Before becoming pregnant, I never wanted kids. Mike used to point out that it was ironic that the family genealogist was willing to let her branch of the tree whither and die. That astute observation really hit home to me. So, this morning as I was enjoying breakfast at Cracker Barrell and looking around at all of the old photos hanging on the walls, I felt a little comforted that Baby Bonfanti will grow and flourish! And I hope that he or she has at least a small interest in history so that Mike and I are not complete pains.
If Baby Bonfanti is a girl, she has really, really deep and interesting roots. A year or so ago, I sent off to have my mitochondrial DNA analyzed through the National Geographic Genographic Project. This “landmark study of the human journey” seeks to use DNA to trace human migration back to a group of African ancestors some 60,000 years ago. I received a test kit and an extremely entertaining and informative DVD explaining the project in depth and was thrilled to get the results.
Keep in mind, that the mitochodrial DNA basicly traces my mother’s mother’s mother’s … line. When I opened the website to read where my ancestors had trecked across the world, my secretary laughed and said, “I could have saved you some money. You are northern European. Just look at you!” Sure enough, she was right. I belong to haplogroup U5. According to the Genographic Project site, this means that my routes are unique: “U5 is quite restricted in its variation to Scandinavia, and particularly Finland.”
So, should Baby Bonfanti be a girl, I cannot wait to tell her about her rich maternal line and the wonderful journey our mothers have been on for 60,000 years.
I hope you have a girl,amber and I went to register for baby things today at baby r us and target your invite will be going out soon. any way it took forever this will be a long day for you,but it was fun.