They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So wouldn’t it be nice to know what kind of tree your partner fell out of?
Think about it for a minute. How well do you really know your spouse?
Gazing into their eyes is like traveling back in time, journeying through decades of experiences, genes, and decisions.
Learning about their/your ancestors is fun!
Knowing who they were and how they lived might explain why your spouse says, does and believes what they
do, or even where those blue eyes came from.
Plus, you will identify potential health risks and be able to take necessary precautions.
There’s another benefit. Diagramming your family tree and passing it along to your kids is a great way to keep your family legacy alive. It allows each generation to add to it and define what it means to be a __________ (insert name).
If there's something in your past that's
been defining you negatively, change it!
If there's something you're proud of it, tell everyone!
Creating Your Family Tree
1. Research. This is the first step.
This is pretty easy today because of the Internet. You can discover a lot about your heritage with a few clicks at sites like www.ancestry.com.
2. Interview older relatives.
If possible, visit older relatives to help fill in the gaps and get a feel for your family. You’ll collect data from websites but you’ll get stories from those who lived through those times.
Ask for photos too.
3. Start diagramming your family tree.
You can get a blank family tree template online or draw your own.
Drawing your own takes more time and effort but you can customize it.
Fill in the blanks with names, photos, stories, family recipes and any other information you can find or want to pass on.
Go as far back as you wish. And feel free to use colors and fonts that convey a feeling of who you are.
4. Website.
You can also create a simple website for your family that anyone can access to add pictures, stories or important
historical information.
When finished, you’ll have a special family memento that you and your family will cherish for generations to come AND will share the story of who YOU really were, (after all, should something that important really be left up to your kids? :-)
Until next time, this is Mike
Tucker and I want YOU to be mad about marriage!
