Not enough can be said when it comes to working at providing documentation to substantiate each individual on our family tree. It can literally come down to a single missing or misplaced individual to throw a monkey wrench into the works. Genealogy can be even more of a challenge when we want to see progress that substantiates more than the people, but also our adoptee non-identifying information.

Throughout the past several weeks I have been focusing on individuals for a few days at a time. Working toward substantiating a single generation of people in our tree can prove helpful in the level of depth one becomes acquainted with them. Names become more familiar, places, occupations and current events can all factor into your understanding of who and the why a family stays or potentially moves out of a specific geographic region.

I am often tested with the desire to make some progress, but have to settle upon stable and concrete information rather than the quantity of people being added to a genealogical tree.

At a certain point there comes a time when the adoptees and birth family searching needs to be a team effort. Otherwise whatever determination put into the exertion can gather dust and lose momentum. There have been some folks I have reached out to who have not responded in anyway. After a few weeks I will archive my notes and place their genealogy search on the back burner. I don’t throw the towel in, but some feedback is required working together as a team. If a lack of interest is detected, I have to shift my energy into others who are more keenly involved.

Time has a way of eating up patience, especially for those who have spent a lot of it over the years working on finding their biological relatives. Fielding questions, concerns, or even doubts about where things are headed is common for me. I encourage all who have concerns or interest in their search to reach out.

I am even prone to following a hunch and testing out a theory for a suspected family member based on individual requests. One never knows which leaf has to be turned over to provide further evidence leading to our family. After all, your natural inclinations may be very similar to those you are seeking out.