Recently I received a series of emails from Aine, documenting the events as they unfolded for them. Bruce's workplace had made changes and he began seeking a new place to work. Given his credentials, it shouldn't be difficult to find one. In short time, he was employed at his new position, and they were house-hunting. Then the news that they'd found one,an old house on a good number of acres, and thus began the dismantling of one home and the establishment of another one in a different state.
The most recent chapter in this story reported that Aine had begun digging through old records to find out the history of their old house. She discovered that the man who had built it was the earliest settler of their new location....a man by the name of Topping. This gentleman had been born in Southampton,NY and in later years had traveled on foot, with his family and an ox-cart full of possessions, from Connecticut to upstate New York. They first built a lean-to, then a cabin, and later the larger,more comfortable house. Knowing that her ancestral lines included the name of Topping, she began digging a little deeper. Imagine her surprise when she discovered that this Mr. Topping was an uncle to her own 3GreatGrandmother!
What are the chances that Aine would purchase a home with no prior knowledge of it or the area in which it is located,only to discover that the place was built by someone whose DNA is shared with her?! What some would call coincidence, others would credit God for. Aine and I are among those of the latter group. We are thrilled when God sends these wonderful, unexpected surprises!
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