Friday Five

(Link at left)

1. How far back can you trace your family tree?

My mom went back to the 18th century with part of her family (Pennsylvania and Canada), but she got stuck. The rest of the family isn't traced so far back. {shrug} I realize I should probably care, but I can't get excited about doing genealogy.

2. What is the most interesting (or strange) thing you've heard about one of your relatives?

My dad's family homesteaded for about 3 years in western Colorado in the 1920s. There are some fabulous, and horrifying, stories that came out of that. Two of Dad's cousins...er, no, my cousins...were missionaries in Mexico. Uhm, I had lots of family who worked for railroads....My grandma was a working girl at the turn of the century; she went to business school for two years, graduating in about 1901.

3. How do you feel about legacy names like John Henry Smith IV or naming children after other relatives?

I think it's stupid to name the kid after the parent. I feel able to pontificate on this because Sparky is named after Beast, who is named after his father...etc. Thank God it's not a hideous name like Quincy!! However, it's still confusing since we've always used a nickname for Sparky at home, in the family and at church, but he goes by his actual name at school. When his friends call, it's always "Which Quincy do you want to talk to? Dad or kid?"
There are three grandchildren named after my dad in one format or another (including my son). I don't think that's so bad. I think it's ok to use family names if the rest of the family doesn't live with them. We've been fortunate that, so far, we haven't married in anyone who shares a name with someone in the family. It could happen soon, but so far it's just a boyfriend. His name is the same as Sparky and Beast's. :-)

4. Would you consider yourself and/or your family to be traditional?

Yes. Or maybe "old-fashioned" would be a better way to put it.

5. What is one tradition you have passed on to your children and/or plan to pass on to them?

Screaming like a fishwife at my son? OK, not.
We have a German Christmas candle that we burn every year while we open our gifts. Beast's parents gave it to us on our first Christmas. And we always take a picture of (at least) Sparky on Easter, as my dad did of us kids every year.