Thankfulness Friday, Part 4

1.  Parents.  I don't think I can ever thank them enough for what they've sacrificed for their children.  In the early 80's, my parents made a really tough decision to bring us to the US for a better education.  Mom would remain with us, and Dad would stay in Taiwan for his job.  We lived apart for 12 years with weekly phone calls (no Skype) and yearly visits (almost always in March).  Dad passed away in 1995, but I was grateful to have spend a month with him just months before that.  I dedicated my PhD thesis to them.  I sure can't imagine where I'd be without their unconditional love and support.  I see Dad's mouth in Bun Bun and wonder what he'd be like as a Grandpa.
2.  Mrs. Thoensen, 6th grade science teacher.  I don't remember much from the 6th grade or at least what I learned then.  I do remember writing a book report on seals in Mrs. Thoensen's class.  She was one patient teacher who noticed how much I loved science.
3.  Mrs. Kaulfuss, 12th grade social studies teacher.  She was a tough teacher who demanded a lot from her students.  I still remember tons of world culture I learned from her.  Mrs. Kaulfuss, sadly, passed away this August.
4.  Dr. Mbuy, college Immunology and Virology professor.  The first time I fully appreciated the wonders of intricate life at the microscopic scale was in Dr. Mbuy's classes.
5.  Professor Cullen, college Histology and Animal Development professor.  I still remember being completely amazed when I pierced down the microscope and saw the beating heart that had just formed in a fertilized chicken egg.  I remember thinking that this couldn't have happened by chance.  How does a clump of cells just haphazardly start to beat and form the heart plus the vascular system?
6.  Dr. Rossman, my first boss, sure had no business hiring an immature girl fresh out of college.  He took a chance and kept me around for two years.  I was later told that if it hadn't been Dr. Rossman and his wife, I wouldn't have been given a chance for graduate school.
 7.  Kate Sullivan, my PhD advisor, therapist, and friend.  She believed in me when I doubted if I could ever finish my thesis.  I learned much from her how to be a teacher, mentor, and friend for my own students now.

Daddy bought a new camera today!