Last Fall I was cleaning my Maternal Grandparents house, Maas Family, and came across a small chest with documents they kept. Here are three items, I found and in process of preserving with acid free paper and behind glass. These are all 85 to 104 yrs old. Glad to find them and document them on family tree.

Tonight, I had a moment when Ancestry actually provided a document that is something new to me and absolutely shows proof of connection to my own family hertiage. Today is January 13th and the document I found lists my Grandparents Amelia Podrasky and Orville Maas as being married on January 13, 1940.

It is one of those moments when doing Genealogy when you feel that someone or something led you to that document on that day for a reason. An unexplained find that feels powerful, yet spooky too. All good since I knew my grandparents very well and long time. So the document confirms a stories of when and why married in January in Iowa.

A colleague of mine will be presenting her knowledge on Research in Norway this Saturday at Dane County Area Genealogical Society.

Eleanor Brinsko will be presenting a lecture on her genealogical research trip to Norway. She will describe the research that she began with, preparing for a genealogical research trip, and what informational resources that she used to enrich her genealogy.

Two large contracted client projects, prep for future talk to a county society, being contacted by other potential clients for work, fellow genealogy enthusiasts reaching out to me- networking, and doing my goals and plans for 2018.

Plus ProGen Study Work and my Board of Director duties for Dane County.

And…that is just Genealogy stuff. Busy Fun.

Another year-2017-gone by.

For Professional Genealogists, I wish you continued success and pleasure in the exciting world of family history for your clients. What a great role we play in peoples lives from the service and knowledge we have been given. Keep doing great work.

Have a wonderful and safe Holiday season.

From Rettammel Genealogy Service LLC

This is circa 1920. My two aunts and their first cousin Fred Kehrwald.

Fred Kehrwald and his Uncle August H Rettammel (my grandmother), circa 1920 in Lyndon Station WI area.

This is an early 1920s photo on farm of my Uncle’s and Aunt, before 1925. Back row: left to right, Aunt Ida, Uncle Art, Uncle Bill, Uncle Ed; front left Uncle Norman, right Uncle Arnold.

My Grandpa and his daughter Mabel, mid-1920s.

My Paternal Rettammel side, circa 1929. Left to right back: Ida, Grandma Rettammel, Ed, Grandpa, Bill, visitor son-in-law, Art. Front Eva, Norman and Arnie.

Taking some time to organize files, research some, recheck databases and edit my trees (make sure sourced right). A nice December treat to myself. Practice what I preach – teach others.

As a member and leader in my local genealogy society, we have an annual December program for membership to display their own family history with our community.

Today was another of those events. It was a great success, with awesome stories, wonderful displays, and well done sourced research documentation to support the stories presented.