Getting Started....

I began the search into the Goodwin family history in August of 2013, thinking it would make a unique gift to our father on his birthday that September.  I'm not sure what I was thinking!  It turns out that this was a much larger project than I had initially thought for a birthday gift.  A year of researching and I still have not given that gift! Honestly, I think that this could turn into a lifelong project.  Sorry dad~ looks like this gift will be one that you receive in bits and pieces, or the one that keeps on giving.

When I started this project, of course I had no clue as to what I was doing. I quickly realized that this family tree was continuously dropping leaves at every turn, hence the name of my blog.....Family Roots, Falling Leaves.  

I also discovered that some information was next to impossible to find. Genealogists refer to this as "hitting a wall" and let me tell you, I have had my fair share of those during this journey. However, I remain determined to unearth as much family history and information as I possibly can, at least until my eyesight gives out!

I have been diligently taking notes, recording dates, reaching out to possible Goodwin decedents until all the names and birth dates start to blur together. At those times, I have to pull back and take a break, take a few breaths before jumping back into it.  So many dates, names, cemeteries and documents...it can really, really be overwhelming and sometimes I feel like I am being "buried" in falling branches and leaves of this family tree.

I am going to use this blog to try and sort through mountains of information and maybe at some point have some kind of semblance to the chaotic mess I call my research!  I hope you can bear with me.  It doesn't help that I have bit of an attention deficit disorder.  Sometimes if I find an interesting bit of information, I tend to just go off without a plan, without direction.  I just get so excited when I discover something new and interesting.  Who am I kidding?  It's all interesting to me, so I will make no promises that this blog will be too orderly! I have not decided how I will post information, but give me time, I will get it figured out.


~~~Terri