Genetics

I was a senior in high school, taking a yearbook class. What else is there to take your senior year when you have several elective classes available? A bright-eyed, bushy-tailed sophomore approached me and cheerfully exclaimed, "You look like my mom!" WHAT?!?!?! I screamed in my head. Who IS this girl? But I said, "What are you talking about?" To this she replied, "Is your father Rick Mitchell?" I said, "Yes." But my head was screaming, "Run away from this crazy girl!" Then the small sophomore said, "I am your cousin, you look just like my mom, your Aunt Janet."

Let me give you some back story. I grew up with only 1 cousin until the age of 10 when my 2nd cousin was born. I thought I knew all of my family. When I was a girl I was told by my father frequently, "You look just like your Aunt Janet." He would usually add, "Don't let this go to your head, she was beautiful." My Aunt Janet died at the age of 30 from a birth defect in her heart. I was very young at the time. Our family lost contact with her husband and 2 children. Until my senior year when I was approached by a sophomore named Jenny, my long lost cousin. Isn't it funny what genetics can do? It can make me look like someone else entirely. So much so that I am recognized by this persons daughter.

When Lizzy was born we would receive comments like this, "Oh, she must be the milkman's daughter, she certainly doesn't look like either of you." My Lizzy has her fathers blond hair (Phil claimed blond as his hair color until sometime in elementary school.) She can claim Phil's mom's beautiful face and round cheeks. She has my grandfather's beautiful blue eyes. And, she has my ugly big toe (sorry about that Liz!) Last year after swimming and in the hot sun for weeks I noticed her nose looked dirty. For days I kept wiping it. I couldn't figure out why that dirt would not come off. Then I realized, SHE HAS FRECKLES! Just a few, but they are there. I remembered that I had freckles too in sun and my dad is covered in them in the summer. She was no milkman's baby. She has a bit of everyone in her, which makes her unique.

When Samuel was born he had brown eyes at birth, no changing of eye colors, they were a beautiful dark brown. He also came with olive skin and brown hair. As a baby my sister lovingly called him our little Puerto Rican baby. He got this from my mom and my Abuelita, and you could tell even from birth.

We find out in a few days what we are having. We have both a boy and a girl named picked out. The boy's middle name is my maiden name. He will carry on the Mitchell name which is all but lost thanks to the 5 daughters and no son's born to my parents. My lovely niece Julia carries the Scottish look of my father, gorgeous red hair. Our girl name is after the beautiful name of my great-grandmother.

We all carry so much of our ancestors with us, so much of who we are is from others. How exciting to see what this next baby looks like. Will he or she have Phil's blond hair, or my father's red hair and green eyes? Will they get the height in Phil's family or the "height" from my 4 foot 8 inch Abuelita? What wonderful combination will make them up? Isn't it remarkable what God plus our genes create. We couldn't dream it up or plan it more perfectly. They are our perfect little gems.

Here are some family photo's. Who takes after who?