Once you get to know me you will understand that the most important thing in my life is my family. In the long list of priorities behind My Heavenly Father and my testimony in the gospel is my family. Everything I do is because of these three things. I live my life for my family.
This sense of family has been with me since I was a little girl. It has stayed with me all these years. I was told in a special blessing that family history would play an important part in my life. I have always thought this to mean that I would search for those in my family who we have no record of. I have come to find out that it means something totally different. It means that family history, the STORIES from my family are important to me.
Nine year ago (I know because it was right after Matthew was born) my mother came to help out. My mom brought an orange box full of pictures from her childhood and her family. Now, I know very little about her family mostly because I was born so late in her life and her parents had passed away by my birth. I was thrilled to see these pictures. My husband sat with her at the computer and scanned them in the computer, cleaned them up and as fast as my husband's fingers could fly, he wrote while she dictated. He then compiled it all on a CD and burned one for each of my siblings and any aunt, uncle or distant relative who wanted one. I love to look at those pictures.
It was also about this time that my mom got it in her mind that she would write her memoirs and publish them for us. It is the most precious book I own. If this house would burn down I would be sorry to see it ruined. In fact I would risk my lift to retrieve at least one copy (I bought enough for my children to have one.) It has a red cover and often my kids ask to read from "Grandma's Red Book." The stories aren't going to win any awards, but it doesn't have to because they are MY stories. Stories of my people, my family.
What makes "Grandma's Red Book" (properly titled "My Legacy") is that my mother's health as of late has declined. How timely it was for her to write her memories and thoughts about her life and her family's.
Recently, I got my hands on a "blue book" that a half cousin compiled about my mother's father (my grandfather). I know very little about him because he died many years before I was born. What I did know of him was wonderful, but what I know now is more.
There is something powerful in the written word. I learned that back in 1984 while in high school. My English teacher made us write in a journal everyday (I can still feel the moan I let out the first day of school when he told us about the assignment). Today I thank that teacher. I now have a very detailed and lengthy record of my thoughts, feelings, actions and other dealings. This record, much like "Grandma's Red Book" and the "blue book" I would be remiss if something happened to it.
After my husband and I got married we wrote our first letter to our family and friends. Seventeen years later we are still sending out a monthly letter, only we do it online, called the Blanding Bugle. We have seventeen years of family stories.
Just recently I have decided to become a Heritage Makers Consultant so I can publish NOW the stories of my life and those of my children. Just like my mom's book, it won't win awards, but those books will be full of stories that mean something to my children and their children.
The first book I published was about a trip skiing we took back in January. It is full of pictures and memories that my children relive every time they pick that book up. I often catch my children reading that book. I can't wait to get the first Blanding Bugle book hot off the press! I'm sure it will become another classic at my house.