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Studying your family history can be a complicated process, especially if you want to go back as far as possible or trace different branches of the family tree. Creating a template for your family tree is one way to organize information and break it down into sections that are easy to manage. Begin with a small template that is limited to three or four generations.

The Benefits of a Small Family Tree

When organizing your information, it can be easier to find people you are searching for or recognize their relationships with each other if you use small templates. Choose a person and trace his or her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Fill in the information as you discover it and it won’t seem as overwhelming as with a large template of numerous generations when most of them would be blank.

Choosing the Right Template

You can search online and find all kinds of templates. Some will work better for your purpose than others. If you are tracing your family’s genealogy, you won’t need to include photos, but you will want space to write information about each person. Create a template with the person’s name and lines for the birthdate, date of death and marriage date.

It may be helpful to list locations for each of those events or other relevant information that you may need in your research. One of the reasons that a small three- or four-generation template is ideal is that it leaves you extra space to write more.

Entering Information

While you want to have easy access to the most important information about your ancestors, especially if you are traveling, do not try to include every tidbit about your family members. It will clutter up the template and make it difficult to read. Instead, keep it short and simple. Abbreviate as much as possible. For instance, date of birth would be DOB, date of death would be DOD and so on.

Consider using an online template where you can type the information instead of hand-writing it. This allows you to make changes or even erase information or people as you need to without having to start all over with a blank template.

Store your family tree online as well so that you can easily access it if you are traveling and need to look up information as you research. This also makes it easy to print or email a copy of the tree to others who may be helping you in your research.

The most important thing in choosing a template for your small family tree is to find one that works for you. It should fit your needs, be easy to use and look appealing to you.

If you are beginning your research into your family history, start with finding the right family tree template. It makes it much easier to record and keep track of data. Plus, it is fun to share with others who share your interest in genealogy.

Suzie Kolber created http://obituarieshelp.org/free_printable_blank_family_tree.html to be the complete online resource for “do it yourself” genealogy projects.  The site offers the largest offering of <a href=”http://obituarieshelp.org/free_printable_blank_family_tree.html”>free family tree templates</a> online. The site is a not for profit website dedicated to offering free resources for those that are trying to trace their family history.

My daughter is expecting a baby, my second biological grandchild, on Christmas Day this year (She came early). I say second because the first one is in heaven, lost to a miscarriage in the early weeks, so we never got to see him or her. But this new little one on the way is a girl, and she should make her big debut in December.

With the wonders of modern ultrasound, I have already seen pictures of my 4 ½ month gestational granddaughter. She has all her fingers and toes, has been screened for a variety of genetic disorders in utero, and seems to be perfectly healthy and active. My, how far we have come since I had my own children when we waited to be surprised at even the gender of the baby.

So many friends have told me that I will love being a Grandmother. I know they are right because my heart is already longing to see her. I’ve talked to her through Rachel’s tummy so she might recognize my voice once she’s “on the outside”, and have already tried to persuade her that I will be her favorite Nana, of course. Before we knew she was Amelia and not Luke, I bought color-neutral baby clothes and toys with an animal theme like ducks or monkeys. Now I can indulge myself in every store, browsing the pink and frilly, the cute and cuddly, the prim and prissy, choosing kittens and crowns instead of puppies and trains.

Rachel asked how I felt about being a Grandma, and I’m not quite sure. I am excited (for me), scared (about the pregnancy and delivery for mom, Rachel), and nervous (hoping everything will go smoothly) all at the same time. One of the first notions that came to mind was when I told my Dad (was it really 30 years ago?) that I was expecting Rachel and asked him how he felt about being a Grandpa. He replied, “Well, I feel great about being a Grandpa, but I don’t know how I feel about sleeping with a Grandma!” I often wonder how long he had been waiting to use that line!

Amelia will be born into an interesting family. She will have two older half-siblings and six aunts and uncles. Her Mom is a fine veterinarian and her Dad is a professional cowboy, and she will be raised on the Western Slopes of beautiful Colorado in the San Juan Mountains. Surely she will be a terrific horse rider and probably be the Rodeo Queen one day like her older sister. Maybe she will be a singer and dancer like her mother or learn to team rope steer with her father. Amelia will be a lovely looking child with such striking parents as she has. Her in-utero personality is feisty and active. Yes, I love her already.

Amelia, maybe someday you will read this and know that I thought of you constantly before you were born. You make me remember what it was like when I was pregnant with your Mom and how I cherished her through all her life and sent so many prayers up to heaven for her that you couldn’t possibly count them all. Your Mom’s life is an amazing story and yours will be too. I can’t wait to meet you, Amelia. You are the promise that life will continue beyond your Grandma’s old age and that something precious will remain on this earth even when I am gone. Grow big and strong until it’s time to meet the world. You will be the best Christmas present ever.