Who Am I?

Not a great picture but this is probably more

the REAL me.

For my entire life I have been told that I was part Cherokee Indian - Native American. I have the high cheekbones. I have the skin tones. My grandmother, pictured below, looked Native American --but maybe she looked that way because that is what my sisters and I were told and so we sought out the Native American features.. I have no idea who told us this "fact" but imagine my surprise when I sent in a 23 and Me sample. I was so surprised that I have convinced both sisters to also send in a sample and get tested.  I have ZERO percent Native American DNA - ZERO - ZIP - NADA!! So who am I? Who in the heck am I? We were always told that my other grandmother was Irish - thank goodness - that seems to have been true. My largest percentage is British and Irish. My mother-in-law said I shouldn't be surprised because a lot of people who live in this part of the country probably have British DNA.

This whole process has caused my mind to stir. Who in the heck am I really?

I'm a woman

I'm a wife

I'm a mother

I'm a grandmother

I'm a sister

I'm a sister-in-law

I'm an aunt

I'm a friend

I'm a mother-in-law

I'm a follower of Jesus (but I fail miserably every single day)

I'm on staff at a church

I'm a Sunday School teacher

I'm a facilitator (and cook!) for a group of young professionals

I'm a neighbor (hopefully to more than just the folks on either side)

I'm a 1 on the Ennegram

 My top five strengths are: Activator, Communication, Positivity, Harmony, Woo

I'm an ESFJ on the Myers Briggs test

But WHO IN THE HECK AM I?

Not only am I British and Irish but my DNA results show Switzerland and Germany (not surprised at the German due to my maiden name). Heck - I'm even a little Scandinavian, a little Iberian, and a little Italian!

BUT WHO IN THE HECK AM I?

On top of all of this, my DNA shows that I have more Neanderthal than 98% of the people that have participated in 23 and ME . . .and a lot of people have participated.  I'm also in a rare maternal Haplogroup and as I was reading that material, I began to feel like they can practically trace me back to Eve or one of her relatives. They trace this Haplogroup all the way back to the Middle East - maybe that is why I have loved our Israel trips so much!

I think I'm having a small identity crisis but the results are fascinating!!! We are planning a trip to England and Ireland in 2019 so I will be going "home" - wow . . .the trip takes on new meaning in my mind.

I don't know any of my family tree past great grandparents and I don't even have all of their names. According to 23 and Me, there is a possibility that I have some 2-4th cousins out in the world!

Have you participated in 23 and Me? Are you who you thought you were? Or are you like me . . trying to decide who in the heck you are?

my little tiny and very short Granny George