In honor of Mother’s Day this year, I wanted to do something different. I’m finally at the point in my life where I can actually acknowledge this day. It’ll be 19 years this November that my mother suddenly passed from an aortic aneurysm. She was my world and my best friend….and in 2005 recreated in the image of my daughter. God can be funny at times. 

As I look at old family pictures, I see so much of not only Rhi but myself in my mother. Her name was Barbara and she was small but powerful. I remember her always saying “Watch out for the small ones”. I didn’t really understand until I started a career path that was male-dominated. When she died, everyone kept telling me to be strong; her strength is now with me. That’s a lot to put on a young girl you would think. Its taken some time, but I have fully embraced the strength of my mom. I finished college with not one but two degrees. And completed the second one single with a two year old. I was one of the best for ten years while working in collegiate athletics (in my professional opinion) and I’m still standing. 

Now I am still a work in progress and wanting to learn more about who I truly am. In the past, I set up an Ancestry.com account and focused on the history of my dad’s side. Mainly because I know more about them. The older I get and wanting to be the womanly example for my daughter as my mom was for me, I need to know more about her. So back to the family tree on Ancestry.com. The next step is to do the DNA testing. Although Ancestry.com has an option that will also link to our current tree, I’ve been looking towards 23andme.com. I’m not sure if its because we’ve watched so many YouTube videos of people getting their results and not only learning about their race and ethnicity, but also potential health concerns. 

As I mentioned earlier, my mother passed from aortic aneurysm. Not long after, both her brother and sister passed from brain aneurysms. Of course, everyone was worried for a few years and suggested all the children get tested – which I honestly don’t believe any of us did. But getting the DNA health test could shed some light on this as well. 

I haven’t made up my mind yet on which company we’ll choose. But I’m excited for the results.

xoxo – Kelli

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