52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 13: Home Sweet Home

NOTE: I accepted the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge headed by fellow genealogy blogger Amy Johnson Crow. The idea behind this challenge is that you will receive email prompts, a word or phrase, every week, and you find something about your research or family history to write about.  Click HERE to read my first 52 Ancestors blog post in 2019.

My family moved into a house just outside of our hometown of Newport, Arkansas in 1989. When you cross the railroad tracks, you entered the city of Diaz, Arkansas. I was 11 years old, and my only concern at the time was having to ride the bus to school now. At that time, I didn’t think about how long we would have this house, all the holidays that would be celebrated in this house, all the memories I would have in this house, or the part this house would play in my family history.

Anytime I am asked where I’m from, I still say Newport/Diaz, although I have lived in Northwest Arkansas longer than I lived in Newport. When I think of home, I always have this house in mind.

This house is where I celebrated my sweet 16th birthday in the backyard with all of my friends. this house is the address that I gave the University of Arkansas as my permanent home address. This is the house that I went to after my wedding to change clothes. This is the house were my son, my dad, and I looking through old family pictures peaked my initial interest in family history. This is the house that we as a family and community came together to honor and celebrate my father and uncle after they passed away. This house is just as much a part of my family history as the people that I research.

Leave a comment

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑