43. Kelso - Hope Reunions


This photo is of Linda and I standing near the headstone of a Hope ancestor, symbolically extending gratitude, thanks, appreciation and love for those who have gone before us.

May I add something, for those who don’t know, of why it’s been special for me as I’ve been meeting and catching up with cousins these last 2 days. These are all my 4th cousins - which is the result of many years of family history research by several of us.

To find a 4th cousin, one must first find one’s great,great.grandparents and then find their siblings and then work one’s way down their tree/s and locate a living descendant or two. In many cases 4th cousins will be scattered across countries and continents. These last 2 days I’ve met 14 4th cousins and tomorrow there will be another 11 to add to that number, all being well - but that story will have to wait till then…

I’ve been doing my family history since I was 24 years old and when I started I didn’t dare think that these past 2 days would ever happen and I know we were all holding back tears of joy as we enjoyed the moment.

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