Katie
Some of you may know my daughters. I have three. Emily, is my daughter thru different parents...... she was our Nanny while Katie and Amy were growning up. Our families have been friends for years and the funny thing is she looks just like Katie and Amy! Katie is my AGGIE. 100% Aggie. Now she is getting her PhD from MD Andersen in Houston in Molecular Carcinogenisis. Thats right....took me a year before I could say it! Amy, the baby is at Emerson College in Boston. You will see Amy in the shop in the summer working.
This blog is about Katie, well not so much about her but as about growing up, facing your fears and being brave.
I am very lucky to have very smart girls. My Mom was a teacher and she instilled in us there wasn't anything you couldn't do. Consiquently the girls are all in honnors programs and just love their schools and what they are studying. (Emily, has just started her Masters Program this week at UTSA, keep in mind she works full time and has 2 small children and is single. Her real mom and dad help out with the boys alot) But.....along with this comes some scarey times.
Emily called last night to fill me in on "stuff" and Katie called this morning needing a pep talk. Some times I think we all need a pep talk. Life is scarey now. We don't know what will happen with the stock market or the economy or real estate. Will we make our house payments will we have enough for groceries or soccer fees or a new dress? All of these things we THINK are out of our control....but are they????
I don't think so, I used to, but not anymore. As a single Mom and a business owner, I don't think I ever sleep - I am always worried about something, making my payroll, rent, house payments, tuitions etc etc. Somehow I always manage.
I manage because I want to. I love my store, the customers, my staff, the vendors. Sure I have difficulty with money - who doesn't these days but it always works out because I am determined to make it work. We have been on that corner for 25 years and I have every intention on being there another 25.
But.....how do you teach your daughter to be brave. Lead by example. I try to be honest with the girls, but what do you say to a 24 year old scientist??????
What Katie does is foreign to me. I am so proud of her. She is one smart cookie! She has a heck of alot on her plate. Her instructors sound terrific. I am terribly impressed with the caliber at MD Andersen. It has to be scarey tho. Todays talk with her was about being brave. Being confident. Taking the next step in being a scientist. Learning to believe in yourself. I think that sounds so funny. I believe in Katie - heck there isn't anything that kid can't do. I digress.....have you ever seen her horse???? 1300 pounds, 16 - 17 hands tall and will come in the house if I let him. Katie, all 5ft 3 of her has trained this gentle giant to jump huge jumps, run thru ponds and then do Dressage, which we call ballet on horse back.
She also was one of 42 students that recieved a special accedemic honnor when she graduated. When she graduated from A&M a few years back I was so tired by the time I got to her class graduation ceremony, because i had been to so many Honnors Graduation ceremonies!
Katie takes on allot. But, she can do it. She is passionate about her work and believes in all that she does. Katie truely believes there is a cure for cancer and all that MD Andersen stands for. For that I am so grateful. I tell her that the world needs people like her, I don't think she believes me but that will come with age. So many of my girlfriends, like me have cancer and we NEED people like her to make sure WE don't die! Scarey but true.
Every day can be scarey - it is a matter of attitude. If we believe in ourselves and what we do. Ask questions. Go to those that can help us. Be brave. Stand up for what is right. Be confident in ourselves, we WILL be successful. It is up to US not the government, not the schools, not the churches, but US. We have the ability to go to school and church and correspond with our senators and congressmen. We controll our destiny. Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something because you can! Just like Katie - you can be a scientist! You can be what ever you want to be! It is ok to be a bit scared - but that is 1/2 the fun!
I am so so so excited for Katie and all that she will do and discover! Most of the time I have no idea what she is talking about. I do know that I would love to be her patient, be in a study she will do some day for cancer patients. Because...she has a heart of gold and is brillant. She loves her work, has terrific mentors and professors that will teach her and every day she is making a difference in someones life.
We can all learn from her. Most of us won't be a scientist or have our name on a paper or read scientific journals, but we can be the best at what we do. We can smile at someone on the street. We can, as in my case, help them find the perfect dress for a very special occasion. Just like Katie - we can make a differenc in the world just by being us.
This blog is about Katie, well not so much about her but as about growing up, facing your fears and being brave.
I am very lucky to have very smart girls. My Mom was a teacher and she instilled in us there wasn't anything you couldn't do. Consiquently the girls are all in honnors programs and just love their schools and what they are studying. (Emily, has just started her Masters Program this week at UTSA, keep in mind she works full time and has 2 small children and is single. Her real mom and dad help out with the boys alot) But.....along with this comes some scarey times.
Emily called last night to fill me in on "stuff" and Katie called this morning needing a pep talk. Some times I think we all need a pep talk. Life is scarey now. We don't know what will happen with the stock market or the economy or real estate. Will we make our house payments will we have enough for groceries or soccer fees or a new dress? All of these things we THINK are out of our control....but are they????
I don't think so, I used to, but not anymore. As a single Mom and a business owner, I don't think I ever sleep - I am always worried about something, making my payroll, rent, house payments, tuitions etc etc. Somehow I always manage.
I manage because I want to. I love my store, the customers, my staff, the vendors. Sure I have difficulty with money - who doesn't these days but it always works out because I am determined to make it work. We have been on that corner for 25 years and I have every intention on being there another 25.
But.....how do you teach your daughter to be brave. Lead by example. I try to be honest with the girls, but what do you say to a 24 year old scientist??????
What Katie does is foreign to me. I am so proud of her. She is one smart cookie! She has a heck of alot on her plate. Her instructors sound terrific. I am terribly impressed with the caliber at MD Andersen. It has to be scarey tho. Todays talk with her was about being brave. Being confident. Taking the next step in being a scientist. Learning to believe in yourself. I think that sounds so funny. I believe in Katie - heck there isn't anything that kid can't do. I digress.....have you ever seen her horse???? 1300 pounds, 16 - 17 hands tall and will come in the house if I let him. Katie, all 5ft 3 of her has trained this gentle giant to jump huge jumps, run thru ponds and then do Dressage, which we call ballet on horse back.
She also was one of 42 students that recieved a special accedemic honnor when she graduated. When she graduated from A&M a few years back I was so tired by the time I got to her class graduation ceremony, because i had been to so many Honnors Graduation ceremonies!
Katie takes on allot. But, she can do it. She is passionate about her work and believes in all that she does. Katie truely believes there is a cure for cancer and all that MD Andersen stands for. For that I am so grateful. I tell her that the world needs people like her, I don't think she believes me but that will come with age. So many of my girlfriends, like me have cancer and we NEED people like her to make sure WE don't die! Scarey but true.
Every day can be scarey - it is a matter of attitude. If we believe in ourselves and what we do. Ask questions. Go to those that can help us. Be brave. Stand up for what is right. Be confident in ourselves, we WILL be successful. It is up to US not the government, not the schools, not the churches, but US. We have the ability to go to school and church and correspond with our senators and congressmen. We controll our destiny. Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something because you can! Just like Katie - you can be a scientist! You can be what ever you want to be! It is ok to be a bit scared - but that is 1/2 the fun!
I am so so so excited for Katie and all that she will do and discover! Most of the time I have no idea what she is talking about. I do know that I would love to be her patient, be in a study she will do some day for cancer patients. Because...she has a heart of gold and is brillant. She loves her work, has terrific mentors and professors that will teach her and every day she is making a difference in someones life.
We can all learn from her. Most of us won't be a scientist or have our name on a paper or read scientific journals, but we can be the best at what we do. We can smile at someone on the street. We can, as in my case, help them find the perfect dress for a very special occasion. Just like Katie - we can make a differenc in the world just by being us.
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