Fixation? Passion? Addiction?

However you choose to label it, I'm OBSESSED with Family History work. I LOVE learning about my family--past and present. I love searching through documents, reading histories, examining photographs, and handling heirlooms. And I LOVE finding new names to take to the temple and perform ordinances on their behalf so that they, too, can be part of my eternal family. When I was younger my dad would say that I'd been bitten by the Spirit of Elijah. Well, now I guess I would have to say that it's almost consumed me. I cannot explain my fascination with my family, but I know that I have a deep love, admiration, and gratitude for each of them and my heart burns with the desire to know them.

The Church's new family history database, Family Tree, is INCREDIBLE. But it only encourages my addiction. Last night I worked on family history until 2am. My problem is that once I start working on a particular family line, I find it incredibly difficult to stop working until I've completed every person in that line. I don't want to lose my place. I don't want to forget anybody. I don't want to get distracted and not finish. I don't want to have all the information I've been gathering all evening to slip from my mind during a night's sleep. So instead, I don't sleep. Back in June, I actually pulled my first all-nighter since finals week at BYU working on Family History. I started at 11am and didn't stop until about 7am the next day. All because of the aforementioned fears. Last night I luckily was able to pull myself away when I realized my brain was ceasing to function properly. And then I noticed the glares from the dog that so eloquently sounded like "It is past my bedtime" and "Would you be so kind as to turn off the light and retire to your own room if you would stay awake?" complete with British accent, of course. When the dog starts speaking to me with a British accent via glares, I know it's time to call it a night. I subsequently dreamt in a bizarre sort of way about family history, and I vaguely remember some cameo appearances of some of my ancestors.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, "Hi. My name is Dana, and I am addicted to Family History."