52 Ancestors Week 4: Invite to Dinner

This week’s prompt is a hard one and one I’ve heard a few times. I went back and forth on how to answer this question.

It could be whatever ancestor I’m currently focusing on, for one. Their family group, really. Especially when I’m having a hard time finding more information or come across a story I’d love more details on (did you really desert during the Civil War? And just who are your parents? And just why in the world are you here in this census when everyone else – wife included – over here?). I’m sure we all have many of those ancestors!

It could also be the brick wall ancestors, the ones that you just can’t seem to get past for the moment. (I’m looking at you Lillie McLeod…)

It would be those, or the ones I miss incredibly and wish to just have a conversation with one more time. Not even a genealogy related conversation necessarily, but for them to meet my husband, meet me as an adult, discuss life, etc. Specifically, I’d want to have dinner with my paternal grandmother, Mary, and my maternal great-aunt Betty. I’d love for them to meet adult me and my husband. I so wish I would have had the chance to know them now!

Those are the first two that usually come to mind whenever I see this question, but, like I said, not really for genealogy reasons. They are two women I think about often and just wish were still here. There would still be genealogy questions, of course (because we all know that I would), but there would also just be life questions. I’d like to know how they would think of me now, more than anything. I’d want to know if they were proud of me.

This is my Aunt Betty

And my Grandma Mary

To put a different spin on this, it would be great to invite current genealogists I follow to dinner! I actually did try to list who I’d love to have over, but when I got to over 20, I figured that would be too much for a blog post (and I had more to add)! I have many fellow genealogists that I hope to meet in person (and have met in person) and would love to have over for a meal. I can imagine a room FULL of genealogists, laughing, talking, and just connecting over our shared passion. Now that is a dinner I hope I get to attend!