Turning hearts to the fathers

Recently I was asked to join the Family History class during the Sunday school hour. I got and family search and decided to also ask my grandfather(my birth dad’s father, who we call Tata) about my biological Chilean family, because I had nothing on them, and didn't even know dates and places for my abuelos or tias y tios. So, I might actually have to do some work for that side.


My grandpa (mom's dad) has done a lot of family history research for him and my grandma. So, I have a lot of info I got from him. So, to tell you the truth when I've attempted family history searches I kind of decided to let him continue, but now that think about it if something ever happens to him I'll have to continue where he left of. Which may be in like the 1600's in a foreign country. That would be harder then if I had just started from the beginning, huh?

My grandma (dad's mom) has done quite a bit of work on hers and grandpa's family too, so I also got lucky and received a bunch of family info from her. Though I don't also know how to work the program, but luckily great grandpa and his family did get delete forever when I tried to fix the mistake of putting somebody’s wife with the wrong husband.

I've been kind of proud of the fact that I have 3 families. I have my birthfather's, my mother's, and I got to be adopted into my father's too. So, I've felt special growing up, for one my mom's side I didn't really have any cousins on for awhile, and my birth father's and father's sides I have about 15 cousins on each. Though 1 of the cousin I counted is more recent. Now some my cousins have had kids. So, have like 13 2nd cousins on 1 and 4 on the other. Though to tell you the truth I kind of prefer to call them nieces and nephews, that's what my aunt says they call their primos' ninos in Chile.

I honestly have been interested in my fathers and mothers since I was a girl. My grandma had an old photo album of pictures her mother had, and when I went to visit them (which were often) I would ask sometimes if we could look at the pictures, and when we looked at them I asked who everyone was. Also I asked about my great grandparents quite a bit, because all my mom's grandparents past by the time I was born. Though my great grandpa was still alive (he was step, but he was more like a real grandfather to my mom, I feel he my great grandfather as well), but sadly he got sick before I could meet him.

I have also been curious about those people I have seen in pictures Tia and tata had in their living rooms, they were people I knew I was connected to, but didn't really know, and I only got little bits and pieces from my family about them. And a few years ago my Tia showed my pictures she had found in Chile from when my bisabuela (great grandmother) visited, and there I was with her at 1 week old. I had never thought I had met them til then, and I of course had not remembered this. As my brother might say"*Gasp* Cheryl doesn't remember!?" LOL! But, in defense of great memory of details and trivial things, I'd have to say that not many people remember things that happened when they were newborns. Not many people remember things that happened when they were 2. So, I'm glad I got to meet her, and I'm glad that I recently learned her name, and where she was born and when she married my bisabuelo(great grandfather).

So despite the fact that I kept giving up on the record researching of and on since I was 17, I'm going to know. But, I'm also asking any of my family who might have known them or know anything about them for info on them. If they like to tell me stories as well I'd love to hear them. I love stories about my ancestors; it makes me feel as if I know them better than before.

(Yes, my birt father and father are two different people. I usually say birth father about the 1 so it isn't confusing when I talk about my father as well, but it is usually confusing if I don't explain it first)