2010
I am an avid genealogist having started when I was 16 and my grandmother told me a romantic story of my 16 year old ancestor who ran away when her father wanted to sail to America and claim land in South Carolina. I had just "run away" to my grandma's house. I now have 7 children and 27 grandchildren and love to play in the dirt (gardening and genealogy). I teach lots of people how to do research every week and nothing makes me happier than finding a "lost" baby or ancestor and fleshing out their story with as many details as I can find. I'm thrilled to find cousins and combine resources. My children just gave my husband and I a surprise 40th wedding aniversary. It's all about family, those living and those who have moved on to their next "apartment." We are all connected.
5/13/2020
Just an explanation of lack of participation. I have multiple cavernous hemangiomas of the brain and spine and when one of the bleeds happens (frequently now), I become bedridden, weak, and experience memory loss. I actually died for 9 minutes 3 years ago and my son said they were filling out the death certificate when the doctor noticed a movement and they resuscitated me. It is hereditary and my younger sister, Marilyn died at age 30, my brother at around 50. My older brother and sister are still alive, but he is suffering. I am 71, my husband is still alive, but we lost our home and all of our savings, so we live with our son, his wife & 5 living children, in his mother-in-law's home with one of her grandsons, who comes on the weekends. Since the hemangiomas cause sound sensitivity, it is quite the opportunity and I stay in my room mostly, dreaming of the home we lost, hah, hah. I am grateful for the wonderful life we've had, traveling in the US and living in Germany 5 years. We've always enjoyed doing family research. We now have 7 children and 30 grandchildren (we're members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints), which I'm very thankful for. My children must have inherited our love for family, LOL. Anyway, I've not regained enough brains and energy to do research, but hopefully I will soon!
Illona (pronounced Alona) Jensen

2010
I am an avid genealogist having started when I was 16 and my grandmother told me a romantic story of my 16 year old ancestor who ran away when her father wanted to sail to America and claim land in South Carolina. I had just "run away" to my grandma's house. I now have 7 children and 27 grandchildren and love to play in the dirt (gardening and genealogy). I teach lots of people how to do research every week and nothing makes me happier than finding a "lost" baby or ancestor and fleshing out their story with as many details as I can find. I'm thrilled to find cousins and combine resources. My children just gave my husband and I a surprise 40th wedding aniversary. It's all about family, those living and those who have moved on to their next "apartment." We are all connected.
5/13/2020
Just an explanation of lack of participation. I have multiple cavernous hemangiomas of the brain and spine and when one of the bleeds happens (frequently now), I become bedridden, weak, and experience memory loss. I actually died for 9 minutes 3 years ago and my son said they were filling out the death certificate when the doctor noticed a movement and they resuscitated me. It is hereditary and my younger sister, Marilyn died at age 30, my brother at around 50. My older brother and sister are still alive, but he is suffering. I am 71, my husband is still alive, but we lost our home and all of our savings, so we live with our son, his wife & 5 living children, in his mother-in-law's home with one of her grandsons, who comes on the weekends. Since the hemangiomas cause sound sensitivity, it is quite the opportunity and I stay in my room mostly, dreaming of the home we lost, hah, hah. I am grateful for the wonderful life we've had, traveling in the US and living in Germany 5 years. We've always enjoyed doing family research. We now have 7 children and 30 grandchildren (we're members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints), which I'm very thankful for. My children must have inherited our love for family, LOL. Anyway, I've not regained enough brains and energy to do research, but hopefully I will soon!
Illona (pronounced Alona) Jensen