Harston Heritage

I am very fond of my heritage and my family name. I love genealogy and learning where I come from, and how I'm related to the countless people in my family. I went to a funeral yesterday of my dad's cousin. I had only met him once before and to be honest, I don't really remember him. But I couldn't pass up an opportunity to go to a place where family would be gathered, when it was only 45 minutes away. The funeral was awesome. I heard so many funny stories and it just gave me an even stronger connection to my heritage. I am so proud to be a Harston. 

I want to start blogging memories that I have of my family, or stories I've heard about my parents as children, or their parents. I feel this will be a good tribute to those that were before me, and a great way for my children to take pride in where they come from. I hope that this gesture in some small way can be a link between the past and the future.

Until I was 12, my family lived in a single wide mobile home. It was 850 square feet, until I was about 7, and then my parents built an addition, which turned the house into 1300 square feet. There were 8 kids in that house (Scott wasn't born until the day after we got rid of the trailer). 2 months before I turned 12, we had a triple wide modular home put on our 5 acres. From the day I was born until the day I married Sean, with the exception of college, I had the same address, and the same phone number. My parents still live there, and will until they die. I take great pride in that. I love that I can go home, to the place where my childhood memories exist. It's where I learned to crawl, walk, and ride my bike. Play the piano, fooseball and do backflips on the trampoline. I learned to explore, and use a machete, and pick berries. I learned to use my imagination, mow the lawn, and weed the driveway. I learned to wrestle with my brothers, and sing with my sisters. We painted rocks, and took care of our animals, and had family barbecues. Family reunions at our house were epic. My best friend Jessi and I would pretend we were Pocohontas and walk through the woods barefoot because shoes were a nuisance. We'd lay on the trampoline at night and watch the bats, then sleep under the stars. Flashlight tag was a favorite night game. We were spoiled with tetherball, a ropeswing, tire swings, a teeter totter, and 2  (for awhile 3) trampolines. When I was 13, we put a double wide trailer on our property as well, and Grandma and Grandpa Harston moved out there. I could go on and on... I have so many precious memories of my childhood, and I hope to start documenting them, for my own sake, as well as my children. 

Stay tuned!