Nancy Drew and the case of the happy 3rd blogging anniversary

Three years ago I spur of the moment decided to add, to the sports blog and television blog I was already writing, a blog about a third passion of mine - genealogy. Three years ago today, on January 16, 2008, I posted my first entry, entitled "Becoming Nancy Drew," in which I talk about how our family histories are mysteries to be solved, and how as genealogists, we're kind of like Nancy Drew, one of my all-time favorite detectives, fictional or otherwise. I'm still a firm believer in that - genealogy is almost an unsolveable puzzle. We'll never have all the pieces, but we never stop trying to put the whole picture together.

Back then, no one was reading this blog. I almost didn't care. I did the research and the blogging for me, and if an occasional passerby happened upon the world I was sharing, that was enough for me. But knowing there are people who now follow me and who care enough to actually share their thoughts and opinions back to me, creating a dialogue about this topic we all find so fascinating - well, that has made this whole thing all the better, and I thank you for it.

Since that first post three years ago, I've discovered relatives from branches both known and unknown, and gotten to know them and exchange records and research as well. I've found records backing up my personal research and hunches. I've discovered new ancestors and traced lines further back then I ever thought I'd be able to go. I've hit brick walls I still haven't broken through. I've gone down wrong roads and hit dead ends. But I think through it all, I would've made Nancy Drew proud.

And I'm not done yet. I'll never be done. Good detectives never quit. :)

Becoming Nancy Drew