Doing What Counts

About this time every month, I’ve been checking my progress in the various genealogical projects I’m currently juggling. I don’t want to lose sight of those goals I hope to achieve: create a family history database large enough to encompass the now 829 matches I have on my autosomal DNA test results and also push back far enough in time to find the mtDNA nexus with my mystery cousin, the adoptee in search of his roots.

So, how did I do? Specifically, on the maternal side of my tree, somewhat less than progress in previous weeks. I advanced from 3,059 to 3,444 people in this tree, but I wasn't able to make any contacts with DNA matches, other than continuing conversations with those I'd contacted last month.

As for the paternal side, progress was abysmal: only five additional people added to that tree, bringing the total named to 148. The DNA matches on this side of the family amount to twenty two, same as the last time I checked the tally. This is the side of the family that stubbornly refuses to be discovered, no matter how hard I try.

The trend on those numbers may seem to be trailing off slightly, but for good reason. Right now, our family is busy doing something else that counts: we are spending our time in well-wishes for our daughter, who this day is graduating from college with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology. It is the culmination of her dream in one way, but also the beginning of the quest for another dream: to be able to work in the field of archaeology. If she does see herself completing that quest, it will involve heading right back to school—and staying there for a very long time.

In this momentary hiatus, though, we wish to take a break and celebrate. As for getting back to cranking out those numbers for my projects, well, there will be plenty of time to return to that next week.