Hello/Goodbye

Hello everyone! Many years have passed since my last post, but I'll be posting regularly in the new year.  So much has changed over the past 3 years, that it would take way to long to write about it all.  I've had many positive changes, and my share of negative ones as well.  But one thing always remains the same and that's my willingness to depend on God for help and unexplainable strength.

As the last day of year is finally here, I'm looking forward to certain things exiting my life.  Here are my hello's and goodbye's.

1.) Negativity in any way, shape, or form.  This includes saying goodbye to those individuals who bring forth drama and selfishness.  These things are toxins, which quickly become absorbed.  Hello to positivity, happiness,  and seeing the glass half full rather than half empty.

2.) Moving out of my tiny apartment.  Goodbye small space, hello new apartment.

3.) Making excuses (I'm too tired, my body is aching, the fibromyalgia is kicking my butt).  Hello accountability.

4.) Goodbye laziness, hello yoga!


What are you saying hello and goodbye to?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

 

Thomasina 

Back at the Keyboard

I promise that I'm alive, and back at the keyboard.  Over the past few months (the last time I blogged was back in June) I have been through some difficult, trying, and tumultous times.  I've also had my share of great moments as well.

The lyrics to an Amos Lee song say's I've Learned a lot, and although Lee was talking about love, I can apply the lyrics to my life.  I've had significant health problems, trouble adjusting to a classroom setting (no more online education), and I've had a friendship come to an end.

At the same time I've learned how to heal, love, and trust.  I've made career decisions that positively impacted my education, I've learned acceptance, but I've also learned power, and I'm learning style.
 
Overall, there has been much harmony and much chaos. 

Now that the pruning is over, I'm able to pick back up somethings I've had to let go of, blogging included. 

I'm so appreciative of the fact that y'all have not given up on my blog.  I don't have all the kinks worked out yet, but I plan on blogging more regularly.  I pinky promise!

Happy Monday!
Thomasina

T is for Twenty-Nine Things about Thomasina

Nehemiah got to have a posted dedicated to him for the letter N,

so naturally I had to do the same for me for the letter T.

I picked twenty-nine things to share because obviously that's my age.

Some things on my list may be repeats from a long time ago, but oh well!

29.) I'm scared to death of frogs and I have no clue why 

28.) I don't have a middle name

27.) I'm named after my father whose name is Thomas (which is also Nehemiah's middle name)

26.) I'm the youngest of 3 children

25.) I have 15 neices and nephews and a slew of great neices and nephews

24.) I've lived in my town for my whole life

23.) My favorite colors are pink, green, and brown

22.) Yellow is my favorite spring/summer color

21.) I love wearing dresses and skirts

20.) I'm just learning how to walk in heels

19.) I don't have any tattoos

18.) I have one piercing-my nose

17.) I cannot see a thing without my glasses

16.) I adore coffee

15.) My mom is my #1 best friend

14.) My other besties and I have been friends since 1st grade

13.) I've seen 2 babies be born (one neice and one great nephew)

12.) I don't own my house (not sure if I'm ready for the responsibility)

11.) I want to one day own a bookstore

10.) Kit Kats and Skittles make my world more tolerable

9.) I bite my finger nails (I know gross)

8.) I played the wicked step daughter in my kindergarten production of Cinderella (good times)

7.) I don't know if I ever want to have more children

6.) I'm a bit obesessive-compulsive

5.) I can't cook pancakes to save my life

4.) I hardly ever use the same handbag twice

3.) I love learning new things

2.) Zebras are my favorite animals followed by giraffes

1.) I've only flown once, and that was to Hawaii and back (12 hours)

Happy Easter to Everyone!!!

T.

S is for So What

I have a list of things that make me say "So What."

1.)  I wear pajamas all day

2.) That the laundry never gets put away

3.) I have to sleep with the fan on

4.) I prefer sleeping on the floor instead of in a bed

5.) I don't wear makeup everyday

6.) I buy books I may never read

7.) I take a nap everyday

8.) I'm a germ-a-phobe

What things make you say So What?

T.

O is for Oh My Goodness

Over the past few days there have been some recent events that made me utter

"OMG!"

Very fitting for the letter O don't ya think?!

1.) I have officially finished A C C O U N T I N G

it's done, it's over, it's onto the next class

Whoot Whoot!!

2.) I passed accounting although I'm not certain what my actual grade is

{I'll find out on Tuesday}

3.) Classes don't resume again until May 4th

{this was a complete suprise}

4.) I'm considering weight loss surgery

{with the help and support of my physician of course}

and the best OMG

5.) I've finally started writing. 

Yep, I'm working on a novel.

Lots of ideas floating around in this big head of mine

and thanks to a very good blogging buddy,

I decided to put the pen to the pad 

{not really, I use my laptop}

and got to work.

There's a time for dreaming and a time for action.

I'm in the action phase,

{dreaming is still allowed but of course}

and I'm loving every minute of it! 

What things are making you say OMG?!

T.

I is for Indecisive

 INDECISIVE

1: not decisive : inconclusive <an indecisive battle>

2: marked by or prone to indecision : irresolute <an indecisive state of mind>

3: not clearly marked out : indefinite

and the fourth definition should be a pic of yours truly

cheeeeesssseeee

That's right folks,

I'm one of the most indecisive people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.

I can't make a quick decision to save my life!

I have to make list upon list to weigh pros and cons.

It takes me forever to buy items like shampoo and conditioner

because I have to make comparisons.

I can spend 20 minutes in the isle just looking.

Geesh.

Picking out an outfit is a nightmare.

Which shirt should I wear, or should I wear a dress?

Would leggings work best?

What type of shoes, flats, heels, sneakers?

Which pair of earrings go best?
Do I need other accessories?
Does this look okay, or should I change?
It's never ending.

and let's not mention putting on makeup.

So

many

color

options.

What's a girl to do?

Can anyone else relate to my indecisiveness?

T.

The Battle Zone

I'm so excited to report that…

My accounting average is an 80%! Whoot, whoot! Holla!

And just think, I was failing the course and I was going to give up on it. I owe all my thanks and praise to the Lord God Almighty because this progress is not being made by me alone. I have two more weeks left until the session is complete, and then it's good bye accounting {for now at least}.

I also have another progress report. I began my 30 minutes of walking today. Mom and I took advantage of the lovely weather and headed outdoors. We were on our way and making great strides when my body began throwing a freakin' fit.

Now let me explain something. Living with Fibromyalgia is like living with two of me.

The healthy me says, "Let's go walk and run and become fit. We can do this!"

The Fibro me says, "Oh no, we CANNOT handle this."

"This walking is going to make us ache, and running will ruin our knees {not true, my doc wants me to run}. We are going to become tired and then we'll have a flare up."

 "Stop it this instant!"

I could literally feel the healthy me struggling with the Fibro part of me. My bad leg became heavy and stiff, and then I became exhausted. But I kept going, and mom and I finished our 30 minutes! I had to make the Fibro me take a backseat to the healthy me.

The point at which the healthy me struggles with the Fibro me is what I call the battle zone. It's an all out continual fight to see who is going to take the lead. I pray the healthy me continues to triumph. Even though I did finish the 30 minutes, I am very tired. But I'd rather be tired from exercising than to be tired from doing nothing!

It's going to take some getting used to, but I'm determined to walk my 30 minutes each day. Then hopefully I'll be able to turn that walk into a light run. Either way it goes, I'm being active and that's all that counts!

I want to remind everyone that the A-Z Blogging Challenge starts on Friday, so get ready to check out some awesome posts from everyone who's participating {I sure do hope you find my posts awesome!}.

Stay Sweet My Lovelies!
T.

Run Girl Run

The sun is shining today, but guess what it's only 22 degrees outside! I don't know what happened to spring, but I sure hope it comes back. Oh, and there's snow covering the ground but we won't talk about how angry this makes me. Anyway, I'm still plugging away at my accounting work, and I think I'm beginning to understand some of it. I'm almost finished with the second half of my midterm, so I will keep you posted on how it goes.

On another note, I read Heather's blog {make sure you check it out} and it got me thinking about the unavoidable topic of exercise. Let's remember last year around this time I was hitting the gym five days a week! That all had to stop because of the health issues I was having. Now that I'm pretty healthy I think it's the perfect time for me to get active again. Due to the Fibromyalgia I've had to change my eating habits, and I'm proud to say that I eat better than ever. I've also had to cut out red meat because it bothers my tummy, so I only eat chicken, turkey, and fish. I'm not sure if I want to go back to the gym, but there is something I've wanted to do since last year.

I want to start running. Yes, I want to be a runner. The only problem {besides the ones that include my nose constantly running and me hacking to my death} is I don't know how to start. We have two tracks that I could use or I could run around my neighborhood, so that's not really the issue. Here is my issue: Do I start off walking and then run, or do I alternate walking and running? If alternating is the case I can bet that most of my time will be spent walking. I already have a good pair of running sneakers, so now all that's left is the actual running part. Seeing that I'm accident prone, I think I will wait until there's no more snow on the ground. Hopefully that will be next week!
I need all the help I can get, so feel free to leave me any tips.

On another note my mom and I are going to a one day retreat tomorrow. We went last year and it was awesome. I learned a lot about building your relationship with Christ. I can't wait to find out what we're focusing on this year!

Have a Happy Weekend and Stay Sweet!
T.

Thankful Thursday

Is it just me, or do you find that it’s much easier to complain  

about the not-so-good things in your life? 

Does the bad ever consume you and take your focus off your blessings? 

Well this is all true for me, so I’ve decided to do something called Thankful Thursdays. 

I’m tired of giving so much energy to negativity. 

It’s time for me to stop and smell the roses orchids.

 

So here is my very first list for thankful Thursday:

1.) Salvation

{i’m determined to run this race without so many stops along the way}

2.) My amazing and supporting family

3.) Nehemiah

{i love those little fingers and toes}

4.) The smell of fresh air

5.) My improving health

{i’m almost 2 months without a seizure!}

6.) School

{although it’s challenging it will pay off in the end}

7.) Books

{i'm in love with reading}

8.) My new great-niece

{she’s so precious}

9.) All the new blogs I’ve discovered

10.) My followers

{you always leave me such sweet comments}

So that completes my list for this week. 

What are you thankful for?

Stay Sweet and Enjoy the Beautiful Weather!

T.

This is me today



and here's another one

Nothing special about these photos right?

No makeup, pretty clothes, dangling earrings, or fancy styled hair.

So why did I post these pics?

Because when I look this

all natural

 I feel...

 S E X Y!

I'm in my own zone, and when I'm in this place I'm fearless.

I'm confident

and

I'm oh so comfortable!

I love hoodies and yoga pants.

So as you enjoy this weekend remember to do something that makes you feel and look sexy!

Stay Sweet!

T.

A Wonderful Time

Sorry I was vacant last week, but I was busy studying for midterms. I took the midterms on Saturday, so I'm praying I did well. Last week was also a little difficult because I didn't sleep well. I was restless, and I just couldn't get my body out of work mode. I slept very well the last few nights, and I hope good sleep continues. Perhaps being tired all the time, without the ability to get rested, is the most frustrating part of Fibromyalgia!
Prior to the breakup I was sleeping extremely well. And even though I'm still hurting, I really think I have finally entered into the healing process. I miss him a lot {which is to be expected}, but I'm starting to remember that single life is okay. I'll survive without the relationship. I may not like being single, but I'll survive. I still find myself wishing he'd call so I could hear his voice, but I don't cry anymore while wishing. I have some friends who suggest that I pick up and start dating again. I don't know if I'm ready for all that yet, but I have to remember that dating doesn't necessarily equal relationship…
                            ----------------------------
I celebrated my 29^th birthday on Sunday, and it was wonderful. I'm so blessed to have many people in my life who love and appreciate me. It was nice being with my family.
I'm sorry this is such a short post, but I'm bombarded with school work, and I'm really struggling to stay awake. Pray for my strength because I'm ready to say good night and it's only 3:36pm!
Stay Sweet!
Thomasina

Unclear

I don't want to wallow on-and-on about this breakup, but there's more. The ex and I knew each other for years, and getting married was in our future {or so I thought}. There was even a ring. He purchased it, but luckily I didn't get or see it. It would have destroyed me. This leaves me wondering how you can love someone so much, and then turn around and let them go; all while professing your love for them in the same breath.

I know this was about him and not me, but I'm left feeling like something is wrong-with me. I asked my family/friends if I'm really some awful person, but no one has the guts to tell me. But then logic sinks in, and I realize that I have a good heart. My pain management therapist is very wise, and she told that if I could attract such a great guy once, I could do it again and this time he would be even better. Hopefully he'd be the one.

I feel like my clock is ticking. I'll be 29 in a few weeks, and I'm still not married! I'm not sure if I want more children, but that decision needs to be considered rarely soon, especially because I'm high risk due to the Fibro and seizures. I know there's no written rule that you have to be married in your twenties, but I never expected to be single in my late twenties. I was comfortable being single, but then I got used to being with someone, although we didn't get to see each other often due to his career.

The good thing is I can't cry today; I have a cold and my head is full and stuffy, so if I cried my head probably would explode!!

Enough about the breakup. I have some rather good news to share-I checked my grade book {I go to school online}, and my average so far for my public speaking course is a 94! Woo Hoo! I'm praying I can keep this up. I'm also praying that this head cold clears up because I have an awesome weekend planned. Retail therapy with my mom!

By the way, I was able to import my past posts from thinkpink247, so if you're new to the blog check out the old posts!

Happy Thursday everyone, and remember to stay sweet!!
T.

From the Desk of the Broken Hearted

It's been a long time since the last time I blogged. Actually, I think it was in September. Back then I had to stop blogging because of the non-epileptic seizures, which I was having regularly. I went 10 weeks without a seizure, and then last Monday I broke my winning streak. I still feel the effects of the Fibromyalgia, but not as much as I used to. Nehemiah is now four, and handsome as ever! He loves school, and yes I'm still battling his sleeping habits. I'm still in school, and with the seizures I managed to pull off a 3.0 last semester! Not too shabby.

So, why a new blog you ask. I loved my thinkpink247 blog, but it was time to say goodbye. I left 2010 behind me seeing that it was such a difficult year, and unfortunately that meant that I needed to leave thinkpink247 in the past as well. I also didn't export thinkpink247 to this blog, so all my past posts are gone, but it's ok. I now have the chance to really start all over with this blog. So basically it was out with the old, and in with the new.

In October, 2010 I managed to fall in love. However, due to the distance issues the relationship didn't last. In fact, it ended on Saturday. It came as a total surprise, and my heart is heavy and broken. What makes it worse is that he didn't do anything wrong. He tried to look out for my best interest, as well as his own. If he would have cheated on me, or done some horrible thing then maybe this would be easier-I could hate him. But I don't hate him; I still love him-a lot. And this is what makes this breakup so horrific. I don't want to find anyone new. I want to be with him. I had to end all ties with him in order for me to function. I can't hold onto the hope that maybe we'll be back together; I won't be able to move on with my life.

I'm healing, and this process is never easy. I really believe that when we women love, we love hard. We love with our mind, heart, soul, and body. Our whole existence falls in love, which means that it has to fall out of love as well. It's a step-by-step ordeal. Will I ever fall in love again? Most definitely, I wear my heart on my sleeve. Will it be anytime soon? Most definitely not.
Sincerely,
T.

A Bit of This and a Whole Lot of That

So many changes have taken place that I had to start writing again before I forgot all the details.

Seeing that Nehemiah and I are on a new journey, I figured what better way to introduce our changes than by a blog makeover {think it looks good if I may say so myself}.  Onto the changes.

1.) I finally got water baptized on July 11th.  This was an amazing moment that has since deepened my relationship with Christ.  I have been making time each day, usually in the morning, to just be still and know that He is God.  My days are so much better when I keep Christ first.

2.) I was blessed with the opportunity to become self-employed {this is the most detail I'll give seeing that after all, this is the Internet}, which means that I'm officially a stay at home mom!  Prior to leaving the office, Nehemiah informed me that I was always cranky when I came home.  My plate was too full and I didn't know how to down size, so when the opportunity presented itself I decided that leaving the office was the best choice for Nehemiah and myself.  In making my decision I made up my mind that money would not stop me from doing what was best for us, so we're learning how to cut back on things that are really not necessary.

3.) I've been pain free for...are you ready? 3 days!  I started receiving Craniosacrial Therapy last week for the Fibromyalgia and so far it has been a huge success.  The occupational therapist caught on quickly that I don't relax {i'm learning}, and so she has demanded that I take some time out of my day each day for me {I can get used to that}.  The bad news is I have some other health issues going on, but my doctor isn't too worried at this point.  I have to have a procedure done soon, so your prayers are appreciated.

4.) You all know that sleeping is a very difficult activity for me and anyone else with Fibro.  Well, I've only had to take 1/2 of the pill that I take at bedtime {it's not a sleeping pill so no worries}for a restful night's sleep.  I can take up to 3 pills, which I've had to do in the past, but for the last month or so I've been able to decrease the dose.  I've been staying up later than 9:30pm, and I wake up each morning refreshed. 

5.) Nehemiah is growing and thriving and has turned into a preschooler {gulp}.  I love being home with him everyday because I get to watch him as he makes discoveries.  I know all parents think their children are the best, and of course I'm no exception because I have the best kid in the world.  We're still battling the sleeping-in-his-bed issue, but he's beginning to stay in his room for majority of the night. 

Here is Nehemiah holding a snail for the first time!

6.) As of next Saturday, I will have completed one year of school {insert your applauds here please}!  Now only two more to go then onto grad school.  I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I'll figure it out.

So now you're all caught up on what you've missed for the month.  I look forward to posting regularly again, as well as catching up on your lives.  It's long over due!

Where I Am Right Now

I received the following in an email this morning, and it sums up my life right now. I know I have been distant-in fact I have been non-existent to my blog, but I am experiencing a lot of struggles and uncertainties, and frankly I haven’t been in the sharing mood. Know that I haven’t forgotten about you, and I am hoping to catch up on all the blogs I follow over the next few days. Nehemiah is great, and when I look in his eyes I’m reminded of the reasons I cannot give up!


The ground I stand on is shaky, and the floor beneath me is cracked; nothing has remained constant except for change. I’m leaning on the fact that,

“This too shall pass.”

LORD PROP US UP...{there is more to this story, but here is what I wanted to share}

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old fellow who always prayed, ‘Lord, prop us up on our leanin’ side.’ After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, ‘Well sir, you see, it’s like this.... I got an old barn out back. It’s been there a long time; it’s withstood a lot of weather; it’s gone through a lot of storms, and it’s stood for many years.

It’s still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.

So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall.

Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I’ve been around a long time. I’ve withstood a lot of life’s storms. I’ve withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I’ve withstood a lot of hard times, and I’m still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, ‘cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.

A Brief Update

Another week has gone by, and I finally found a few minutes to post! Eeek! This crazy busy life of mine is all I know, so I don't have much choice but to make it work. The Fibromyalgia has not been giving me much trouble, and I am not complaining. I have noticed that it's taking me much longer to fall asleep at night, and I'm having an awful time getting up in the morning {nothing new here}.
I am still trying to hit the gym at least five days a week, and I'm starting to see some results. I was going through workout withdrawal when I was ill last week, and it was a bit challenging to get back into the routine. On Monday I signed up for a 15 minute abs class that meets twice a week. How much damage can you do in 15 minutes right? Apparently the answer to that is a lot. I am still super sore from Monday's class, so I have no idea how I am going to survive tonight! I'm determined to stay with this class, so we'll see how it goes.
Nehemiah is doing well of course. He loves to dance, and he informed me last night that he is the newest member of the Jabbawockeez! I am considering signing him up for a hip hop dance class. Nehemiah has a ton of rhythm, and he can watch people dance then imitate the move. He is determined to break dance, and is highly upset that I won't let him try!
The last bit of news; my final grade for Sociology was actually a 99.2%. Way to go me! Who would have thought that studying actually works J
Happy Wednesday.

And It Goes A Little Something Like This…

I apologize for being such a poor blogger lately. Time management is extremely difficult, and I don't have any down time at work anymore. Nehemiah and I are doing well {minus the strep throat I have}. The Fibromyalgia has been flaring up, which is due to the ample amount of stress I'm dealing with. The major source of the problem is work, so there's not much I can do in that department. Good things come to those who wait, so I'm trying to be patient with all the changes we're going through at the office.
Nehemiah is doing well. I can't get over how fast he is growing! He just keeps growing taller and taller, and he's so smart. Sometimes I'm taking back by his ability to reason. You can't pull anything over on him because he doesn't miss a thing. He has been a little mouthy, so it seems that I'm constantly correcting him. Tantrums are less frequent {thank you Jesus}, but are still intense when they happen.
For those of you who follow me on Face*ook this is not new news; the man friend and I are officially together. Yep, I'm in a relationship. So far, everything is good. I'm so not used to be complimented and supported. He's so wonderful, and my family and friends all seem to think that this is it: meaning that he's The One. I don't think we're far enough into the relationship to make that determination just yet, so I'm just taking each day as they come.
The most exciting news that I have to share is my besties and I will be getting together once a month for a Fabulous Friday. Mary, Sam, Jen, and I have been best friends since first grade! Growing up we all lived by each other. As children we fought and made up, and in high school we sort of went our own ways. However, through all the bumps in the road, we managed to stay best friends. We each have careers and families, but when it comes down to it, we're always there for one another. Mary lives in Georgia {she is the bestie I went to visit in Hawaii}, so we will phone her in. We're supposed to meet for dinner Friday night, and I'm praying I'm better by then.
My workouts have been successful, and I've been hitting the gym at least 5 days a week. I'm starting to lose inches, but the scale isn't decreasing. I got weighed at the doctor's yesterday, and I'm not gaining any weight. This is good, actually very good. Maintaining my weight has always been a challenge, so I need to pat myself on the back. Due to the strep throat I can't go to the gym, so I'm totally freaking out. I praying that I will be able to go again on Friday.
So dear friends, I just caught you up on what you've been missing. I pray all is well with each of you, and it looks like I will have the chance to catch up with your blogs too.
Have a great week!

Thirty Things

Good morning dear friends.  I learned that my body definitely does much better with a lot of sleep because I got my 9 hours last night, and I feel terrific.  Nehemiah had a great night and a fabulous morning. Before leaving for work, I jumped up and down while clapping and yelling, "way to go Miah!"  Then I gave him a high-five, and told him how proud I am that he has been using his listening ears and speaking kind words. 

He was so happy this morning, and of course he told Nana; she gave him 2 high-fives! 
Sometimes we focus on the unwanted behavior so much, that we forget to praise the wanted behavior.  I love making a big deal out of the small things because Nehemiah needs praise just as much as he needs correction.

I opted out of going for a walk yesterday because my legs were hurting and cramping.  I feel great today and would love to go walking, but guess what, it's raining.  I so need a treadmill, gym membership, or a Wii; all of which are not in the budget any time soon! 
                                       

-------------------------------

After my meltdown the other night over my up and coming ten year high school reunion, which symbolizes how close I really am to being 30, I decided to do something fun with 30. 

So, here are 30 things about me that you may not have known.

30.) I love handbags.

29.) I cry over touching commercials.

28.) I adore the Golden Girls.

27.) I want to travel to London and Paris.

26.) I have been best friends with my nearest and dearest since 1st grade.

25.) I hate sports.

24.) I was a football cheerleader in high school.

23.) I just recently learned how to cook.

22.) I love makeup.

21.) I'm obsessed with all things Clinique.

20.) I love dancing in my undies in front of the bathroom mirror.

19.) I have 15 nieces and nephews.

18.) I'm afraid of thunderstorms.

17.) My three favorite colors are pink, green, and brown.

16.) I hate chocolate cake.

15.) I'm very acident prone {don't believe me; a few weeks ago, I fell into the bathtub while cleaning it!}

14.) I love laughing.

13.) Fall is my favorite season.

12.) I've lived in the same town/city my whole life.

11.) I've never been married.

10.) I hate cleaning.

9.) I can't eat certain meat because I visualize the animal in head {ex, veal equals a calf and her mama, deer equals Bambi}.

8.) In my dream job, I would be writing children's books.

7.) I bite my nails.

6.) I like folk music.

5.) I love collecting pictures out of magazines and glueing them in a journal.

4.) I live in pajamas {only at home of course}.

3.) I can't stomach looking at raw meat {especially chicken}.

2.) I love ketchup, but hate the way it smells.

1.) I have a mixture of both Irish and Native American ancestors.