From KI Sawyer AFB to Faial Island Azores

As of May 2, 2011

As I began this blog I mentioned that I spent this semester researching my family lineage.  I thought it would be harder than it was, I am greatful to the Mormon church archives for their recordkeeping.  I never thought I would find answers to where we come from as a family.  My sisters and I are happy with the results.  My next project is to try and find more information about my Grandma Jennie and her biological parents.  I could continue trying to find answers, but at some point I need to pause to complete this assignment.

Family countries and languages:

Father: USA:  English; Mexico: Spanish; Brazil: Portugese; and Horta, Faial Island, Azores: Portugese.
Mother:  USA: English; Mexico: Spanish; and France: French; Ireland: Celtic.
My Children: USA and England: English, Germany: German, Poland: Polish (Paternal Grandparents).

So within my family I have discovered many languages I didn't know my ancestors spoke.  I do not know anyone on either sides of my biological or marital family that speaks the following languages:
Portugese, French, German, Polish, or Celtic.  About 75 percent of my family speaks Spanish and English and are able to read in both languages.  25 percent of us do not speak Spanish, for whatever reasons my cousins and siblings chose not to pursue the language.

A few of us have made an effort to try to learn Spanish as an adult, with the help of high schools and colleges.  I would refer to myself as somewhere between emergent and intermediate Spanish speaker.  I understand more than I can speak.  I usually struggle to remember vocabulary.  Reading Spanish is easier for me because I can take my time when I translate.  If I don't know a word I look it up in my Spanish/English dictionary or through translate function on Google.

My children have taken Spanish classes throughout elementary school as we have traveled.  However since they do not have the opportunity to practice, both say they have forgotten many of the words...but these are children who have trouble remembering what they had for lunch....
My son took three years of Latin in high school and is very proficient.  My daughter took German her first year of high school and Latin for two years.  She enjoys translating German print when we visit New Braunfels or Fredericksburg.  She chose German because she knew her father's Mother and Grandparents spoke German since that is where they emigrated from to this country.  Their father speaks better Spanish than I do, he is better able to translate and remember vocabulary.  My family would enjoy their "White" mijo.

When we speak of various languages one that I like to is music.  Musical notes and lyrics create their own language and not everyone can "read" music.  I can because of my many choir years, but my sisters can not; they sing by "ear" where they match the notes based upon their sounds and they depend upon the piano to play their notes for them.  Singing together in church choirs was one memory I am fond of now that I am an adult.  My sister Molly still sings in our church choir, but Maria and I enjoy sitting in the pews being her audience.