Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s)

We were looking at old slides last night at my wife’s family reunion. We get together every Labor Day weekend, and this time, at Jen’s request, Dad broke out the old slide projector and we spent an hour or so looking at old photos.

Almost every photo brought laughs along with a funny story or two. Sometimes it took a bit longer to remember a particular story, at least every detail of it. And often, someone would comment how one of the now parents look just like their offspring. Our little Kirstie looks a lot like her mommy used to!

But as I looked at the photos, I kept thinking, “It’s not totally like Kirstie…” (And not just because I think she looks like me…) 🙂 There was just something very different, even though there was a lot the same.

That got me to thinking about how we are all a mix of half mom and half dad. (And all of the people that went into that before them!) There’s one part of dad and one part of mom, so I suppose that’s true. Even still, when you look at some people, you can’t help but say, “Wow! You look like your mom!” (Or, Dad, as the case may be.)

So where does the other half go? 🙂

I have also noticed lately a pretty cool (and sometimes hard) thing about kids. Not only do they get physical traits passed down through the generations, they also get personality traits. Inside stuff that is harder to see. I think that’s so fascinating. I like to think that I just am who I am. And, certainly that’s true. The combination of “traits” I have from my parents and all my ancestors makes me unique, just like everyone is unique. But partly, I am also just like my mom, dad, grandmas, grandpas, etc.

How crazy is that? 🙂

So somewhere in that little Kirstie who looks so much like her mommy is half of her daddy. I’m sure some of it can be seen in physical traits, but it will be interesting to watch her and see myself in her mirror. Hopefully she got mostly my good traits. 🙂