When someone asks where you're from, do you think of a place or the people? For me, that question took on new meaning when I unexpectedly burst into tears on a Glasgow train platform, feeling an inexplicable sense of coming home. In this episode, join me as I share the story of my three times great-grandfather, Samuel Mulliner, who left Scotland for Canada in 1830 and eventually made his way down into the U.S. and across the country with the Mormon pioneers. Through discovering thousands of living descendants, retracing his footsteps in Edinburgh, and understanding his legacy in Utah's early settlements, I've learned that "home" lives in both the places we inhabit and the stories we inherit. His remarkable tale of sacrifice, entrepreneurship, and faith – from his Scottish roots to his pioneering spirit in America – illuminates why family history holds such a profound place in my heart – and might just inspire you to explore what "coming home" means in your own family story.

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 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

"Cowans show up for each other!" When seven cousins gather in a podcast studio after their Alaskan adventure, this family motto comes alive...

Join me and "the niblings" – my six nephews and one niece – just hours after returning from their first cousins-only cruise. From Corbin's birthday fireworks to Andrew's legendary seven-pancake breakfast, and Kaitlyn finding her place as the only girl among six boys, discover how a week at sea strengthened bonds that will last a lifetime. Through stories of Disney traditions, teenage solo adventures, and promises of future world travels, we explore how showing up for the moments that matter creates an unshakeable family foundation.

Whether they're giving one-word answers (they're teenagers, after all) or sharing heartfelt memories, these seven unique personalities demonstrate that family connection isn't just about being related – it's about being present.

Featuring Corbin (20), Gabe (18), Levi (16), Kaitlyn (14), Asher (14), Andrew (12), and Phin (11).

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 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

What do Lake Como, Italy, a Jewish genealogy conference, and a surprise discovery in Chicago all have in common? They're woven together in a story that reminds us why family history matters — a story I shared in front of a live audience in August 2024 at the 44th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy in Philadelphia.

Listen in as I recount one of the most impactful moments of my genealogy career, when a determined French woman waited hours to talk to me at a similar conference back in 2012. Our time together was about more than just finding records. It was about restoring hope. Through this story, you'll discover how sometimes the most meaningful family connections emerge when we least expect them, and why no one is truly alone once we start uncovering our family stories.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️

 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

What if solving your family history was like tackling a 5000-piece puzzle without the box? For Todd Godfrey, Vice President of Global Content at Ancestry, this metaphor became startlingly real when a high school yearbook photo revealed his biological mother's face – and his own features staring back at him. While Todd leads the team digitizing billions of historical records that help others solve their family puzzles, his personal journey as an adoptee required patience, persistence, and careful consideration. From discovering his German-Russian heritage through naturalization records to thoughtfully navigating relationships with both his adoptive and biological families, Todd's story reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful discoveries unfold at their own perfect pace. Each record, each DNA match, each careful choice about connection represents another piece falling into place, creating a picture more complex and beautiful than he could have imagined.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️

 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

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.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️

 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

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

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 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

When Jordan Lundskog lost his beloved grandfather at age 16, he discovered that family stories aren't just tales from the past – they're bridges between generations. Now a product manager at Ancestry® and father of young children, Jordan shares how uncovering his grandfather's high school football photo sparked an unexpected journey through time. From Civil War ancestors who stood up for their beliefs to Swedish immigrants who crossed oceans alone at age ten, each discovery has shown him that telling our children they can do hard things becomes profound when we can point to the ancestors whose blood flows in their veins. Join me for a touching conversation about how family stories shape us, inspire resilience, and transform abstract history into deeply personal legacy.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️

 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

Ever wondered what it takes to turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary adventure? When former Broadway professional Erik Orton suggested his family of seven live on a sailboat for a year, it seemed impossible — until his daughter asked "do you really have the guts to do it?" Join me for an inspiring conversation with Erik and Emily Orton, authors of "Seven at Sea," about how they intentionally craft their family's story and navigate life's storms together. From late-night squalls in the Caribbean to teaching their children to be the "navigators" of their own lives, the Ortons share powerful insights about choosing your direction even when you can't control the wind. Discover how asking "what could go right?" transformed their family culture and learn practical ways to help your own family write a meaningful story together. This episode will inspire you to look beyond what feels safe and imagine the possibilities waiting on the other side of fear.

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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 Misérables 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

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 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

"What's it like holding and looking at your own DNA?" This simple question about her newborn son sparked something profound in Maria Mendoza, who grew up adopted. Years later, a DNA test revealed not just her ethnicity, but an entire family — including her biological father and eight half-siblings — living just fifteen minutes away.

Join us as Maria shares how she navigated this delicate journey with grace, leading to eighteen precious months with her biological father before his passing at 96. Her story reminds us that family discoveries can happen at any time, and that approaching them with an open heart can transform uncertainty into beautiful connection.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️

 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

When animation executive Scott Seiffert learned that generations of his family drank at bars and told stories in Montana, something clicked into place about his own storytelling journey... At DreamWorks Animation, Scott shepherds stories for the screen, while his wife Lisa, a middle school librarian and actress, brings stories to life for her students. Together, they've created a home where laughter, games, and storytelling are cherished traditions – from reading Edgar Allan Poe to their young daughter to fierce gin rummy competitions that continue today.

Through family history research for HGTV's "Revealed," they discovered surprising roots and inherited traits: Lisa's Albanian heritage (which Scott won't let her forget), Scott's Finnish connections that explained an old family nickname, and perhaps most importantly, a legacy of humor, timing, and connection that stretches back generations. Their story reminds us that who we are echoes far beyond our immediate family – in ways that can make us laugh until we cry.

Join me for a joyful conversation about how sharing stories – whether around a cabin piano, a game table, or a modern dinner table free of phones – keeps families deeply connected across time.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️

 🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️  Ready to get your family tree out of your computer and onto your wall? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥  Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!