But why??? Because it must! I must return to my children, husband and family before they send out a search party.
I had so much fun here in the DC area with cousins and my niece Leslie.
Last Wednesday I flew up to DC and had literally had my head in the clouds, the day was absolutely beautiful looking at the clouds.
Head in the Clouds
Last Thursday, I went to the DAR headquarters and did research, and found out I have a total of eight American Patriots.
DAR Headquarters
On Dad’s side of the family, I have Thomas Bullard.
On Mom’s side of the family I have Isaac Ball, Jacob Dennard, John Smith Jr., Abraham Neighbours, William Hooks, John Roberts and Godfrey Shelton.
So amazing! And the good thing was I was able to copy things out of their files like on Lt. Jacob Dennard for instance, I now have a copy of the original pay stubs from the American Revolution. Top that! 
Of course I also collected wills, bible records, and general information about the family. I think the DAR headquarters is one of the best sources around for genealogical information.
Then on Friday I went to the National Archives and pulled and actually held in my hand a copy of the muster rolls for Sanford Higginbotham from the Indian Creek Wars in 1836.
Sanford Higginbotham Muster Roll
I also held in my hand a copy of the muster rolls from the war of 1812 for my great-grandfather Ben Martin.
Benjamin Martin Muster Roll
Then on Saturday, Leslie and I hung around her apartment and watched Six Feet Under all day while working on genealogy and cleaning and organizing some things in her apartment. Well, mostly she did that but I did assist a bit. It was a good day at any rate.
Then, on Sunday, we went and got pedicures and drove to Fredericksburg, VA to meet our Hooker cousin. Ok, close your mouth, not a real Hooker, a cousin with the surname Hooker. As a family with “Hooker” as a surname of my Ancestors, I’d truly like to thank Gen. Joseph Hooker for ruining the good name and making it feel dirty to say. Doucher. I mean, the whole time we were there talking, it was just awkward to talk about Hookers in front of Jamie’s children. I wish I would have gotten a picture of all of us together, but I forgot! How stupid! Anyway, we figured out we are 3rd cousins 2x removed and we all had a great time visiting and getting to know each other. I really look forward to getting to know Jamie and her husband a lot better.
Then, on Monday, I met up with my 3rd cousin Jim Marsh and we headed over to 3rd cousin John Dawson’s house in McLean, VA where we spent the day scanning photos and other family documents from the Ball side of my family. It was totally awesome and John surprised me with a video he had taken interviewing his grandmother, Gladys Ball Gregg back in 1985. To hear her talk about family and my ancestors, was truly a treat. With John’s permission I will be sharing some of that soon! This is John and his lovely wife Ann.
John and Ann Dawson
This was a favorite find of mine, a picture of my great Aunt Dorothy with Jim’s mother Bonnie Harkness Marsh. I love both of these women.
Aunt Dorothy Johnson and Bonnie Marsh
Then on Tuesday, Jim and I met back up and we back to the DAR for a bit, and then Jim left and went to visit some other cousins, and I went to the Smithsonian American History Museum and back to the National Archives for a while and just killed time until Leslie got off work. Then we had a nice dinner, and went to a movie. A rocking movie theater with recliners. How fun and relaxing!
At the movies reclining!
Now, today I’m packing up and will spend the day traveling by planes, trains and automobiles. Let’s just hope I have an easier time than John Candy did.