Good Genes, Jean!

Thirty years ago I received my first Mother’s Day gift. I still carry that silver monogrammed compact mirror that Bill presented to me as a new stepmother to 9-year-old and 7-year-old girls. Now those gals are mothers, and Bill and I are blessed with six grandchildren. Today I got a beautiful, custom-designed Mother’s Day card from my California grandsons, Brogan, Griffin, Hudson and Porter Smith. I love the card. I feel old.

On Mother’s Day, Alexis, the youngest of my four nieces and two nephews, is graduating from college. It just doesn’t seem all that long ago that they were precious little babies and now the oldest two, Shannon and Kelly, have children of their own. I feel really old.

Next month, if my father were still alive, my parents would have celebrated their 57^th anniversary. I was with them when they celebrated their 1^st anniversary in Miami, Florida. (Lest you think anything naughty, I was born 10 months after their wedding!) Yep…I feel really, really old.

But, I come from a line of long-living women on both sides of the family. Great-grandmothers and great-aunts lived into their late 90s, while my father’s mother lived to 92 and my mother’s mom was 89. God willing, I may live as long in good health. All of a sudden, I feel young!

For most of my life I’ve been fairly active, walking, biking, working out at home or at a fitness club. After my most recent club in Pittsburgh closed I became lax about strength workouts and was shocked at how quickly I lost muscle tone. So early this spring I joined a fitness club just a few miles from our marina and have faithfully worked out four days a week, one day with a trainer. Although it would be nice to lose a few pounds, my motivation is to gain bone density through stronger muscles so that if I live another 40 years I won’t be bedridden or wheelchair bound…God willing.

I also worry about Alzheimer’s, although again, many members of my family tree were pretty much of sound mind when they died so I hope genetics again wills out. I read a great deal, work crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, and enjoy Jeopardy, all in an effort to keep the brain cells healthy. I’d say, so far so good…except when I can’t remember something…

This Mother’s Day 2012, I give thanks to God for the blessing of my mother, Jean Rose Schwab Bouman, whose great genes I’ve inherited and who encouraged me, always, to be the best I can be with the gifts God gave me. I love you, Mom!