The NBC Show: Who Do You Think You Are? {How Its REALLY Made Me Think About It}

Last year, when NBC began advertising for one of its newest shows "Who Do You Think You Are", I was instantly enthralled and knew that I would be a weekly viewer who couldn't wait for the following weeks episode to air. Now in it's second season {airing Fridays @ 8/7c}, I am still glued in. If you aren't familiar with the show, it follows a selected number of celebrities as they embark on personal journeys of self-discovery to trace their family trees.

Although History wasn't my favorite subject in school, I surprisingly took great interest in it later in life. As I became an adult and began traveling abroad to amazing places one after the other, the astounding beauty and rich history in those countries awakened a fascination in me. When going outside of my own country, I have always felt it important to immerse myself in amazing historical facts that would give me insight as to the people, places, and events of a time that preceded mine so that when I am standing on that very soil, I have a greater appreciation for being there. How amazing would it be to be in the very same places that your ancestors once lived in, labored in, and created their life stories in.

Indeed I have been blessed to have been able to travel to many countries in our world {and I hope to see more}. One of the places that I have ventured to is the country that my mother was born in - Panama. Before I went, it seemed as though I was already familiar with the sights and sounds as my mother would often tell me stories of her childhood and share of cherished memories of growing up there. She would reminisce of her mother's homemade cooking, her father's days of working at the Panama Canal {and also working as a writer for the Panama Tribune}, what it was like to be the first born of six children and all the funny little antics they would all engage in, and what life was like growing up with aunts, uncles and cousins living all around you. My mother had a very tight-knit family. And although they didn't have much, they had eachother - and that made them rich.

I am so blessed to have photos of some of my ancestors to pass on to Ilah....

And not just this cute one of my mother, with her brother, on her first communion.....

But even more cherished is this amazing one.....

A photo of my Grandmother {my mother's mother - top row, second from the left} and her family.

And this photo of my Grandmother {my mom's Mother, in her younger years}. She has since passed on {my mother is the spitting image of her}....

The pictures of my ancestors date way back and I am so honored to have a copy of them....

My Mother's Mother's Grandfather {my great-great grandfather}

My Mother's Grandfather {on my mothers side; my great-grandfather; the photo above this one is his dad.}

My Mother's Grandmother {my great-grandmother, on my mom's mothers side}

My mom's grandmother, younger {my great grandmother - my mom's mother's mother}

My Grandmother's Father {my great-great grandfather, my mom's mothers mothers father}

My great-grandmother with her mother {my great-great grandmother, on my mom's mothers side}

I know that not everyone is fortunate to have photos of their ancestors. These are just a few of the many that I have. And while although I cherish these, every time I watch the show "Who Do You Think You Are" I envy the remarkable journey that the celebrities are on as they trace their roots and come into the profound knowledge of who they really are.

Because...

While I have a great knowledge about my mother's mother's side of the family, so much is a mystery to me about my fathers side.

My father's upbringing was grim. The oldest of three boys, and being raised essentially by his grandmother, he played the active role of being the caretaker for his two younger siblings and didn't have as many wonderful childhood memories to recall as my mother did. While I know so much about my mothers side of the family, I know virtually nothing about my father's side. When the NBC show "Who Do You Think You Are" came out, it only made me all the more interested in wanting to find out about my father's ancestors. Where did they migrate from? Where did they settle? Where did they live? Where did the continue to move to? What was their professions? Did any of them come out of Italy, because I swear I have Italian in my blood ; ) However, with my dad having passed away when I was fourteen years old - and with both of his parents, and the grandmother who raised him, also being deceased - compiling my family tree on my father's side will need to be done in a way that certainly won't come easy {yes, I have attempted it} since I can't turn to any of them for answers to my questions. Working with a professional geneologist would be amazing. I hope to one day come into this knowledge and to have the large, missing part of my family tree completed.