In the meantime ...

Hi there ...

Just wanted to check in and say ... I haven't forgotten.  I am working on the next post.  Life has just been in the way lately.  Hopefully, the newest post "What is in a word?" will be posted soon!  

Confession time for me ... I have realized that I was over zealous in thinking that I could post a thoughtful contribution to my story on a daily basis.  So now, I am aiming for one or two meaningful posts a week.  Maybe more, maybe less ... depending on the week.

However ... in an effort to tide you over (and make me feel less guilty for not posting something already :-) ) ... here's a little something.

It's a photo that is the VERY FIRST of it's kind!!!!  A photo of me, My Mom and My Dad all in one photo!!!  It's a sort of silly request of mine that they willingly participated in - cause they love me :-)!!  Mom and Dad both recently came out to help me cheer for my husband, Tony, in a triathlon event (Yes, he is truly amazing for many reasons - one of which is his commitment to health and fitness.  This hasn't always been the case, but that's another story ;-).)  Having them both in the same place with me was fun, and I seized the photo opportunity!  

As is stated often, Dad and I share MANY very similar features.  Many people question why we completed a DNA test at all. (You should see the similarities in our baby pictures - WOW!)  However, I have grown up believing that My Mom and I look very similar.  I'm not sure why ... but there is this a subtle struggle to integrate these things together.  Having a new person to compare myself with is both extremely neat and a tad unsettling all at the same time.  I find myself wondering what came from Mom, what came from Dad, and what is genuinely me.  I'm figuring out that there are MANY things that I always considered to be unique me (because they didn't match anyone else in my family) that really came from Dad.  Things like my Fred Flinstone feet, my sensitive skin, and much of my personality have always made me feel very different from my brother and sister (who I always thought shared my DNA).  I have continuously asked myself why was I different, but now - I know why!!! :-)

At any rate, it may seem silly, but since Dad ... I have held photos of Mom, Dad and I side by side, compared photos over time and tried to answer questions like: did I look more like Mom as a little girl and morph into Dad as an adult?  Do I have his nose?  Her smile?  Again ... I know ... silly, but the questions are real and I am finding so much peace in this journey!  

All this to say ... having a photo of myself between My Mom and My Dad was a very neat treat!  I am so thankful that they obliged!

Have any thoughts about this one?  Who do you think that I favor the most?

Until next time ...

Crystal