A Family Tree is More Than a List of Names

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Monica Garrett

A family tree can be a photo of a tree with names printed inside. I believe we’ve all seen those. I once tore one out of a magazine to fill out and keep in my book. The book I am referring to, however, is what I also call my “family tree.” I purchased the book to record information about my ancestors. I call it my “family tree,” but it is actually so much more. It contains names, dates and facts about family members, who lived before me. It also gives details about who my family members were, what they believed … Continue reading →

The Family Name

Posted on January 10, 2007 by

Adoptive parents have the right to change their children’s names when they are adopted. With one exception, our boys have the same first names that they had when they came to us. Their middle names were names that I associate with African American children. We changed them, but not for that reason. I did not want to keep names that I would not have given them myself. Some people may not like that and say that we have taken their heritage away from them. We have given them our family heritage instead. Caleb’s name was Caleb Jamal and Tommy’s name … Continue reading →