Ancestry-ology

I found this amazing photograph on Ancestry.com.  I got a wild hair and started researching my family tree again; not sure what triggered it, but it resulted in me buying a basic month of Ancestry.com.  I downloaded the app as well, which is free.  It's my new crack.  I stay up late fixated on the leaf "hints" that are profuse throughout the software and when clicked on bring up previously saved documents, shedding even more light on ones ancestors.  I would need to fork out more money to buy the world membership, thus allowing me to see or download other documents. However the "hints" allow you to see names on past censuses which can allow you to add more names to your family tree.  It took me 10 generations on my dad's side of the family to get out of the United States and into Scotland, so I was able to gather a ton of information with just the basic membership; however this addiction for ancestry-knowledge is propelling me to want to buy a world membership.  Scottish people are very good at keeping track of their genealogy.

So back to the photograph.  So, the sister on the far left is my grandmother's grandmother.  I can see the resemblance.  The one on the far right has the same married name as my great-great-grandmother; so they were also sister-in-laws, how cute.

Ever since I was a child I've had a hunger to know about my ancestry.  Eventually I went into Marriage and Family Therapy because I was naturally intrigued by family dynamics and family history.  Sometimes I ask myself "Waz up?". It's not about the past, it's about present family relationships and making sure those are good.  Why does all this history matter?

My aunt, who is the great-granddaughter of the above, loves Ireland and she really doesn't know why.  Maybe there's a connection somewhere that I'll find and it will make sense.

Personally I'm sure that when there is enough time to fuel my addiction even more, I will discover that I'm related to J.K. Rowling.  The other side of my dad's tree is part of the Swinton line from Scotland.

Which, speaking of addictions, one of mine, Houzz.com has a really cool article by Catherine Macaulay about a castle in Scotland that real people live in.  It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/31828567/list/my-houzz-winging-it-in-a-scottish-castle.

Apparently, I need to add visiting Scotland to my bucket list.  Disneyland with my daughter, is first.
There are castles there too.