2023 ~ Remembering My Beautiful Mom ~

Elfriede Haf 

21 March 1933 ~ 21 July 2010 

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"But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, 

because hers is where yours begins." ~ Mitch Albom 

This quote was found on fellow Family Historian, Dawn's @modernheirloom 

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On this day, thirteen July's have come and gone since my beautiful mom passed. I say this every year, but it just doesn't feel like thirteen years ago, it feels like yesterday to me - still. 

Mom's passing has affected me significantly. None of us expected it and it is still hard to believe she is not here with us. Life just hasn't been the same but I know she would want me to keep on keeping and that's what I try to do.  I think of her everyday, feel her in little things (and big things too) that I do in my daily life. The older I get, I see her in me more and more and I am happy that I am very much like her in many ways. I miss her so much, more than words could ever express. 

This photo of my mom is one of my very favorites of her. I believe (not 100%) that she is pregnant with me when this was taken. I remember her saying something about that when she gave me this photo. This framed photo sits on my counter in my kitchen next to her mom's (my Oma, Liselotte Haf née Kaiser ~ 1913 - 2010) recipe for one or our favorite German Christmas cookies. I get to glance at it everyday and it always makes me smile.  Love and miss you Mom ~ 

A Poem and a Message ~

My daughter Lacie sent this to me via Facebook while she was in class at school today. What a wonderful poem and even more wonderful that she sent it to me knowing what family history means to me...thank you Lacie...I love you too.

Lacie Ewing: Today in class my teacher said: memory is blood, you are not born with a clean slate but you carry all the memories of your ancestors...



...and then we read this poem:

~ Remember ~

Remember the sky that you were born under,
Know each of the stars stories
Remember the moon, know who she is.

Remember the suns birth at dawn, that she is the strongest point of time. Remember sun down and the giving away to night.

Remember your birth, how your mother struggled to give you form and breath. You are evidence of her life, and her mothers, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.

Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth, brown earth, we are earth.

Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their tribes, their families, their histories too. Talk to them, listen to them. They are alive poems.

Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the origin of the universe.

Remember you are all people and all people are you.

Remember you are this universe and this universe is you.

Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.

Remember language comes from this.

Remember the dance language is, that life is.

Remember.

~ Author:  Joy Harjo

I thought you would like that. Love you :) Lacie





                                                                       

Treasure Chest Thursday ~ The Genealogist's Psalm~

~Another treasure from my email inbox from my dear friend Rachel~

The Genealogist's Psalm

Genealogy is my pastime, I shall not stray;

It maketh me to lie down and examine half~buried tombstones.

It leadeth me into still Court Houses,

It restoreth my ancestral knowledge.

It leadeth me in paths of census records and ships'

passengers list for my surname's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the shadows

of research libraries and microfilm readers,

I shall fear no discouragement;

For a strong urge is with me;

The curiosity and motivation

They comforteth me.

It demandeth preparation of storage space for the

acquisition of countless documents;

It anointest my head with burning midnight oil,

My family group sheets runneth over.

Surely birth, marriage, and death dates shall follow me

all the day of my life;

And I shall dwell in the house of a family~history seeker

for ever.

~Author ~Wildamae Brestal

Treasure Chest Thursday, Email Inbox Treasure!

"A Prayer For Genealogists"

I found a treasure chest of genealogy quotes and poems as I was cleaning out my email in-box (very behind!) today - good timing for Treasure Chest Thursday

My dear genealogy friend Rachel had sent me a ton of genealogy quotes and poems last year via email. I met Rachel thru Ancestry.com's message board when I had very first started my own family history.

Rachel helped me more than I can ever express in just saying thank you. She has been doing genealogy for many years and both of our ancestors hail from Kentucky. We had discussed our love for poems and quotes related to genealogy and family history. Next thing I knew, she had sent over a ton of them.

I have a treasure chest full to share, some you may have already read, some not, but they really are wonderful. This isn't your typical Treasure Chest Thursday post, but it does mean alot to me.

A Prayer For Genealogists

Lord, help me dig into the past,

And sift the sands of time;

That I might find the roots that made

This family tree of mine.

Lord, help me trace the ancient roads,

On which my fathers trod;

And led them through so many lands,

To find our present sod.

Lord, help me find an ancient book

Or dust manuscript,

That's safely hidden now away

In some forgotten crypt.

Lord, let it bridge the gaps that haunts

My soul when I can't find,

The missing link between some name

That ends the same as mine.

Author ~ Curtis Woods~

Source: Rachel my friend, thank you.