Family History Summer winds down

Sunday I took what looks to be my final family history road trip for this summer. This time it was short - just 20 minutes up the road to Gladbrook, Iowa. There I met with two distant cousins (second cousins once removed to be exact) and once again used my handy scanner and laptop to add more photos to my family collection.

These cousins have lived in the area all their lives and I grew up around them, but it wasn't until I started doing family history that I realized we were related. In fact, I find more and more that I went to high school with a surprising number of people who share branches on my family tree. Our roots run deep in Tama County!

I didn't really get to know Trudi and Susan until a few years ago when I started attending the Sienknecht Family Reunions in Lincoln, Iowa. Now I know more about them and their families, which continue to grow - a reason why I scoff at anyone who asks if I'm "done" with the family history. How is that ever possible?

There's not much more to update about this trip except that it will probably be my last for a while. Family history is fun, but time-consuming and unfortunately it's payoffs aren't monetary.

Until next time...

Charles and Margarethe (Sienknecht) Fink.