Finding Relatives

Last Thursday, a co-worker of mine came over to tell me that she would have to back out of lunch with me for that Friday since she was invited to go to the Cub game. So, to smooth things over-the next day, she stopped by my cube and wanted to tell me she's going with Cardinal fans…it was not a Cub/Cards game but she knows I'm still a Card fan living amongst the Cubbies here in Chicago. Anyway, before she even gets to the Cardinal issue, she mentions that a friend from her college days (Patty) had an extra ticket and that she's from Belleville…I stop her right there (rudely?) and say I've got a lot of relatives there. She continues to tell me about Patty's family coming up for the game and a First Communion celebration for the w/e. I then interrupt again and ask her what Patty's maiden name is…she says *Blaes*. I immediately tell her I know I must be related to her. She eventually tells me that Patty is a Card fan...after all my interruptions. I later pull up a family-tree website and search for Patricia and sure enough Patricia ..., nee Blaes is there…it takes me a bit to figure out the tree link but of course I find out that we share Great-Great Grandparents. Her Great-Grandfather is Nicholas Blaes and Elizabeth Blaies/Mueller is my Great-Grandmother--they were brother and sister (of 14 kids)…and there you have it--I've stumbled across a relative in the big city. Patty and her family live just 7 miles from me and my family. I plan to meet her with my co-worker sometime this summer…what a joy to find relatives.

I know that it's not just a nice *Coincidence*...the Lord will reveil why this has happened in due time...