Yesterday morning, my husband and I spent some time sitting at my Mother-in-Law’s house and, somehow, we got on the topic of family trees and ancestry. She shared several great stories with us, and we learned a lot of new things about my husband’s ancestry and heritage.

I know quite a bit of my own family history as well, thanks to some diligent record keeping relatives and my Mother, who is a skilled storyteller.

Learning more about my husband’s heritage got me thinking about the way that we pass this information down to our children. It is important to know where you come from. It is important to be familiar with the branches of your family, and to know the history of your heritage. I want to connect them to their histories through family stories, folk tales, and food. I want them to know where they come from and to feel gratitude for the varied and rich backgrounds they can claim.

Here’s to tracing your branches.