After doing genealogy research for years, for the first time I met new family members!
All thanks to the website FindAGrave, I connected with relatives all the way in France (I live in the United States)
I left virtual flowers and written note on a memorial headstone and a descendant that shares a common ancestor saw it and reached out!
After exchanging several emails back and forth, we discovered they were planning a trip to the same state I live in and only about an hour away.
So this September we finally met for the very first time in person!

This was especially an exciting time for this miracle as I am 8 months pregnant.
With out giving away too many personal details, this descendant is related to my grandfather as a 3rd cousin.
His branch of the tree stayed in France generations ago, as our side immigrated to America.
My grandfather passed away in 2022, him and I shared a love of family history.
While preparing for baby I have missed my grandfather so much.
Meeting with these family members brought joy and nostalgia, while honoring my grandfather’s legacy and collection of pictures.
They were also very kind and gave my husband and I some gifts for baby. I can’t believe our son will have special gifts from family all the way from France!
I look forward to staying in touch with them in to the future!
To learn more about what Find A Grave is, that helped me connect with family, read more here:
Cemeteries Help Family Tree Research
Another helpful resource is this printable for understanding how descendants of shared ancestors are related to you!
Family Tree Relationship Chart
Thanks for reading!
Here is some more content to explore!
For Family History printable worksheets and Journaling Products, please visit my Etsy shop: https://rlsphotogenicllc.etsy.com
Use promo code RLSBLOG at checkout for a 5% discount!
Journal with Me Videos:
RLS Photogenic YouTube Channel
About RLS Photogenic:
RLSPhotogenic.com is dedicated to Preserving Memories for Future Generations with tips for journaling, family tree research, personal sharing, and more!
To learn more about the blogger behind the content, visit the: About Me Page
Contact Info:
RebekkaRLSPhotogenic@gmail.com
Thank you for your support!
If you enjoy the free resources from RLS Photogenic, please consider providing a financial contribution.
Any amount helps towards website fees, platform service charges, journaling materials, Etsy listing costs, and time spent writing, filming, editing, etc.
Thank you for your consideration, – Rebekka
Click Here to Support Content!*Disclaimer: RLS Photogenic Productions L.L.C is an affiliate for: Amazon.com, Ancestry.com, Archives.com, Newspapers.com, Storied and Epidemic Sound, and earns a small commission from qualifying purchases. There is no extra cost to the buyer. Thank you for your support! The content on RLSPhotogenic.com and social media accounts are based on the author’s opinion and not that of the product, brand, or service provider. There are no guarantees of product availability, product usage or condition. To learn more click here: Affiliate Marketing