ForewordSince 1983, the year I was born, I was always taught that family was one of the most important things a person could have. My mother, Karen Compton-Ward, being a single mother still made time to instill in me that family will come in all shapes, sizes, colors and if we are lucky, our family will extend beyond our own blood. My mother worked countless hours as well as the many unspoken hours it took to raise me and my sister, but she still always made the time to do her genealogy research. I remember looking at her exhausted from the day, tired beyond tired, but there at the computer looking up history on my family. I also remember sitting around the table at night with our hot chocolate looking through binder after binder, folder after folder, after she had found a new family member, and tracing them through the family tree of our ancestors. I remember listening to the excitement in her voice and seeing the gleam in her eyes, me hanging on the edge of my seat as she would tell us the story of our newly found family member. I have been blessed to be able to meet all kinds of new family members as well as construct unbreakable bonds through my mom’s genealogy research. I am truly excited that, not only have I been able to share this amazing journey with my mother who is also my best friend, but that you also get to experience our journey as a part of our family. “A sister/brother in Christ is who we are as God’s offspring” (Susan C. Stark). So, my Brother or Sister, welcome to the family and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I did!Brannon B. Cox P.S. I Love you mom and thank you for everything!