Meet Cousin Crystal

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1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for work? Fun? Married? Kids? You get that idea.

I am a stay-at-home mother and full-time Accounting student from Rhode Island. I will have been married 2 years this Halloween, and my husband and I have one daughter, October (born in November, haha!). I have a cat, a dog, a guinea pig, and my daughter’s random fish who won’t die, and my husband calls our house “Animal Planet” for that reason. I love to sing, paint and craft, and am an avid reader (my Kindle currently has 253 books on my “to be read” list!).

2. Do you have a favorite ancestor? Who? Why?

My favorite ancestor that I have found thus far would have to be Charlemagne. Who doesn’t love being descended from French Aristocracy?

3. If you could be related to anyone in history, who would you want it to be and why?

Abraham Lincoln. I am fascinated by all things Civil War (and am currently looking for photos of my own soldier ancestors). What an amazing man he was! Or Mary Todd Lincoln, she was amazing! And so brave and strong, what a tragic couple they were, but so awesome! (Can you tell I’m a little fanatic?)

4. What are your thoughts on the Global Family Reunion? Will you be attending?

Funny enough, I just was mentioning taking a vacation that way, so we could actually attend the Reunion! I think it’s a fantastic idea, and since I grew up not knowing my father’s family at all, and hitting an early brick wall with my mother’s Polish/Russian/Austro-Hungarian line, I never really thought I’d have any luck with tracing my roots, so to know there are SO MANY cousins out there about to gather in one place? And that they’re all (in some way) connected to me? Truly an amazing idea! If I can help it at all, we’ll most definitely be attending!

5. Do you come from a big family? Small family? Do you guys have family reunions and do you have any good family reunion stories?

I come from a fairly isolated family, actually. As I stated above, my mother’s family is from somewhere in the Austro-Hungarian/Polish/Russian area that was just about wiped clean during WWII, so any information we could have gathered has died with my G-Grandmother, who came over to America in 1911(ish). And my Dad wasn’t a part of my life up until about three years ago, so I am just getting into the hang of having an extended family at all, really! But as far as family reunions go, I’m not that lucky (until the big one next year, of course!)

6. Favorite color? Favorite food? Left-handed or right-handed? Do you like to have breakfast for dinner? Favorite book? Movie? TV show? Song/band? Quote?

Favorite colors are purple, silver and sparkly (it IS a color, haha!), favorite food is cheese, I am right-handed, breakfast is an anytime food (and so are banana splits!), my favorite book of all time is Weaveworld by Clive Barker, movie is The Crow (I heart Brandon Lee!!), TV show would be a tie between Ghost Hunters (go RI!!) and Deadliest Catch (I am a reality show junkie!), favorite band of all time is Stabbing Westward (I grew up in the industrial 90’s haha!), and the song I want played at my funeral is “Silent Lucidity” by Queensryche. As far as a favorite quote, I think I would have to quote the great Jim Morrison when I say that “before I sink into the big sleep, I want to hear the scream of the butterfly.” Live for now, baby, because tomorrow’s not guaranteed, and today may be all you’ve got!

7. Do you have any funny quirks that you’ve inherited from your family?

I am OCD to a fault (just check out my alphabetized CD or DVD collection), and I tend to be quite ditzy (which is most definitely inherited straight from my Grandma!)

8. Do you know much about your family history? Where do your ancestors come from? Would you want to visit the lands they hail from?

I am only recently learning about my father’s side of the family. It’s funny, because he likes to tell people we are part Cherokee, but I have since learned that he is sooo wrong! We are so French, it’s not even funny! French Canadian, and straight back to France, all the way! And of course I would love to go to France, but I am going to start small (so to speak) and plan a trip to Quebec first!

9. If you could get AJ to invite one person to the Global Family Reunion, who would it be and why?

Hmm, that’s a good question! I would have to say Linda Lee Cadwell (Bruce Lee’s wife, and Brandon’s mother), and for two reasons: One is purely the fact that I could be in the room with the person who created Brandon Lee (sorry, fangirl moment again), and the second would be just to find out if she is, indeed a cousin in any way! How cool would that be?

10. AJ’s idea is that if the people of the world could see how interconnected we all are maybe we would be a little nicer to one another. What do you think about that?

I think it’s a great idea! I have made some great friends because of WikiTree.com and have found some new relatives that I otherwise would not have ever known. I am not saying I am any nicer to them, but I know them now (at least online), and that instantly makes me want to be nice to them, you know? I think if everyone knew that we all shared a connection, maybe there wouldn’t be so much hate in the world.

Okay, lastly, if you could share one message with your 7 billion cousins what would it be?

Love one another! Live every day like it’s your last! Get out there and FIND MORE COUSINS!!! ☺


One Response to ““I Am A Cousin” – Crystal Rafuse”

  1. Eowyn says:

    “Thanks cousin Crystal! Loved reading about you, and I love your message as well. Hope to see you on June 6 — and bring your cat, dog, guinea pig and random fish!” ~ From AJ