15 Feb 2016 #8 Are there any obvious or unusual genetic traits that run in your family line?

Are there any obvious or unusual genetic traits that run in your family line

Oh yes, definitely some family traits going on here.

I've been learning a lot about genetics through my Genealogy research and some genetic testing.  What I've learned is:  Two people (lets say males) in a family may have the a very close almost same set of genes from both parents, - yes it is possible the same 50% from each parent. (not probably or likely but is possible) while another (male) person may have a completely set of genes from both parents a very low match to their sibling.  They say the normal percentage which identifies a sibling match is about between 13 to 25% match.  So although you get 50% from each parent, you may get a different 50% from each parent. So how does this related to obvious traits.  It really doesn't.  But certain "things" do somehow continue to appear in siblings, cousins, 2nd cousins.... etc.  
With that said, I feel my sisters and I are a smorgasbord of traits from each parent.  

On my fathers side- the Twining Side:  there is an obvious genetic trait in the hands and feet.  Now you may think this minor, but being a female and having what I call "man hands and feet" has been a big part of my life as I grew up. So.... are you ready?

READY.....
ready..... r.e.a.d.y.....

BOOM!

 Yes, these are my lady hands...

stop laughing....

wait til you see .... 

 yes my feet!

These  ARE  "Twining"  Feet and hands.  

How can I say this, you may ask?  When I was younger, I was so embarrassed wearing a "D" width shoe while others could purchase off the shelf!  I used to take note of EVERYONE'S hands and feet. When I was a cheerleader they had to order my shoes "special".  When I was in dance, - yep you got it, order my shoes and pay twice as much for them!  Well, one day I took a look at my Aunt Lola's (my dads sister) hands----- the same- yikes! Double take, were those my hands?  Then when I was older, and I met my grandmother ... there they were again!

TWINING MAN HANDS/FEET!!  

STUBBY, Wide, sprawling, large knuckles and joints, worms slivering around just under the skin.... 

(okay you get the idea right?) 

Louella, on the other hand,  has the most beautiful long straight, gorgeous model hands with beautiful nails, and skinny slender but long feet. I have envied, coveted, and totally have always been it total awe of her hands and feet my whole life.  Sorry Lou, but its true!  I wish I had yours, but instead....

I have T-STUBBS!

I think all the rest of us have a mixture of my Mom and Dad hands.  My mom's hands more slender, no big knuckles, but hers were large as well.  Unfortunately I don't have a nice picture of my Mom's or Louella's hand to replace that scary awful one you saw ( and will probably have nightmares about)  

As well on my fathers side, there are those "Twining Eyes"  Unfortunately I don't have a good picture of my dad's eyes. They were the most delightful light blue..... Large and gorgeous.  With age of course they are not as vivid as when young, but most of us have them. I used to love to look at my Daddy's eyes.  I grew up thinking he was close to being Paul Newman.......... s.e.r.i.o.u.s.l.y!

But when speaking of traits, just take a look at this picture cir. 1960, My dad and me.  Tell me they don't look alike!  Uncanny!

Out of all my kids, I think Koltn looks the most like my Dad.  -and yes, he does have those hands and feet, but somehow they don't seem so bad on a male....

(Sorry Bud you may have that same hairline too!) 

One last thing on my Dads' side is the yearning for knowledge or maybe just growing.  My Dad was a not sedentary man... he was always on the move, always wanting to learn more and do more, always fighting against the "cause", or creating his own cause, whatever that may be.  In a way I think he must have had ADHD.  Always on the move, on the go, never able to stick to one thing, one person, one place, jumping from one thing to the next...   (typical ADHS right?)  This trait didn't always get him into the best areas of life, but that was him in a nut shell and in a small way when you combine that with my mothers dedication, constant, devoted, faithful, and true to the end,  personality, it can make for a good combination.  (I hope)

I think about the quote from George Banks when he's at the bar after Brian and Annie called off the wedding and George gives hims his advice:

George Says:  "Brian...Annie is a very passionate person and passionate people tend to overreact at times. Annie comes from a long line of major overreactors. Me. I can definitely lose it. My mother...a nut. My grandfather...stories about him are legendary. The good news, however, is that this overreacting tends to get proportionately less by generation, so your kids could be normal.But on the upside, with this passion comes great spirit and individuality which is probably one of the reasons you love Annie.
Brian: That's what I love most about her.

Well blonde hair is on my mothers side.  Also is the shape of our body.  And possibly our attitude- well mostly our attitude.  We call it the "Twining Girls" attitude, but it is probably more of the "Allan, or Marie" attitude.  Work hard, learn hard, and do everything hard, methodically, and organized in every way!  I'll move on from these comments as my mother would have taught me to. ( HA )

As for the body type....  It might be what you would call an "Apple" body type AND being short.  My Mother wasn't particularly short, but her mom and granny were, as well as her Uncles.  As for shape, the apple type is where most of the body weight is at and above the waist line. (ie large boobs too-  a side perk) That sums it up pretty clearly.  Larger body trunk with skinny legs.  Not only did my mother have this body type, but so did my Nanny's and Granny's.  Unfortunately this is also an indication of diabetes.  Allan family genetics definitely contains diabetes. Nanny had it, my Granny had it, my mom had it, my Great Uncle Robert also had it.  I am not sure how much farther back it went.  But diabetes is definitely in my genes.

Its strange but all of my siblings are a little different. Our personalities are different, our lives are different, and our bodies are different. And that is okay.  I think we are lucky to have received the genes we all have.  All of my sisters are happy in their lives.  Mostly married for a long time to men who are a little more passive which only allows us to the the BOSS!  HAHA

Genes-Grateful?  YES!  I am grateful for my genes.  Grateful for those who came before me and for giving me the chance to come to this old earth and experience it all.  Grateful for their endurance and persistence. Grateful for those few nuts that dropped from the tree to add spice to our lives.  I wish I knew more about them.  I would love to know who I got what from.   I would love to say thank you to them.  I wish I had known more of them.  Its what drives me to my genealogy.  Through my resarch I have found AMAZING people.  My Allans ARE amazing just as the TWININGS are.  As I learn more about my roots, I get a real sense of who I am and where I came from.  I love you ALL!  Thank you.  and of course, why did you give me that one gene too!!  HAHA

You know what they say.....