Roots

Remember the movie "Roots"? It came out in 1978 here in the USA and after its airing thousands flocked to libraries and cemeteries and all types of archival places looking for their ancestors. Me I was already doing that. My mother married a man who was Mormon and its a part of their life to look for ancestors. I knew that I was adopted so the book I was helping create was false. It was his family history not mine. I knew that my birth name was Roder and when I was around 14 I did some snooping and found our adoption papers in a trunk my mother had. I found my fathers name was John and he had been born in NY. I had a birth date even and carried that secret copy of the info with me for many years.

What is the chance that a person will stay where they were born? Zilch in most cases but since that was all I had that was all I could go on. Once the Internet became a reality finding people became much easier but it took me over the next twenty years at least before I found even a glimmer. Three years ago I was at work and my oldest daughter called. "Mom I think I found John" . I could not imagine the possibility of finding my father after so many years. She made the call and a bit later called back its him. I got a brief conversation with him on Mothers Day that year and since then I was asked by his step daughter not to contact him again. To not contact the man I had been looking for! I even agreed to paternity testing but no response. I have continued to look and finally last night I found two cousins. I now know the name of my fathers brothers and more on my past. I also finally looked upon the image of the man whom I was to call father. John is on the left and his brother William is the right. I didn't see a connection. DNA will have to tell the truth. I was born to John but I may not be his child. Shame on Mom.

Summer is Here

Wow, I can't believe that school is finally over. Khadijah and Fatimah were the last to finish and we have until July 9th and Fatimah will begin second grade. We have year round school here they get three weeks off and eight weeks on year round. I think it is great as the learning is retained and we don't have that long summer of "there is nothing to do mom". We didn't get to go to Libya again this summer but we are making plans for next year to go and find land to start a new home with. We plan to allow the first three to finish high school and then we will move to Libya. I know that will affect the two younger girls but hey I can't wait till all of them finish high school I'd be looking at 60 by then.

So what to do for summer here? I tried to plan to take the kids on trips around Colorado and I would love to take them to Mount Rushmore as well but we will see how the money goes. We took our first trip to the Natural History Museum in Denver and didn't get the day like I wanted but we saw most of the exhibits. Taher's back was acting up and he had not eaten breakfast before we left so he was getting grouchy about halfway through. Anyways there was the Titanic exhibit coming in July so I felt we could come again. Forgot the camera but not much to see that most people would feel was great. The largest gold nugget ever found in Colorado was on exhibit but that just reminded me of the gold I wanted and didn't get while I was in Libya.

Next, we went to the Renaissance Festival and it was just me and the kids. Taher didn't go as it was on Saturday and the mountain terrain would have been hard on him. Suhayb was my biggest pain he didn't want to go see a bunch of people living in fantasy land. I told him I needed him to help drive and to help keep and eye on his youngest sister so he had no choice. The kids dressed up (except Suhayb) in costumes and we set off. The drive is just about an hour from our city so we got a nice warm drive. Missed the turnoff for Larkspur and had to go another 3 miles just to turn around. Then a officer directed me away from the fair and I had to stop at a fire station to get directions. We got there around 9:30 and it opened at 10 so we got to see the opening ceremonies of the first day. Hundreds of people dressed up like early England and fairies and knights abound. Not to mention the pirates and wenches and town drunks. Gypsies and the lot.

As we waited for the gates to open we met Prince Charming he was looking for Cinderella all day much to Fatimah's dismay. I told her he would find her probably on the last day. Fatimah had dressed as an arab princess and Suhayl was her body guard. Aieysha was a pirate and Khadijah was a Gypsy. We met the king and queen walking the grounds and introduced Princess Fatimah to them. We told them we were looking for servants for her palace! They suggested the Gypsy camp. Lots of fun there and we took a few pictures it wasn't till I got home I realized that I hadn't taken one of Fatimah or Suhayl. The festival had a jousting match and musical instruments from the period. Some of them were quite unique. The bell piano was one and the hammered dulcimer was so lovely. I have included some pics. The end of our day was joyous when we attended the Puke and Snott show they were adult comedy group that hinted to many topics. While waiting for the show to begin we heard a man scream and he became the laugh of the day. At the top of his voice he screeched IIIIIIII SCREAM. Then he said come and get it. He was the ice cream man. The kids had a blast even the forlorn Suhayb found a fairy that lit his eyes. I got a shot of her and some other young fairies. She is the one in white. He liked her eyes. She reminded me of a young Janel. Next time I want to go to the fair he wont say no. He also rolled with laughter over the jokes of Puke and Snott. The fair runs through July so we will go again. My hubby even said he wanted to go. One day was surely not enough. Our next planned trip is to the Denver Mint. And a return to the Museum to see the Titanic exhibit. Hopefully I will remember our camera!