 2 months) 99 year old cousin told me she says to those who express amazement at her age & being so healthy. Her grandma gave birth to her firstborn on the 4th of July while traveling a pioneer trail, which was the only day the wagon team rested. That puts me in my place pretty fast when I think life is hard!

We've met up with a lot of my extended family from both sides over the past few weeks and it's still sinking in as to how we're all connected... but all have been with open arms, the same name of cousin & lots of pictures taken together as an even bigger family.

There is much to be said for knowing and writing down your history, for so much would have easily been lost if it wasn't for the connections between grandparents & grandchildren going back to 1725 on this one line. My grandma's grandfather (John3, Uncle Johnny to my cousin above) was the first to write down everything about his grandfather (John2, buried down the road from where I went to college in CA & I had no clue at the time) and 2's recollections of *his* grandfather (...John!)

I know my parents don't have this same sense of kinship I do, and Kieran may not either. I'm writing this down now to remind myself that it doesn't matter. The threads of the future are woven into today even though I can't see them yet, and I know my job is to keep writing & connecting.