I read on a blog today about family reunions and though I’d share an idea I had several years ago. My Mom’s family is all in NC, and my Pop’s is from the Atlanta area. It has been years since I have seen any of his family, but I am able to see the NC gang about once a year. It is getting harder and harder for us to make the trip to see these family members, and I realized that it is a probability that my boys and their families will never travel there again. I hope that is not so, but , you know…life, and stuff…And my Pop’s family doesn’t even get together even though they all live fairly close. My aunt that used to take care of that died last year.

I decided to make a scrapbook for my children and grandchildren of each of the families. The last time I was in NC, I made pictures of all my aunt’s and uncle’s houses, their churches, the cemetery and graves. Then I raided my mom’s old picture albums and attempted to ‘save’ those pics. She had put them all in those old albums where you glued them down and covered them with plastic. That is what everyone used to use.[NOTE: If you have any pictures in that type of album…remove them immediately…they will be ruined. Better to put them in a photo box than in those old type albums…DO IT NOW!] I had to cut them out, and some of them were faded badly and some even crumbled. ACID FREE, FRIENDS…put all pictures in acid free albums or boxes! Nevertheless, I saved what I could and made an album of the family groups and cousins and homes, etc. I have my parents wedding pictures there, too. Then, I even got some very old pictures of when my mom was a little girl and the houses they lived in…and my grandparents when they were young. I didn’t have nearly as many of my Pop’s family, but some good ones of he and his brothers(7) and sister(1). A few good ones of the houses they lived in…but not all the cousins.

I wanted my boys and their children to be able to SEE the people who are part of their lineage. And to see where I spent many happy summers and Christmases. Of course, they remember a lot of this now, but time has a way of stealing memories and details, doesn’t it?

So, all this to say: you may be the one to keep your family history alive for the next generations. It is not hard. You can get an inexpensive album at Wal-Mart or Target(ACID-FREE). Then, get ACID FREE glue to attach them and write a little description of the picture. Nothing elaborate…But, one day your children can go back and show their children where great- grandma lived or where Uncle Arthur farmed tobacco. Don’t think of it as an overwhelming task, just start and work on it all along. Your future grandchildren will thank-you.