It's Happening!

When I first got the email a few weeks ago from my cousin asking if I wanted to join her and her husband on their yearly pilgrimage to England, I thought "I probably can't do it." I don't have the time or the money right now, it would be too hard to leave my family, my passport is expired, etc. But my husband, ever supportive, told me I should not rule it out. So, last Monday I called my cousin to see what the details were, where I could meet them, if I could just join for part of the trip. As I talked to my cousin, the idea gained momentum and I started looking into things and thought, "Maybe I can do this."

So, in a whirlwind this week I sent off my passport for renewal, found airfare, booked lodging, pushed down the anxious feelings about leaving the country without my immediate family. And now I have my plans made. I am going!

Now I have a million questions swirling, some of them having to do with the logistics of the trip, but some of them having to do with family history. While I research train schedules, sites to see, cultural differences, etc., I will also review my genealogy research and make note of the towns my ancestors came from, the events of their lives there, and examine some of the reasons they came to the United States. So, here on this blog I plan to write about all the things I'm thinking and feeling leading up to the trip and hopefully I'll have time to document my travels and, of course, reflect when I return.

Whitby, North Yorkshire

Birthplace of my 3rd Great-Grandfather John Taylor (1800-1879)

He arrived in the United States in 1830