Texas

This stop is a very special one as we’re here to meet family for the first time.

My mum, Liz, was born and adopted in the UK. In her late 40s, when I was working as an au pair just outside London, mum came over and searched the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry. Luckily, she found her birth mother, Olive and, even more luckily, Olive and her family were open to making contact. Mum spent some lovely, healing times with Olive and her family and, through Olive, she discovered that her birth father, Cliff Roark, was a Texan rancher and soldier who had met Olive in the UK in World War II. Cliff had sadly already passed away by the time mum learned about him, but her letter to his ranch was received by her half-sister, Verna, through whom mum learned she had 8 half-siblings on Cliff’s side. So, along with Olive’s 3 sons since mum’s birth, she went from being an only child to having 11 half-siblings in the space of a few months!

My grandfather, James Clifton Roark (centre)

Cliff’s family has also been very welcoming of us - luckily, mum was able to meet some of her half-siblings before she died of melanoma in 2001. My brother has also visited (before the pandemic) and now it’s my turn! The Roark family hails from south west Texas, so we fly through Dallas Fort Worth to Midland to meet uncle George, aunt Bobbie and husband Wayne, aunt Kasi, and cousin Emily and husband Patrick.

It’s a very unique experience meeting and being welcomed into the homes of people I don’t really know but with whom I share a quarter of my genetics! But Sim, Aelie and I are embraced with open arms and are the beneficiaries of much generosity and wholeheartedness.

Alpine and Marathon

We hit the road the next morning, travelling south west to Marathon and Alpine, and soon start trading stories on the long drive. I hear many memories that help me come to a richer understanding and we visit family graves in both towns.

Marathon Cemetery with its stunning background

Grave of my great grandparents, Isaac and Mary Roark, at Marathon

My grandfather, Cliff’s grave

Stunning views abound out here!

Uncle George

In Alpine, we meet aunt Muriel and cousin Clifford at the former house of aunt Linda, now sadly deceased. The house is now owned by Linda’s great friend, Donna Pepper who, along with her son Marcus and daughter Melissa, brings together a lovely group of people for a meal (and we sneak in a little birthday celebration for George). The property looks out over Cathedral Mountain and we’re treated to the most glorious sunset…

Aunts Muriel, Kasi and Bobbie with uncle George

Big Bend

From Alpine, we driver further south to spend a glorious few days in Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park. Big Bend is grand and stunning. Tectonic shifts have created a landscape of proud mountains and a grand valley that slowly sweeps down to the Rio Grande River, where massive cliffs erupt abruptly from the land. Our first day here we do a kayak trip down the Rio Grande River, which is the border between the USA and Mexico in this part of the state…

George, Wayne, Bobbie, Emily and Patrick

Day 2 involves a jeep tour to Santa Elena Canyon…

Santa Elena canyon; that’s Mexico on the left and the USA on the right!

Mule Ears

And a soak in the hot springs…

Seriously mind-blowing sunsets out here!

We visit the marvellous Chisos Basin before heading back to Alpine and Midland…

Forth Worth

Back in Fort Worth, uncle Joe and cousins Sophia and Reagan spoil us with dinner, presents, bowling and a trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards, and Catherine and her husband Leo stop by for a chat on their way back from eclipse hunting.

Lots of stuffed animals down at the Stockyards!

All in all, I’m exhausted but so very glad we came. There’s always a little bittersweetness around memories of my mum - my experience of her was challenging at times and she passed away when I was in my early 20s - but this trip helps provide me with another layer of understanding and a whole new bunch of family to love. My heart is full. 

We hope to meet cousins Ross, Alison, Laura and Sarah on another trip and we were sad to miss Aunts Verna and Linda and uncle Jim and cousins Bryan and Allen who sadly passed away in the years before our visit.

To George, Bobbie, Wayne, Kasi, Emily, Patrick, Muriel, Clifford, Joe, Sophia, Reagan, Catherine and Leo: we are so very grateful for y’alls hospitality and openheartedness!

Next stop: Peru