My Mama's Mama's Mama's Mama

There are people in my life who shower me with great gifts. One of them is my college roomie, who continues to Wow me on my birthday and Christmas. Her latest gift – this tshirt – got to the writer in me. So I went to the site to check out what else they had to offer.

I was amazed that you could create your own shirt. Naturally, Only Child Syndrome kicked in and tried to think of what else I could design for me. I decided to take the writer theme and make the shirt a tribute to the women in my family. I fiddled around with a few sayings, and settled on Pearl & Vera & Vanny & Me. That boils down to my great grandmother, grandmother, mom and myself.

Then I remembered how much Mom raved about my original shirt. I knew she'd be just as ecstatic about the new one, so why not get her one as well? I decided to do a four generations of women thing with her too. But there was one problem? My knowledge of family history stops at Pearl. I don't know of the people who came before her, only the ones who came after.

So I tried to do some research, research that wouldn't send this google/factchecking/genealogy-obsessed blogger to go into overdrive. I set up some particulars on Ancestry.com. That got me nowhere but continuous emails about a free trial. (Resist, resist!!) Then I asked a relative. She told me to ask another relative, who was dealing with a terminally ill spouse so I wasn't about to bother her. I knew Mom didn't know, because Pearl died before she was born, as did all of her history.

I became obsessed. I did a couple of Internet magic tricks and wound up with … NOTHING. On a whim, I sent a tweet to a cousin. Thankfully, she knew the answer! She knew not only the name of my mama's mama's mama's mama, but also her mother and father. Sweet!

Now that the puzzle is complete, I can go to the site and create Martha & Pearl & Vera & Me. Then I'll wrap that bad boy up and give it to Mom for mother's day. Yet I am still on the verge of signing up for the Ancestry.com membership. It takes some special dna to make up all of this **jazz hands**