Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a big day in my genealogy journey.  Tomorrow is the first day that we could have confirmation of Peter Klassen's sister's identity.  Stating it like that makes it sound so simple, when it really probably won't be.  Because Peter's sister married Susanna's brother (we assume, from pictorial evidence), their kids are double first cousins.  This means that they share double the amount of DNA that plain old first cousins share.  And of course, that double amount of DNA will trickle down through the family to their descendants, namely, Peter's sister's grandson, and Susanna's son.  Sorting out the FALK DNA from the KLASSEN DNA will be an interesting process.  But tomorrow is the first day it could begin.

However, it's not uncommon for tests to be delayed the first time they go through processing.  I don't think we'll actually get results tomorrow.  I'll be very surprised if we do.  I'm just hoping that the test makes it through on the first round of processing so we don't have to wait and wait and wait.  :)

The other big piece of this puzzle that we're waiting on is the KROEKER/FALK test.  That one should be on it's way back to the lab now.  I called that relative last week and coached him through swabbing his cheeks and preparing his test for mailing.  Hopefully he did it right!  I guess we'll see in a week or two when the lab records it as received.  Comparing his DNA against the other FALK/KLASSEN test (from the first paragraph) will be key, because the only DNA they should share (hopefully) is the FALK DNA.  But there should be twice as much of it as there would normally be, so.... I guess we'll have to see!

All that to say, I'm really hoping we get the results from the first test tomorrow!

Kit Updates!

Currently we have:

-  4 Loewen/Franz kits at the lab waiting for a sale
-  1 Loewen/Franz kit outstanding
-  1 Falk/Klassen kit in processing, results due end of June
-  1 Petkau/Klassen kit still outstanding
-  1 Petkau/Klassen kit at the lab waiting for a sale
-  1 Falk/Guenther & Schpansky/Warkentin at the lab waiting for a sale
-  1 Falk/Klassen kit at the lab waiting for a sale
-  1 Kroeker/Falk kit still outstanding

So... of the 11 unprocessed kits, 7 are at the lab and 1 is processing!  :)

Kit at the lab!

I received an email this morning notifying me that the DNA kit for Peter Klassen's assumed great-nephew made it to the lab!  I've already purchased the actual test for this kit, so it should start processing on Wednesday.  Based on current processing times, we should have results somewhere between June 15 and June 29 if the samples are good!  :)

Kit updates

Currently we have:

-  4 Loewen/Franz kits at the lab waiting for a sale
-  1 Loewen/Franz kit that never got delivered was re-ordered this morning
-  1 Falk/Klassen kit mailed back to the lab on 4/20/16
-  2 Petkau/Klassen kits still outstanding
-  1 Falk/Guenther & Schpansky/Warkentin kit in the mail back to the lab around 4/8/16
-  1 Falk/Klassen kit still outstanding
-  1 Falk/Kroeker kit still outstanding

Yesterday FTDNA announced a sale for DNA Day, so I ordered the Family Finder test for the outstanding Falk/Kroeker kit.  I'll have enough to order the Family Finder test for the Falk/Klassen kit on it's way back to the lab before the end of the sale, so I'll order that one on Tuesday.  :)  Both of those tests will help narrow down what DNA came from Susanna Falk and what probably didn't.  Really excited about those, and very glad I got them on sale before Christmas!

Joy comes in the morning! :P

Called FTDNA first thing this morning.  The kit that was designated for the relative who later refused to test is now going to my grandmother's first cousin.  I spoke to her this morning, and she agreed to test, so I called the lab and got the replacement test sent to her.  I also got in touch with one of my great-aunts who was supposed to have received her kit back in January.  As I suspected, she never received it, so I called the lab back and got a new test sent to her.  :)

So, three out of the four fits from yesterday's post have been taken care of.  Now I just need to get in touch with two of my great-uncles and see if the first intends to test, and the second has received his test.

Ugh.... Not the update I wanted to write....

Apparently FTDNA charged my card for two DNA tests on January 3, and then two more on January 22nd.  I did order all four... except it looks like FTDNA never mailed them!  I know two of them were for sure never delivered.  Now at least one of the four testers has changed her mind and decided not to test.  I'm waiting to hear from FTDNA what my options are for that test.

Another "not quite immediate family member" is going to test!

Just got off the phone with the grandmother of a high school classmate.  Her husband (J) is my grandmother's third cousin, four different ways, through Heinrich Schapansky, #946301 and Jacob Falk, #213384, both twice.

J's DNA will help us sort out the FALK DNA that my grandmother and her first cousin share from the KLASSEN DNA that Grandma and her first cousin will share with the KLASSEN matches mentioned in previous posts.  However... it's still not going to give us pretty little clean cut answers, because J and Grandma's top 23andme match (K) are also third cousins through Heinrich Schapansky and Jacob Falk. What this will tell us is the places where J, K, and Grandma's family all match, we know would come from the FALK/SCHAPANSKY shared lines, and NOT the KLASSEN lines that K and Grandma share.