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What Our Family Trees Remember: A Genealogist’s Perspective on Vaccination
This last week, a case of measles was confirmed here in Fillmore County. Under ordinary circumstances, that news would concern me. But this time, it hit a little differently. I have a newborn at home. He is only a few weeks old—far too young to receive his first MMR vaccine. Like every baby his age,… Read more
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The Father We Cannot Name
A Father’s Day Reflection on Y-DNA, Legacy & an Unfinished Mystery This past Mother’s Day, I found myself reflecting on endings. On mitochondrial DNA.On maternal lines.On the realization that, as a mother of three boys, one ancient biological thread in my family may end with me. But Father’s Day has me thinking about something entirely… Read more
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The Last Woman in the Line
The most ancient line we carry is the mitochondrial DNA passed down from mothers to daughters. This unbroken lineage spans tens of thousands of years, linking me to my maternal ancestors. As a boy mom with three sons, I ponder this extraordinary biological thread that will not continue beyond my generation. Read more
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Honoring Our Roots on All Saints’ & All Souls’ Days
As Halloween fades and November begins, I always feel a shift in the air — from the playful and spooky to the quiet and sacred. November 1 and 2 mark All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, two holidays that often slip by unnoticed, yet carry a deep, shared purpose: to remember, honor, and pray for those who… Read more
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A Legacy in Lace: The Story and Preservation of a 160-Year-Old Baptism Gown
Nestled in a box wrapped with care lies one of my family’s most treasured heirlooms—a baptism gown over 160 years old, made in the small Alsatian village of Hohwiller, France. It was first worn by my great-great-grandmother, Mary Winterholt Pleiss, likely around 1856, and has since passed through generations of babies, across continents, and through countless family milestones.… Read more
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