This is one of the oldest pictures we have of our mom. Isn't she precious?
I've been absent from here, I know--same ol' song and dance. I have been, however, absolutely enthralled in our family genealogies since the New Year. We took a trip in the early spring to Atlanta; and we ended up going to my mom's home town, not too far west of Atlanta. I was on a mission to find some family members in the old town cemetery. (We found only a few. ugh.) And now, I'm totally hooked. I've found a lot of new information since I first began this journey. It was 1985. No computers. Only libraries. Can you imagine? Of course, I wasn't able to find a whole lot way back then. I did, amazingly, have enough sense to ask my Aunt Mary to write down all she knew of the Bailey family. And she did. Her papers have given us endless clues.
This is the kid, probably about the same age my mom was in her photo. He was so much like her. Look at that face. Same sweet grin. Sniffle. Now he's grown. But he's doing great away at college!
And then we move to the hub's family. His mom is Italian and second-generation American. His father is Ukrainian and first-generation American. I can't tell you how much information I have found online for both sides. Finding a lot of the ship manifests when they migrated to New York has been absolutely amazing. Then, I began going through old family photos on the hub's side. I had brought this picture back from NY last fall after helping the SIL go through the parents' things. No one knew who it was. I think it looks more of the Italian side. But there are a few who could also pass as Ukies.
And, speaking of Ukies, the hub and teenager are in New York to celebrate Ukrainian Easter this weekend. I gave the hub a copy of this photo so he can ask his mom if she knows who it is. I know she will. She is sharp as a tack!
I have always so LOVED old studio shots. No one ever looks happy. Notice the three back drops? Poor feller on the right is too tall for two of them! Awkward. I think those two boys on the ends are WAY too tall to be Ukies. But "momma" in the back, she don't look too happy. Perhaps the first son did not marry first. That is what happened at the hub's mother and father's wedding. The Ukrainian momma wasn't too happy about the whole thing since he was the youngest son--the oldest had not married yet. And it is told that she let it be known she was none-too-happy. Now those, my friend, are some strong, old-world customs. Kinda harsh, don't you think?
Oh well. Now I'm wishing I were in New York with the family. But, then again, I am kinda enjoying the peacefulness of the house.
Будьмо
Labels: Aunt Mary, Family, Georgia, Hub, Kid, Mom, Teenager, Ukrainian Easter
