Introduction

Hi everyone!

This is my first blog. It was created while listening to GeneaBloggers Radio, a link I had received on Twitter.

I've been working on my family tree for ten years, since the age of 19. Growing up, my mom had a wall full of old family photographs, mostly from her side of the family. She had books and books on her family genealogy, all researched by a cousin of mine. But my dad had nothing but a couple of pictures.

Everything was such a mystery, and everyone on his side had already passed away when I started my journey. No one had written anything down, and not having any idea of what I was doing, the first few years were a struggle.

Ten years later, here I am, writing a blog about genealogy, and four generations deep into the Gerke name. Has it been a pain? Yes. Have I had to break down a lot of walls? Absolutely. Am I finished? Not by a long shot. I still have a lot of mysteries and questions that could take years to answer. But I love genealogy. I love opening my computer and starting my quest to find and know my family and meet interesting people along the way. I hope you'll join me in that journey, and if you haven't already, I hope you start your own. The frustration is worth it in the end.

I'll admit, this journey has become nothing short of an obsession for me. It has made me want to be a professional genealogist and help others solve their puzzles. I love the research.  But right now, my mission is to find twenty and thirty-somethings interested in their family tree, because many may still have a person they can go to in their family to ask questions before it is too late. It was something that I was unable to do, and it is such a passion of mine, I want to share it. In fact, I know a lot of people my age that are interested in learning more, they just aren't sure how to go about it. Maybe we can all learn together?


So hopefully in the next few days, I will figure out this whole blogging thing. I hope you'll join me.