Holding your little cuddly body in my arms as your navy-colored eyes stare up at me filled with so much love and wonder.
Your tiny mouth forms a toothless smile as you babble in a whispery voice while the dim lightning casts shadows around us.
And in that moment, I can’t recall ever loving anything as much as I love you.
-A.B.
One day you’re eighteen, spending all of your time with and pouring your heart out to a guy who will never truly love you back. Your heart hurts, but you pretend to like the pain.
The next thing you know you’re twenty-four and your husband lays his head on your lap, his hand placed on your pregnant belly as he talks to the baby saying, “I love you! You have the best Mama ever.”
And you start to wonder how you got so lucky; and how you ever put up with anything less before you met him.
– A.B.
What is good about having a pet?
Although having a pet can be a big, and often messy responsibility, I believe the pros outweigh the cons. Truthfully, I have a hard time thinking of what would be bad about having a pet.
Having a pet, such as a dog or cat, is like having a friend in your home wherever you go. They’re loyal and affectionate and help to cure feelings of loneliness or isolation. They can also be incredibly funny; making weird faces or noises and letting their personality shine through.
Lizards, fish, and other less fuzzy creatures are also great choices for pets that bring joy to their owners. Many of these animals are incredibly intelligent and affectionate to the humans they bond with.
Back to my favorite (dogs) though, they’re great at keeping you warm, which is good if you’re someone like me who is perpetually cold. Specifically having a dog as pet means you have a free security system and guaranteed loyalty.
I believe that pets are one of the greatest joys in life. They’re proof that individuals of different species that don’t speak the same language can still form beneficial relationships and consider each other family.
– A.B.
In my mind, home is not one singular place but rather many different places or experiences.
For some it may be a hometown or a childhood house. For others, the sound of a Ford truck starting up or a local skating rink.
Home isn’t always a place. It can be a smell, like a cinnamon apple candle. Or a person, like a mother or a spouse.
I think that home is something that can only be defined by an individual. It means something different to everyone.
What is home to you?
– A.B.
What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?
There are many aspects from different cultural influences in my life that I find interesting. My Southern American heritage is something that I experience nearly everyday of my life with the food I eat and the words I say such as, “Y’all.” The importance of family, having fun, and working hard are all things I’ve learned through my southern culture and I find to be important in life.
Farther back in my heritage, my Scottish and Irish ancestors have always been fascinating to me. I’m proud to be descended from a culture of people who fought for what they believed in and never let oppression keep them down. They took pride in their family name and found honor in bravery, which is something I admire.
– A.B.
I always find myself fascinated by the new discoveries I make every time I venture into my ancestry/genealogy hobby. It’s always even more surprising when I find family history from hundreds of years prior just miles from where I grew up.
Captain James Kell is my 6th-great-grandfather. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1760 and moved with his family down to Orange County, North Carolina as a young child. He was also in the militia, and fought in many battles during the American Revolutionary War including Camden, Lindley’s Mill, and most notably to me, Charlotte.
I was born and raised near Charlotte, so learning that my own ancestor fought against General Cornwallis in 1780 in what is essentially my hometown was mind-blowing to me. He was also married at and briefly lived in the town I currently reside in, which is even crazier to me that I have at least two familial ties to a place I never knew was connected to me in that way.
Capt. Kell’s other family members also have some fascinating history. His great-grandfather, Jean Postell, was a French immigrant, known in the 1600s as a “Huguenot,” who fled to Charleston, South Carolina with his parents, wife, and children to escape religious persecution happening in France. The Postell’s held to their Protestant faith, and fled along with thousands of other like-minded individuals to escape the catholic government that posed a threat to their safety.
I definitely plan to dig more into the small bit of information I’ve found so far so I can better understand the history and the lives of my ancestors. Thank you for reading!
– A.B.
What does your ideal home look like?
Like most of us do, I’ve had a dream home in mind since I was very young. Over the years the idea of it has changed from a princess castle, to a mansion on a lake, to a townhouse in Paris, but nowadays all I truly want is something simple and cozy.
I don’t know what my ideal home would look like, since I love old farmhouses and small brick homes all the same. But I do know it would sit upon acres of land with gardens and animals thriving on it. There would be a wide, welcoming front porch complete with rocking chairs and wind chimes.
Every room in the house would have a theme and be decorated to match it and would always be clean and ready for unexpected visitors. The kitchen would have black-and-white checkered floors and a window above the big sink. There would be plenty of room to raise children and have family over.
It would be comfortable and inviting; a small slice of paradise within the dark world we live in. A place where happiness can blossom.
– A.B.
As mentioned before in previous posts, I’ve always had an interest in my family history. Thankfully, my late grandmother saved hundreds of photographs and records that I can now look at, appreciate, research, and one day pass on to the next generation.
Seeing photographs of my ancestors, many of which I never got to meet, gives me a glimpse into their lives. From what they wore to where they lived, these photos transport me to a different time when I observe them.
I’m fortunate enough to have these photos (and many more) to admire. A photograph is only a glimpse into one’s life, but the memories they hold I believe can last forever.
I love sharing my family history as it is my most fascinating hobby. I will definitely share more if you would like to see! Thank you for viewing and reading.
– A.B.
It’s hard to grieve the loss of someone
Who has not yet died
But each day they make choices that in turn
May soon take their life
They won’t listen to reason
Nor admit they are doing wrong
No amount of begging or pleading
Seems to stop them from doing themselves harm
You feel the day approaching
When they’ll take their final breath
But you can’t help someone who won’t help themselves
And is actively choosing to drink themselves to death.
– A.B.
Unexpectedly on my family history research today, I came across someone who was pretty significant in European history. My 14th-great-grandfather, Henry Hastings, was the 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and a nobleman. He was born around 1535 and died in 1595. He was also distantly related on his mother’s side to King Edward IV.
He was involved in issues surrounding Mary I of England and Mary Queen of Scots, and was even educated with Edward VI. Up until his death, he also served as President of the Council of the North, which was an administrative body set up by King Richard III of England.
Sir Henry was said to be greatly influenced by Protestantism when attending college at Queens in Cambridge. He was briefly incarcerated at the Tower of London due to his support of Northumberland rather than Mary Tudor. He was later released after making amends and swearing an oath of loyalty to her.
I also found it interesting that he was said to be a patron of stage drama, and was an important aristocrat involved in the performing arts.
I hope to travel to England one day to visit his grave and explore the sights that he once visited nearly 500 years ago.
– A.B.
A.P. Bensler Blog 