The time I’ve had to spend on genealogy and blogging over the past few years has been scarce – and it’s made me sad. I’ve really missed it.
When the kids were babies, it was easy enough. I spent many hours with a nursing baby in my arms or a toddler at my feet and I could still get plenty of researching done. It gave me something to work on. A mystery to solve.
You would think that I’d have more time as the kids got older and I made my way out of the diaper years, but that hasn’t been so. We homeschool, which means I’m currently teaching kids in 11th, 8th, 6th, 4th, and 2nd grades. Plus, I get to cart them around to various classes, field trips, and scouting events almost every day. Add to that the fact that they have to be fed and clothed makes my day even shorter. My extra money goes to them instead research and conference trips. And I don’t begrudge them that. 🙂
On top of all of this, I overstretched myself when we lived in El Paso. I volunteered a couple of days a week, I started my own photography business, and I said “yes” to more things than I could fit on my calendar. It left me with absolutely no free time.
(I really do love taking pictures though!!)
We’ve recently moved to Georgia and I’m making a fresh start with my calendar. I’m limiting my volunteer time. I’ve decided not to pursue my photography business here (it takes up SO MUCH TIME away from my family). I’ve also decided that I’m going to spend some of my new found free time getting back into my genealogy groove.
I felt like I was genealogically isolated in El Paso. We were SO far from everything, making my dreams of genea-trips an impossibility. (Here we are we are at the World’s Biggest Pistachio).
We’re on the East coast again though, and everything is much closer to us. Within 3 hours, I can be to Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston, Columbia, Charlotte. Within 6, I can be in Birmingham, Montgomery, southern Virginia, Orlando, or Nashville. It’s exciting!!!
I’ve already gone to the local genealogy meeting and have contacted the local DAR to finally get my paperwork together. Now I just need to schedule some dedicated time a couple of times a week, just for genealogy. I know that I can’t work on it daily – my time will come when the kids are grown (and I’m not anxious for that – they’re growing too quickly!!)
I’m curious, do most of you have a dedicated time you spend working on family history? Is it early in the morning or late at night? I’m a night owl, so that’s probably when my time will be. Do you pencil it into your calendar or just pick it up when you’re free?
