More Than Just Names on a Piece of Paper!

Photo Credit: Rayanne Melick Personal Collection

My kids (ages 22 and 25) think that I spend WAY too much time on family history. I love to take video and label pictures for posterity! Of course, I try to include them, but let's just say that they are less than enthusiastic! Although, there was this one time when my son needed a cool family story for his storytelling class. I came through big time for him! A family story complete with dynamite and mangled body parts! It's a sad story, really, but it is part of my family. In the last few years, I have been able to gather and piece together pictures of this family that was forever changed by a few sticks of dynamite, false bravado, and some poor choices. When I look at those pictures, I can imagine being in the mom's shoes and how hard this time must have been for their family. I have lost a child so I know how it hurts! This family lost one child and another one was maimed for life. As I explain this to my kids, I don't think it sinks in because they are still so young and at that "I'm going to live forever!" stage.  Russell Bangerter wrote an article this month in the Mormon Times detailing his thoughts about pictures and family history. Take the time to read Our Ancestors: More Than Just Names on Paper.  It explains why I spend so much time doing what I do!