A fantastic gift

I'm still wishing desperately that I had real time to devote to genealogy, but it makes me happy to know that I'll have something to do when both of my kids are no longer living at home.

 Just a small sampling

My (mom's brother) Uncle Jimmie sent a package today.  He was closer to several of his father's siblings than my mom or Sue. He included different packets for my grandfather, two different great aunts, and a great uncle.  The packets include a variety of random family memorabilia, including original marriage/birth/baptismal certificates, military information, death and burial papers and more. 

There are also a dozen or so correspondences between the siblings--some just brief notes in sympathy cards marking someone's passing, others are several pages, handwritten, revealing much about the relationship between the writer and recipient. Also included are dozens of photos, including some which are personal to me and never seen before: a family gathering including my mom, a photo of my great-grandmother with her two oldest children, and a photo of my Welsh great-grandfather as an older man (see the top center photo above). 

Back: Grandmother Florentine Connor Thomas, great-uncle Ellis Thomas, 

great aunts Isabel Thomas Smith and Helena Thomas FauVel. 

Front: Isabel's son Peter Thomas, my mom, my uncle Jimmie Thomas.

It was completely unexpected, and as I opened each envelope, I stood at the counter for an hour, looking though everything briefly for the first time.  I'm overwhelmed with awe and gratitude that Jimmie gave these to me.