Bewildered, Astonished, and Thunderstruck.

Bewildered, Astonished, and Thunderstruck. 

Bewildered. Astonished. Thunderstruck. Mind-Boggled. Flabbergasted. Stunned. Awed. Baffled. Flustered. Floored. Shocked. Dazzled. Mystified. Speechless.
I am all of those descriptions--and more.
I am also humbled.
It's because of what I discovered on Tuesday, tested on Wednesday and Thursday, and will work on re-proving over the next couple weeks. But, I am more than 75% sure of what I discovered.
It changes everything in my life, but it also doesn't at the same time.
In fact, it deepens my faith. But, I also know I should have had this deep of a faith all along, and have. But, this makes it deeper and richer. I treasure it more. I cannot deny it. While it shouldn't be, it is.
I have traced my family tree to a figure of importance in the Bible. (Everyone mentioned in the Bible is important, by the way. So, I say that with a grin and a wink.) It is a person who proves that Jesus Christ was indeed a man--and was God.
Now... Do I have your attention? I know mine is sure caught.
Let me give you some of the backstory now.
Do you see why I am so amazed and thunderstruck?

My New Blog Description

My New Blog Description

Did you notice how the description of my blog changed? Well it has.

"Welcome to a journaling memoir as I learn about my family tree (in the USA since Jamestown 1607) and my family who can be traced to a biblical figure. This is a blog of my thoughts as I learn about history, faith, my family, and how to live."

-- By Stacy Duplease

This should give you a hint about the mind-boggling stuff that's occurred this week. 

In other words,this blog is my journaling memoir about history and faith. 

???!!!???!!!

???!!!???!!!

WhAt?!?

This is my mind.
Any questions?
There are so many questions, I don't know where to start.
Then again, the truth of the matter is I don't know what to think. It's so mind-boggling I have no idea what to think--or even how to at this point.
I cannot even begin to tell you how surprised I am (but not).
What I've discovered fills in a lot of answers to missing parts in my life and unanswered questions--for things that are down deep inside of me. It helps explains things.
I need some time to try to process what has happened and what I've discovered.
Who would ever have thought doing genealogy would bewilder, astonish, surprise, dumbfound, mind-boggle, etc--like this? Would you have thought?
I am surprised. I think that's fair enough to say.
Now, stay tuned.
Throughout the day today--and for the next week, I will really dive into this and will try to come up with some resemblance of ordered thought to help explain to you what I've discovered and what it means to me and my life.
I know this for much for sure: My life has just done a 180.
I also know this: It shouldn't.
But, it has.
How could it not? You'll see what I mean once you hear my story.

Historic Family Members, My Roots, and What I Can Learn

Historic Family Members, My Roots, and What I Can Learn

HISTORIC FAMILY MEMBERS
I do have several other historic family members from World and American or U.S. History. If I were to mention their names, you would know them. Some, I am a direct descendant. Some I am an indirect one.
Here are just a couple: Nero, Charlemagne, President Benjamin Harrison, Sir Walter Raleigh, the Plantagenet Family, the Tudors, etc.
There are a great deal more. I've had the good and bad in my family. Look at Nero, for instance. He fiddled as Rome burned. Then, there's the positive stories. I've also had several in the American Revolutionary War, including a father and his twelve sons. I've had brothers who fought in the Civil War on the side of the North and of the South. My family has been part of ever war the United States has had.

HOW FAR DO MY ROOTS EXTEND?
I can trace my family back as far as 23 BC--and maybe earlier.

THIS IS WHY I CAN LEARN A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HISTORY FROM MY FAMILY
My family has been there, done that, you might say. Thus, this is why I want to do a study of American and World History, as I learn about my family, and journal about all of this. I want to write a memoir that describes the process and share it with my living family and have it for future generations. But, I also want to share it with the world. I have a unique corner in history and want to share it.
This is my story of how I learned about history, through my family tree, and how this information transforms me, my life, and my family today and tomorrow. 

An All-American Family (From 1607): What Makes My Memoir and Story Unique

An All-American Family (From 1607): What Makes My Memoir and Story Unique

MY FAMILY IN JAMESTOWN IN 1607 AND BEYOND
You might say I am as American as they come. After all, my family has been here in the United States of America since 1607 and what is now known as Jamestown, Virginia, or Historic Jamestowne to be most specific, along with the surrounding area.
Jamestown is critical to know in our American/U.S. History, but also in our World History. Why do I say this? It's because Jamestown is the first, permanent English settlement of the United States. Plymouth, Massachusetts, and the pilgrims came here to the U.S. thirteen years later (in which I have three family members as well). Hence, Jamestown is the literal birthplace of the United States of America.
I actually had family who invested in, and dropped off, the leaving of the individuals at the Lost Colony of Roanoke, but they went back to England. So, this really doesn't count. I had three family members, that I know of, who came over here from England in 1607 and they survived. I also had some others who did not, but I will talk about this later. I will also talk about all of my other family members who came to Jamestown after 1607, in which there were several.
This is what makes my memoir and story unique.
There are not too many families who have traced their history and even fewer who can make the claim I can.

THIS IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS BLOG AND MEMOIR
Everything I just stated in the previous section explains why I am writing this blog and why I will then turn it into a memoir.


(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2008-2014.)

Book Cover: "Learning History Through My Family Tree: A Journaling Memoir, Part 1"

*** Also, Cover Image is courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net. ***

Welcome to A New Blog

Welcome to A New Blog

WELCOME
Welcome. This is a blog to teach about history: American and World History. But, it's a great deal more than that.
This a blog where I explore my family tree and learn about history. It's also my story of discovering information about my family tree, learning history (U.S./American and World History), and seeing how the two have made me who I am today and how they have influenced my life today.

WHY SHOULD YOU READ THIS BLOG AND/OR MEMOIR?
* If you like history, American and/or World History, this blog applies to you.
* If you want to learn about history, and do so in a different way, this blog is for you.
* This blog is about my family who has been in the USA since 1607 and Jamestown.
* This a family history and story blog.
* This is my journaling about learning history through my family tree and it's my memoir as well told through journaling. It will inspire you to journal, to get your story on the page, and help you to see the importance of getting your family story written.

Updated on March 05, 2014 1442 p.m.