I want some beans.

Sandy wants to know more about my German ancestry. Well, I don't know that I would call it an ancestry. I actually don't know very much about my family.

I've written about my mom, who had me at a young age. My mom is a plain talking straight forward person. She never beat around the bush about things. And yet she is very charming and flirty too. English is also her second language. She knows Spanish as well. She is a most courageous woman. At the young age of 21 she moved a continent away from her family to be here in the states. I was 4. She moved here partly for a guy, but I think mostly for the adventure. I mean it was Texas for crying out loud! Who could resist?

I'm her only kid. Mom has one older sister, one older brother and a younger brother. My dad was the oldest of six. He died when I was a baby. I never knew him or his family. I thought my step dad was my actual dad until I was 7.

When we first got here I didn't speak for about 3 months. My first words in English were, "I want some beans." How's that for funny? I guess it was culture shock. My step family was Hispanic. (Texican.) I was 4. I mostly learned from watching TV. I think that makes me a true American.

Since I don't know much about my ancestry I am in the unique position to create my own. There is not much to know that would make much of a difference in who I am today. My kids, however, will know theirs. And that does my heart good.