​Memorial Day Weekend is here despite the cool weather reminding of us more of April instead of May. While it is an opportunity to enjoy an extra day away from work, we also pause to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. As genealogists, we spend time walking cemeteries, searching for those elusive ancestors, remembering the past. Memorial Day is the opportunity to pause and thank those who went before whether you choose to visit a cemetery or attend a Memorial Day program.  This is truly a day of remembrance.  
Happy Memorial Day!
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p.s. For those who choose to honor ancestors by searching for them, Fold3 is offering free access to their records from now until Tuesday in honor of Memorial Day.

​I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately exploring an unexpected connection to Paris, France. It’s been interesting figuring when and possibly why my Luxembourg family moved to Paris.  Reading related materials, it wasn’t unusual for people to travel from smaller villages to a larger city such as Paris to hone their skills in a given trade.  Knowing little about research in France, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned about using this site.  Even if you don’t have ancestors from France, it may give you ideas as you pursue research outside the United States.

​With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I started thinking about my own Mom as well as my female ancestors.  Our maternal branches do not always receive the same focus as the paternal lines when doing our family research.  Is it because it isn’t the “name” we were born with?  Or is it because it becomes challenging to find those maiden names?  I know I have some female ancestors who remain mysteries, lost to history.  At least that is true for now; I’m always hopeful.  Before you give up on finding the women in your family, let’s look at some tricks and tips for finding them.

​Connections.  Making connections with other people is part of our human DNA.  Whether you are working on a project, living in a neighborhood or researching family, our day-to-day interactions create community and ties.
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I was reminded of this in recent weeks as I connected with genealogy cousins.  Let’s talk about the benefits of those connections when writing your family history.