I've been researching since I was about 12 years old. I've always been curious about my family history. My mother's roots are tangled and poorly documented. Her dad claimed to have royal and Native American blood, which is difficult to prove, but what fun we've had trying!
My father enjoyed my genealogy hobby as well - he was always willing to trek off to some remote cemetery, or spend the day scanning through microfiche in a local LDS church basement. I'm forever grateful for his support. With each new discovery, he shared my excitement. Dad was a 1st generation American, his kin having immigrated to Nova Scotia during the potato famine. My grandfather O'Brien claimed our descendants were just a bunch of Irish sheep thieves.
Kings? Queens? Indians? Sheep Thieves? I just had to find out.