Proud mama

I got an excited call from my younger daughter last night. She’s been accepted into the one doctoral program she applied to, with offers of assistanceship and fellowship money both in the works. Come fall, she’ll be working with an environmental chemist at Penn State, pursuing her lifelong dream to “be a scientist” when she grows up.

Being a scientist was kind of an abstract dream initially, but she’s followed it all the way through graduate school so far, combining an undergraduate degree in chemistry from McGill with a masters in environmental management degree (MEM) from Duke. Now, an opportunity to study soil chemistry and the way plants absorb metals is a perfect way to pull all the pieces together – her passion for science, and her penchant to understand and benefit the ecological system we live in.

“I wasn’t sure I’d get in,” she said to me.

I laughed. I’d heard the same story since elementary school, when she claimed to not be good in math. Every test was one she suspected she’d failed. But she is a hard working and eager student. She headed off any suspicion of academic failure by setting her sites on her targets and keeping very focused on her work.

I’m so proud of this accomplished young woman. She’s taught me plenty about goal setting and achievement. I’m looking forward to this stage in her life and academic career.

And I very much look forward to having her back in the same time zone!

My daughters

My younger daughter, Carla, graduated from Duke University this spring with a Master of Environmental Management degree (MEM). Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment offers excellent programs with many sub-specialties to satisfy a variety of interests.

Earlier in the semester she applied to several companies for jobs and all of them made offers. She chose the company she liked best, which happens to be about a million miles away. Well, that’s a mother’s perception. She’s on her way to California, near San Francisco, to start her new job at the end of this month. She’ll be a consultant doing “risk assessment” studies.

Although I’d certainly be more comfortable with her in same time zone as me, I’m extremely proud of her accomplishments, determination, independence, and idealism.

My older daughter, Rachel, lives and works in Manhattan. She’s a professional information specialist for a web design and marketing company in midtown, and likewise, one to make her mother proud!

At the end of last week, the two met up in Washington, D.C, about halfway between New York City and Durham, NC, and from there started the cross-country drive together. They should arrive in San Francisco tomorrow, Wednesday, when they can start house hunting before Rachel returns home.

I’m thrilled the two of them have this opportunity to share each other’s company, even if it is in the cramped quarters of a Subaru hatchback with two cats and boxes of household goods. They are very close, despite more than twelve years difference in age.

They’ve called regularly to report their progress. Last night they were in Salt Lake City, this afternoon they were driving though Nevada. They’ll finish the last leg of their journey in the morning after a stop in Reno for the night.

I can’t say enough how proud I am of these wonderful young women. They are the joy of my life! They’ve grown into their independent spirits, are responsible and headstrong, and lead very interesting lives. They have been of particular comfort to me in the weeks since my diagnosis. And it warms my heart to see how devoted they are to each other.