Lovin Technology

Theodore & Sarah "Lulu" Phillips with 3 of their boys

Every day I am more and more thankful for modern technology and the ways that it has expedited Genealogical Research, Digitization of information, sharing of information and putting long lost relatives in touch with one another!

I remember back to when I first began my Family History journey in the early 1990s (not so long ago) using DOS based computers, going to the local Family History Center and ordering microfilms that I had to wait a week or so on to show up & then spending HOURS looking through Census records on microfilm just hoping to find my ancestor!  Using 'snail mail' to try to contact other relatives who might be working on the same lines or have information that I was lacking, and so on.

Every time I get on Ancestry or Family Search or other websites that offer digitized, INDEXED records to search I am SO THANKFUL for these advances in just a few short years!  It never ceases to amaze me that from the comfort of my own home I can do a Census search by typing in an ancestor's name, and then print a copy, save a copy to my computer, and have that information right there at my fingertips!

I am so thankful for the opportunities I have had of connecting with 'long-lost' cousins by finding each other on Ancestry or other Social Media websites.  The photo I have posted with this blog is a treasure that was recently sent to me by a cousin that I found on Ancestry.  In the past year I have connected with numerous cousins that I didn't even know about & we have been able to share some awesome family history treasures with one another!  (Love my newly found cousins, Debi, Valerie, and Dan!  ♥)

I am so thankful to the countless volunteers who have spent hours digitizing and INDEXING these records that enables the ease of my searches!  There are so many indexing and other volunteer opportunities out there - I hope we are all taking advantage of them.  I try to spend at least a little time indexing hoping that maybe I can help someone else find their ancestor - the way other indexers have helped me find mine!

I know I've posted these before, but once again, here are some links to Indexing/Volunteer opportunities:

ANCESTRY - WORLD ARCHIVES PROJECT

FAMILY SEARCH - INDEXING

WORLD MEMORY PROJECT
(partnership between Ancestry and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)