North Carolina

This last weekend I flew to North Carolina to meet up with some of my dad's side of the family.  I have a very small family on both sides and we're spread out all over, so it's rare that so many of us (12 in this case) can get together.  Attending were my two brothers, my dad, his sister, two first cousins (father's sister's daughter and son), two first cousins once removed (father's sister's daughter's son and father's father's sister's daughter), my great-aunt (father's father's sister) and two second cousins (father's father's sister's daughter's daughters).  I'd only met about half of them before, and even them I hadn't seen for over ten years.

I was especially glad to meet my 87-year-old great-aunt for the first time.  Her brother—my grandfather—was also known as Rob, a fact that delights both of us.  Seeing family has reawakened an interest in genealogy that I haven't really had since the late '80s.  Back then I corresponded with my great-aunt and she sent me the research that she had done, and she still remembered that!  I also enjoyed seeing the campus of my dad's alma mater, Wake Forest, for the first time.

There seem to be traditions of doctors and teachers in the family; I'll be both, at least if I succeed in finishing my dissertation this year.  The trip was a perfect break before this busy semester gets going.  For me, North Carolina means not NASCAR, tobacco or furniture but delicious pork barbecue, beautiful trees and family.