My latest Family Tree Firsts post is up and you can read it here. It is the first in a series of posts on genetic testing for genealogy chronicling my families experience with the process. The picture is the oldest Combs family picture I have. It shows my great-grandparents Frank and Sylvia Combs with their children. My grandfather is on the right, standing next to his mother. His mother, Sylvia Freeman, is the great-great-granddaughter of John Foote from the previous FTF post.
There is a plethora of information out there on genetic genealogy and I don't want to rehash what you could find easily on your own. You can read up on it to your hearts content online and in books. However, one thing I have noticed is that these companies don't really give you the tools to understand the results. Not that I expect to be hand held through the process, but having a bit of a guide so that you understand what all those numbers and letters mean would be a great thing. I took classes in genetics and was confused at some points.
My absolute favorite class in college was microbial genetics. LOVED IT! The lab was like a candy store for me and I couldn't wait to get there (4 hours twice a week). We studied all sorts of DNA, learned various techniques and procedures, and then for a treat at the end of the semester we cloned our own DNA for a study. WHOOT!
Now all I wish I could do is get into a lab and do these tests on my whole family... I really wonder what is hidden in our genes. Could something be in there help us make a connection to another family? Could I finally get a break in jumping the pond? So many questions.
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