a couple months later; I spent almost all that time researching our family on my father's side. The day he died, I danced. So, exploring his family was sort of a jump. The only reason I did was that I discovered a drawing of a shield/crest of his family attributed to Glodrydd. And on the internet, there was the same crest and a picture of the river and the valley I always dream about.

During that experience I spent a lot of time reading about aps and fertches (sons and daughters) tracing through the middle ages, tales of Arthur, murders of kings and loss of castles and the final diaspora of the Welsh in the 1500...some to Australia, some to Amoerica (Brittany) some to Canada, some to Barbados (my family-the rum runners ) who eventually came to America.

But during this incredible journey through the time of this part of my heritage; I discovered our further roots in the Isle of Mann (her name was Nest and she came to Wales in the 1st century after a "plague" that killed most of the population. She brought with her organized medicine and law; then further back to India, Egypt and Babylon. Yikes! You can not imagine what I felt. And of course, I am just an normal, aging woman living in Arkansas; someone who has done nothing of note and is the last of that linage. (All my siblings are female.)

Interestingly, my mother's family lived in England only miles from where my father's family was. (again, I'm the last of that line! also begun by an outside woman)

Even stranger, my partner's family was from another place in England so close to where my father's family was. Don't tell me karma doesn't keep us close!

So that's my story.

so many links in your family history.

the purpose might be? I have no idea.