This is my space to share my quest to collect as many broken branches as I can in my fractured family tree which resembles a bramble bush more then a proper tree. As I go forward in this blogging journey I hope to share how I have searched far & wide for family - with no regard for where they come from or if I should really want them.
You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

Friday, December 26, 2014

Embracing my Heritage



An elementary school project started me on pride in who I was and where I came from.

I wrote up my family tree, but only  to my grandparents on both sides.

I learned the family motto  Glory is the reward of valour

AND made the slogan mine Fierce when Roused


I begged for a clan kilt


Developed my list of special treats



And at age 29 (pregnant with my second child) I discovered I wasn't a Robertson by birth NOR by marriage ... I was UKRAINIAN on that side - from Austria (how's that for confusing) my grandfather had changed his name and decided Robertson was the one he wanted. Hence that is the name on my birth certificate and my father before me.


By 30 years of age I realized that I had no idea who I was or where I came from and my journey to find where exactly I fit in my own genealogical story came about.

I will confess to still eating those candies - in fact the photo above was taken by me of the bag I am almost finished. I would probably still be eating the jam, but my mother makes me homemade so rarely do I have to buy it. I love all plaid so didn't have to exactly give up my love of the Robertson plaid. I want to learn to play the bagpipes as my Great Grandfather Thomas Thomson did. My mother was born Graham. I have lost the Robertson heritage, but not my Scottish heritage.

Heritage is funny that way - you can just switch to the other side of the family when you really want something to fit!    AND in hindsight I always knew who I was, but maybe the route to arrive where I am was slightly off my previous belief system.


You can't pick your family you know!


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