No one’s origin should be a mystery.

Hi! My name is Ali Barnes. I have been researching my own family history for twenty-five years. My love of genealogy started because I was searching for answers to the mystery of my beginning. Looking for the father I never knew sparked a lifetime love of researching.
I live in Southern Illinois with my husband, Luke, our two youngest kids who are still at home, a rescued beagle mutt who was supposed to be a corgi named Marty, and outside cat that doesn’t really belong to us, a pig, a chicken, a hedgehog and three axolotls. My day job is in Continuous Improvement in manufacturing, and my other hobbies include pretty much any craft you have ever imagined, reading, writing and sleeping.
I am starting this blog because I have decided to start a new genealogical journey. I want to start working toward becoming a CG (Certified Genealogist) through BCG (Board for Certification of Genealogists). This is no easy feat. You have to prepare a very involved portfolio and it is evaluated very stringently. Only 40% of applicants are certified. That is not exactly an encouraging number. There are a lot of ways to learn the necessary skills and to prepare, and that is what we are going to explore together here.
I plan to look into all the courses, study groups, books and other materials available. I will also talk about professional organizations, conferences, and groups that I find along the way. I hope someone finds my journey interesting. I hope it helps someone on a similar path. I also hope that I can share some of the knowledge that I already have along with what I gain along the way so that you can all have an easier time researching the mysteries of your own kin.