Cache directory "/home7/mammalov/public_html/wp-content/plugins/ttftitles/cache" is not writable.I’m Telling My Kids They’re Irish
“Hey dad, guess what? I’m Irish because my eyes are blue.”
Well, he heard part of what I said.
I’ve spent the last 39 years being told I MUST be Irish what with the freckles, fair skin, blue eyes and formerly dark brown hair, but I could never be sure.
A friend recently shared a story about having a 40th birthday party thrown for him a few years in advance because he had told his partner that he was older than he was when they first started dating–years earlier.
The gravestone on my husband’s grandfather’s grave is engraved with a birth year in conflict with his birth certificate (My father-in-law decided that if that was the date he wanted people to think he was born it was what would go on the gravestone. I love that.)
Short of purchasing one of those DNA tests or meeting my biological parents, I will never know if I am really Irish.
This year I’ve made the decision that from this point forward I’m going to own it. I started with my youngest as evidenced above (okay so he thinks anyone with blue eyes is Irish now, but we’ll iron that out later). I’m just telling them they’re Irish on my side.
Hey, if people can claim new names (I’m looking at you Bono) or new birth dates, I most certainly may claim an ethnic origin.
I mean it’s not like I’m telling people I’m Hawaiian or anything.
So in honor of my first St. Patrick’s Day as a true Irishwoman, I hope the road rises to meet you and the wind doesn’t mess up your hair (I probably need to work on my Irish sayings if this is going to stick).
Image above via Cygnus921.| Tags: Adoption, culture, heritage, Ireland, Irish, St. Paddy's Day, St. Patrick's Day 8 comments »
March 17th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Welcome to the clan!
March 17th, 2010 at 10:14 am
…and the wind doesn’t mess up your hair?!
i am DYING! you are a true irish girl from my college days. the ones who were easily convinced to head to the pub instead of studying, but who would still be president of the sorority AND get a kickass gpa.
i already knew you were totally irish. xoxo.
March 17th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
I do the same thing. People told me for years I must be Swedish and Irish. I knew I was a mutt with a bit of German. No one is proud to be German, not even the Germans! So, yeah, I tell people I’m Irish, Swedish and German.
My husband, who actually IS Irish and Swedish, looks more German than I do. And I’m okay with that.
March 17th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Amie, it all counts. So glad we all doing this together. Whatever you do will be great. The main thing is that we are building the habit of doing little bits of art each day and learning to live our lives creatively with our families. The only rule is to have fun!
Looking forward to seeing your papers.
Trudy Callan
http://www.artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com
March 17th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Everyone *thinks* I’m Irish because my name is Maggie McGary…yet I’m really a lapsed Jewish girl. Oh well–I still can enjoy a shamrock shake as well as the next real Irish person.
March 17th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
For all of my elementary years, I told people I was Puerto Rican. I believed I was because I was born there. No mind that I was born on an Air Force base, to two people from Louisiana…I was devastated when my mom clued me in.
March 17th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
p.s. your kids are totally irish. well, except the one… 😉
March 18th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Welcome to the club, I’ve switch ethnicity all the time!