Times Past

One of my pastimes and likes has been genealogy. I have this unnatural curiosity to know where I came from. Way back from. It is like working a puzzle backwards. One leg of my family I have back to 1653 and one to 1550. But those are people and stories from another time
After getting married I wanted to add mt new husbands to my ever growing tree. I think I bug him by asking him to call so and so and ask what they know, or do they have pictures. For some reason both lines of his family are very "quiet" about things like that. Something I don't think I will ever understand other than that is the way it is.
Well his grandmother was a Seward from West Virginia. She was one of 13 children, 4 boys rest girls. Well it seems one brother took off and the family didn't know really know where he was. I did a search online and came across a posting from back in 2000 from someone else it appeared to be looking for him. I thought, "2002, I bet I never get an answer." I e-mailed the poster and waited. It wasn't long till I got an answer. "It sounds like it could be the same person!" I got back. So I sent a picture.
Sure enough I got an e-mail back, "I think it is him!" they said and asked for my number. I sent it and that afternoon I got a call. Charles never told his wife or kids much abut his family except there was 13 of them, and he left at a young age.
"I think it is him and so does my husband. My husband is his grandson. We sent the picture to his mother and we will see what she says."
Next day, confirmation is recieved. "His daughter confirms that is her dad!"
This started a very hectic 2 weeks. Me, looking for pictures to send. She, sending what she could to me. They asked to meet.
We said SURE!
They are coming Friday afternoon, Charles daughter, her son and his wife. The grandson and wife couldn't come. I hate that.
Some might think, man I can't imagine what they might be thinking. I can. For 10 years I did not know where my mother was. When I found her I was scared, excited, nervous...
I can imagine what it is like to know out there somewhere you have a history, but what is it.
To meet family you never knew.
I am excited, She is excited. I feel like I know her already.
I imagine her of average height, greying hair, and very neatly dressed. Will I be right? Who knows, I will say I am rarely wrong.
So I have blown up the one family portrait taken about 1919 with 12 of the 13 children, enlarged copies of the census reports I have found them in, layed all the pics out on the table. Now I wait.
The suspense is killing me, and I am not even really related.
I hope I sleep tonight!