Dear Teresa

This week is the 8th anniversary of my sister, Teresa's, death. While prepping for the Genealogy Do-Over project, cleaning my files, I came across this document. I don't remember trying to put my grief to words, but I'm glad I did.

Dear Teresa:

It has been 4 months since you left us. My grief has not faded. Your headstone contains the date of your birth and the date of your death. Those dates are separated by a “dash”. You, however, are not defined by those dates, but the life lived …between the dash. As children we were friends and shared much laughter. Other times you were a bratty little sister and tattletale. I recall the times you skipped school and I signed the notes to keep you out of trouble. As adults our lives took different paths and we didn’t agree on much. Still, I hope you know – I need you to know, that I love you, regardless of our different choices in life.

For your children…may they never look further than their heart to find you.

For the times I judged you…May God forgive me and I ask for your forgiveness.

You gave me a gift many years ago that says “Sisters are Forever”. Yes, we will be and I am saddened that I will grow old without you.

One of my favorite photos from our childhood

More posts with or about Teresa.

Genealogy Do-Over: Week 1

Week 1 begins in a few days! I carved out some time to put some plans to paper. I may add/edit through week 1 as I review my progress.

Week 1 – 2-8 January 2015

• Setting Previous Research Aside
• Use records ordered/purchased as needed.
• Otherwise do not refer to old research notes.

• Preparing to Research
• Cleaned my desk!
• Created a new master family tree file in RootsMagic 7.
• Learn more about the features in RM 7, especially creating citations.
• Prepare my research binder - to keep me organized and in one place.
• Prepare my resource binder, to include lists, tools, maps, etc. (I created this many years ago and will review for updates).
• Review book - Crash Course in Family History by Paul Larsen. I ordered and received this book a week or two before Thomas announced GenDoOver!
• Evernote - learn to use it (finally).
• Personal genealogy library - review the books I have and create a Library Thing catalog. (Wow... I'd forgotten about some of the great books/resources I have). 
• Research log - reviewed and updated.
• Create new digital genealogy folders (when I transfer my old computer contents to my new computer this week).
• Re-sort my paper files. Purge as needed. (Why did I think it was a good idea to merge them?) Maternal: Howard/Smith & Snell/Holmes. Paternal: Stafford/Benton & Sawyer/Crumpler.

• Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines
• Consistency: 
• File naming (digital).
• Document naming (digital).
• Research methodology of each person (research log/resource checklist).
• Scan & File as I go... do NOT allow a holding bin.
• Collect, analyze and enter data in RootsMagic.
• Record negative search results.
• Cite my sources (properly).
• Create to-do list for follow-up research.
• No branch hopping! Stay focused.
• BLOG (and share).

George Washington Stafford
Paternal Great Grandfather ~ Brick Wall 

39 forever

Dear Teresa,

Happy birthday. Today you should be 44 years old. You should be here. It won't be long before January marks 5 years we have been without you. Life isn't fair. Sigh.

I think of you often. We are sisters and that bond lasts forever. I still smile when I think of my little tomboy sister that took forever to do her make-up, hair and get dressed. Maybe that is why I asked for buttons from your clothing. Something tangible.

I wish this old photo wasn't so faded. It is one of my favorites of us. This was the time when Mama and Daddy were getting divorced and we were getting lost in the custody battle. We had each other.

I hate that I have to visit you at the cemetery. And being so far from home I don't get to do that enough. I do talk to you often, though, and hope that you know that.

I love you,
Gale

Homestead in a Jar

Family History on Display

I am always looking for {creative} ways to display my family history in my home. To everyone else this is a jar of dirt. To me it is a reminder of my great grandfather's homestead in Holmes County, Florida and close proximity to where I spent many of my summer days.

My Great Grandfather, George Washington Stafford, homesteaded 160 acres. On my last visit in 2004 these acres remained in the family [of his 3rd wife].

I have a photo of George on the cap.

I have one other display for my homestead dirt and will share it, more details on the land patent and about George in a future post.

George Washington Stafford

3 Generations

This photo was taken in May, a few weeks after my son, Clayton, returned home from Afghanistan. We made a quick trip south to visit my Daddy.

The next day Daddy broke his hip and hours after his surgery he suffered a stroke. It has left him with some mobility limitations and robbed him of most of his speech ability. I am in the process of moving him from GA to KS.

Tomato Gravy

Willie & Gypsie

 Tomato Gravy

While growing up summertime meant visiting relatives. Some of my favorite childhood memories take me back to the dirt roads in rural Holmes County, Florida to visit my Great Aunt Gypsie and Uncle Willie Smith. Aunt Gypsie was the 9th of 18 children, born in 1906, to George Washington Stafford with his second wife, Nancy Commander. Uncle Willie loved to tell stories and hand out quarters to us children.

Aunt Gypsie’s table offered a full tummy and left over sugar biscuits for between meal snacks. She often served tomato gravy at breakfast time. A few family members, including my Mama, cooked it with a little flour to thicken, but I like it plain. Most people outside of the south have never heard of it.

After her death I received a few of Aunt Gypsie’s dishes. Each time I use her bowl I am drawn back to those dusty summer days filled with family, love and the comfort of home cooking. I have never seen this dish, or many others, measured out and she used home canned tomatoes.

These are my measurements to serve over 2 homemade biscuits. It’s very forgiving and you can tweak it as needed for the amount desired. The simplicity of the bacon and tomato flavors together are what I love about it.

What you need:

• 3 slices of thick bacon, diced
• 1 15 ounce can of diced or stewed tomatoes [use home canned if you have them]
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 homemade biscuits, sliced in half

Fry the bacon to render the fat [several tablespoons]. Set bacon aside. Pour tomatoes into the bacon fat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add bacon to skillet. Cook for 10 minutes breaking the tomatoes down with a wooden spoon. Serve over biscuits. Enjoy.
~~~
What is a sugar biscuit? Take a left over biscuit, poke a hole in it with your finger and fill the hole with sugar! Yum!

Gypsie & Willie

Family

It's only appropriate that my first genealogy post be in honor of my Mama. I never could have imagined how she shaped the person I am until she was no longer with me. I miss you, Mama. You left us much too soon.

Mama 1943

Sara Estelle Snell Stafford
b. January 13, 1943 - Columbus, Muscogee Co., GA
d. February 27, 2009 - Columbus, Muscogee Co., GA
buried: Riverdale Cemetery, Columbus, Muscogee Co., GA

1991

May 2007

Mama had 5 daughters. Judine and Joycine died at birth. I am the only daughter living. The rest of my journey will be lonely without them.