Hall Pass requested

[DCJenn]

Hi all-

We made it to Maryland- our plane was a little delayed but Southwest made up the difference and we were only 10 minutes late. Today dad and I head to Pittsburgh for a family reunion of people we've never met- all descendants of one John Sperling from Witzenhausen, Germany. (and shout out of thanks to Alison who helped me figure out the German genealogy stuff!) and then off to Ohio to see the former family farms and find the Presbyterian Church where everyone is planted.

My dad is GIDDY. Seriously, he's made notebooks of pictures and is ready to go RIGHT NOW. I told my mother that she shouldn't be surprised about how demanding my nephew JSM the 4th is because JSM the 2nd is pretty bad and he's 68. (and yes, the "S" is in fact, for Sperling...)

Jenn

Sounds great Jenn! I'm sure it's going to be a lovely time!

[Pollyanna]

You are going to have such great stories to tell!!! Have a blast Jenn!!

[scrub-jay]

Have fun!!

So fun! Enjoy! And take time for yourself while you've got someone else to help care for NDH as well.

xoxo

Sounds awesome! Enjoy and have safe travels!

[ladymoreta]

Have fun!!!

[moonlight]

What a great way to finish out the summer! I can't wait to her about the reunion.

[DCJenn]

OMG- what a trip we had. In a nutshell- there will never be any Sperling family basketball players! We are all short and wear glasses.

The Ohio portion of the trip was really interesting- everyone died except for my GGgrandfather and his older sister- he had tons of younger half siblings and the genealogist found all of the guardianship files for them, and their death certificate (everyone died from TB). She found wills and deeds and figured out the family properties. Dad and I drove past what once was 160 acres of Boyd family farm (my GGgrandmother's side). It was so unbelievably hilly. I can't imagine trying to farm that with drafthorses. It was amazing. OF course, as we're driving in to Carroll County Ohio big black clouds started rollling in, the winds were blowing, and it turned that green/black color in the sky. I turned to my dad and said, "maybe the Martins really ARE cursed! Maybe we shouldn't have come back!"

On the way back we stopped back in Pittsburgh and saw my grandmother who just turned 94. She's so flippin' funny.

anyway- finally back at mom and dads after having a dude free evening with my husband in DC.

J

[ladymoreta]

What an amazing trip! I'm so glad you got some time with your husband, too!

[PrincessFiona]

Wow...What an awesome experience, Jenn!

I'm glad you enjoyed it ... AND that you got ot have a dude free evening! LOL

Kris

[Michele]

Neat!

[Meenah]

That sounds like a really great trip.

[DCJenn]

Off to Antique's Roadshow in a few hours! We're taking a vase that belonged to my great-grandparents (dad's side) , a purse that was my great-grandmother's on my mom's side and my great-grandmother's bridal fan (ivory and lace from 1906) We also are taking a belt made from beads that the same great-grandmother (Dad's side) was given from a Native American family when they lived in Western Canada. We took all of the stuff that we can't find on ebay- the stuff someone actually needs to look at to determine value. The fan we're taking to find out where in the area to have it restored.

Wish me luck! Maybe mom and I will be on TV.

Jenn

[L.Jane]

Good Luck!