Stories That Live In Us

It’s Emmys Weekend in Los Angeles.  What does that have to do with family stories?

Well, back in 2018, Ancestry hosted a luxury gift lounge during a Hollywood award show weekend. Unlike typical gift lounges where celebrities grab swag, snap photos, and move on, we offered them a different experience.  A chance to connect with their past.  We transformed a fancy hotel suite, complete with a grand faux tree, and gave the stars an opportunity to dive into their family history with DNA kits and expert on-site guidance.

It was fun (and a little surreal) to watch people I had only seen on TV light up with excitement when I helped them make discoveries about their family.  But, the true highlight came when a towering actor from HBO’s Ballers sat down with me to start exploring his family tree. The emotional experience he had, right there in that bustling Hollywood hotel, taught me a meaningful lesson about the healing and connecting power of family history.

Tune in to hear how exploring your family tree can turn from simple curiosity to a profound, life-changing experience. Because family history isn't just about filling in names on a chart; it's about understanding where—and who—we come from, and finding the Stories That Live In Us.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

We call ourselves Gen X women but many of us are quickly becoming the “sandwich generation.” It’s a term that invokes feelings of being squeezed between raising children, welcoming grandchildren, and caring for aging parents all while juggling never ending demands on our time and emotions.

With six children ranging in age from 11 to 21 and a mother succumbing to dementia, my friend (and cousin) Julie Taggart, is managing this season of her life so beautifully.  That doesn’t mean it isn’t hard.  Sometimes heartbreakingly so.  But, her focus is firmly fixed on faith and family allowing her to find meaning through the experience.

And family history plays a major role in how she navigates the constant transitions in her life by giving her perspective and opportunities to deeply connect with her family - past, present, and future.

Listen in on our conversation to hear how we discovered we are related and the role a family tree chart played in that discovery and, more importantly, in the family culture Julie has created.

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Order your own fill-in-the-blank family tree chart (and use the code I mention in the episode to get free shipping):  FamilyChartmasters.com

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

Telling your children that they can do hard things is one thing, but sharing stories of their ancestors—who faced great challenges—transforms that simple statement into a profound insight. When children learn that the same blood flows in their veins, the message evolves from a clichéd saying to a powerful assertion that inspires resilience.

As the father of young children, Jordan Lundskog understands the power of family stories firsthand.  As a product manager at Ancestry, he is deeply committed to creating tools to help people preserve and share their own family stories.

From intriguing tales of pioneers and Civil War veterans to personal anecdotes about his grandfather's legacy, Jordan shares how uncovering these stories has bridged the gap between past and present. Learn about the transformative power of knowing where and who you come from, and how this knowledge can impact our lives today.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

Ever wondered what it takes to turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary adventure? This episode features Erik and Emily Orton, a couple who have redefined family living through the power of intentional storytelling and daring choices. Inspired by Joseph Campbell's hero's journey, they left their stable life in New York City to spend a year sailing the high seas with their five children. Emily reveals how a book by Donald Miller changed their worldview on crafting meaningful life narratives. You'll hear how their bold decisions have inspired their children, who are now between the ages of 16 and 26, to become protagonists in their own stories.

Join us as we explore the Ortons' journey, highlighting their commitment to living with intention and resilience. Erik and Emily share the challenging yet rewarding experiences of navigating both literal and metaphorical storms. From a harrowing overnight crossing to the invaluable lessons learned, their stories illustrate the importance of being prepared for adversity while focusing on positive outcomes. The couple also reflects on how their approach to handling challenges has strengthened their marriage over 28 years, giving their family a legacy of endurance and adaptability.

In this insightful conversation, we delve into the Ortons' unique pre-departure practice of listing potential worst-case scenarios alongside positive possibilities. This powerful exercise has fortified their mental resilience, making them adept at facing life's uncertainties. Discover how small, everyday choices and intentional storytelling can shape a family's culture for generations. Learn the transformative power of imagining positive outcomes and how this simple yet effective shift in focus can open doors to new opportunities. Tune in to find out how the Ortons continue to craft an inspiring and fulfilling family narrative that will resonate for years to come.

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About Erik and Emily:

Erik Orton is an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer. Emily Orton is an educator, author and public speaker. Their life design framework mutes fear and accelerates growth. They are parents to five adult children, including their youngest with Down Syndrome. They raised their family in upper Manhattan for 23 years where Erik worked on such shows as Wicked, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. When their kids were 6-16 years old, Erik and Emily bootstrapped life aboard a fixer upper sailboat in the Caribbean. They sailed as a family from St. Martin back to New York City. Their memoir about the experience (Seven at Sea) is a New York Times Top 10 Travel book. After life on the boat, they continued to travel the world with their children through Europe, the South Pacific, Africa, and across North and South America in planes, trains, boats and vans. They are the co-founders of The Awesome Factory, a coaching and travel adventure company that leads retreats and sailing adventures all over the world.

Find Erik and Emily at:
Website
Book - Seven at Sea
Podcast: What Could Go Right
Facebook

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

Many people take an AncestryDNA test just to get the ethnicity estimate, curious about where in the world their DNA is from.  However, they often overlook that their results include a match list - thousands of people in the Ancestry network with whom they share DNA, indicating a family relationship.  Sometimes a really close one.  For adoptees like Maria, this match list can be the beginning of a whole new journey of discovery and connection.

Maria Mendoza was raised knowing she was adopted at birth.  Content with her life and the family that raised her, she never felt a need to seek out her biological family.  But, after taking a DNA test, Maria unexpectedly connected with relatives she never knew existed, unlocking a story that spans borders and generations.

Maria’s story - from the family that raised her to the family she is raising - has been forever altered now that she has connected with the family of origin that she was never quite sure she wanted to know.  Listen in as she shares how she is navigating complex emotions and sensitive family dynamics all while successfully establishing new relationships and deepening connections.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

How does a country boy from Montana meet a city girl from Pennsylvania and create a life filled with laughter and deep connection?

Meet storytelling powerhouses Scott Seiffert, Vice President at DreamWorks Animation, and his wife, Lisa Dyson, a dedicated middle school librarian and actress. Together, they reveal the profound ways in which stories—from whimsical childhood books to haunting tales by Edgar Allan Poe—have molded their family culture and helped shape their daughter's identity.

Join us as Scott reminisces about evenings at his family's Montana cabin, where his grandparents' vivid tales painted a lively picture of life in the Wild West. Meanwhile, Lisa reflects on her roots in Philadelphia and shares compelling stories of an immigrant ancestor who was just a child when he bravely crossed an ocean alone.

We explore how emotional connections deepen when we uncover our ancestors’ stories, emphasizing the importance of preserving these narratives. These heartfelt memories and traditions are more than just tales; they are a vital part of our heritage and identity.

Scott and Lisa also share their unique experience on the HGTV show "Revealed," where they learned surprising details about their family history through AncestryDNA tests. A designer incorporated these discoveries into a home remodeling project, surrounding them with whimsical reminders of their origins.

Finally, we delve into the philosophical and deeply personal concept of crafting one’s own obituary. Who gets to tell your life story, and what will they say? Scott and Lisa approach this with a sense of humor, pondering who will get the last word.

Join us for an episode that celebrates the enduring power of storytelling in shaping who we are and connecting us with our loved ones.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

When you are raised in a household of faith and then make choices that take you away from the path your parents envisioned for you since before your birth, it can cause them a lot of pain. Some parents work through their own pain and allow their love for you and the grace of their God to override their own disappointment and fears. Other parents react badly. Peggy Lawrence's parents reacted badly. It wasn't even that she left religion, she just left their religion. Unfortunately, she lived in a community that was predominantly of that faith, and so she was forced to leave. Leave her home, leave her family, leave her town. Being on your own is hard enough at 28 or 38. Being on your own at 18.  As a woman. In 1727. It’s almost impossible to fathom.

This episode is not just a journey through time but a reflection on how and why stories are passed down through generations, shaping our identities and our values.

How do we choose which stories to tell and retell?  And why do these stories matter?

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

What if the secrets to your family's past were hidden in plain sight, just waiting to be discovered?

Rusty Wright’s quest began with a simple desire to know more about a grandfather he never met. What starts as a straightforward inquiry unfolds into an epic cross-country saga. Along the way, he discovers a draft card filled out in a surprising location and traces the roots of a family fragmented by time and distance.

Joining us in this episode is Lisa Elzey, my podcast producer and a Senior Story Producer at Ancestry. Her job revolves around uncovering and sharing family stories, and she's exceptionally skilled at it. In this episode, she offers a step-by-step guide on how each of us can do the same when searching for and sharing our own family stories.

With Lisa's expert guidance, Rusty uncovers the enigmatic life of his grandfather, Leland. As the story takes shape and is shared, new chapters continue to unfold, revealing the deep impact our past can have on our present.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

When children are raised knowing the stories of the strong, fearless women in their family tree they are more likely to feel empowered to chase their own dreams.

Raised with tales of the trailblazing women in her family, Ms. Cathy Hughes, a pioneering entrepreneur and the first African American woman to head a publicly traded corporation, drew strength from her formidable foremothers to overcome daunting obstacles. But it was the untold story of her great-great-grandmother, Charlotta Pyles—an enslaved woman who engineered her family's escape with the help of unexpected allies—that profoundly shifted her perspective and inspired her to reshape her own legacy.

This newfound insight into Charlotta's courage and resourcefulness inspired Ms. Hughes to extend her influence beyond her immediate achievements, mentoring the next generation of women leaders and redefining what it means to be a powerful woman today. Discover how the legacy of bravery and resilience has empowered Ms. Hughes to forge paths for others, just as it did for her.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

Do you revel in solving a good brain teaser or completing a crossword puzzle?  Climbing your family tree can feel a little like piecing together a tricky jigsaw.  It is certainly about more than just collecting names on a pedigree chart like a simple dot to dot.

Early in his career, Josh Harman was a young, slightly overconfident, product manager at Ancestry who thoroughly enjoyed solving technical problems but thought genealogy was boring. He didn’t understand the obsession.  Listen in as he shares some of the transformative moments that helped him evolve from simply doing his job to truly embracing the role he played in facilitating deeply meaningful experiences for others. This journey not only changed his professional outlook and contributions but echoed through his personal life and helped reshape his understanding of his own identity and values.

Join us to explore how piecing together your own family history can deeply connect you with your past and illuminate your place in your family narrative.  That process will light up your brain as much as any puzzle.

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, sign up for Crista's weekly tips and tricks at CristaCowan.com.

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Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.