ELIZA, EMALINE, EMMA JANE, EMILY...ON AND ON...

Today, my mother, sister, bro and me went "down home" to Southern Ohio to visit the places where mother grew up. As always, we visited the home and land of my siblings and my (correct grammar?) great great grandmother, Emaline Snyder. She raised 11 children in this same little house. Her husband, John, left her to fight in the Civil War. The house is still in the family. I believe Mom's 2nd or 3rd cousin, Patsy, is the current owner. We go down about once a year to walk around the property and take in the history.

I am particularly taken by the history and "soul" of the area. I think my siblings and I are about 10th or 11th generation Ohioan. That really means something to me. It means I have roots. I belong to the land there. While I might be 2nd generation American on my Dad's side (and I am WAY okay with my lineage there), I love Emaline. I love her story. I love her land and her house.

Today, for the first time, I found her resting place. Actually, my brother found it. We were at Horeb Cemetery, which is the cemetery that holds virtually all of my Snyder progenitors. It's such an old cemetery and I've been blessed to have my mother gift me with two plots there, right next to my grandmother, Emma Jane, the grand daughter of Emaline. In fact, it was Emaline who taught my grandmother how to smoke a pipe. It started as a little stone pipe, but devolved to a corncob pipe. This tickled her grandkids to the day she died, especially when we had to light it for her in her last little time on earth.

Anyway, when I spied the headstone, I felt quite a bit of warmth. I rushed to the site. I know it sounds cheesy, but I wanted my picture taken with it. My brother did also. I think he felt the same thing I did. He remembered being there when we were very young. This is nothing short of miraculous, given his inability to remember things that happen the previous five minutes.

So...here I am with Great Great Grandmother, Emaline. If you know anything about Mormon culture, you will understand when I say that she and I have a special bond. The spirit of Elijah...alive and well....