Wow, am I lucky!

I thought my family was crazy but these two, Evan at Mutant Babies (formerly of Atheist's Wager) and Female Science Professor have shown me they could be much worse.

Thank you Mom and Dad for raising us so that by the time we were out of our teens we, mostly, didn't resort to petty fighting. (Wish I could say you are still setting a good example but the whole thing with Pat is just silly on both sides.) And for raising us so that we would never suggest throwing a glass of cold water in a toddlers face to calm him down. I doubt there is a parent of a grown child out there who never wanted to do something similar to his child at some point but at least we wouldn't suggest anyone else do it and wouldn't actually do it. Particularly to a 1-yr old.

Thank you for teaching me that I could do and be anything I wanted. I never doubted that I could be a geologist. I'll also take the liberty of thanking you on behalf of my sister-in-laws (present and former) for teaching my brothers how to wash clothes, do dishes, pick up after themselves, and cook. They may not be primarily responsible for these household chores but they do know how to and can help out.

FSP's family is so different than mine. I'm a little amazed she is a science professor coming from a family with such rigid gender roles. What her family must think of her and her husband's life?!? I sometimes forget how wonderful my family is. When we get together, everybody is in and out of the kitchen, fixing food, cleaning up, playing with little ones,...no


I don't know how deeply entrenched the gender roles in FSP's family or if she was encouraged by her family much in school but I'd like to tell you about my family. I had a shirt when I was little that said "Girls can do anything" and they made sure I knew it.

Mom's father, Paw Paw, had a hard time with Granny working (A man-of-his-position's wife volunteers and plays bridge, she does not work.) but he always supported my mom. When she went to college, she assumed she'd be a teacher (the other option was nurse, and WOW do you not want my mother to be your nurse). Even though she was married and had kids her parent's encouraged her in her education. When she realized school teacher was not her calling and went to graduate school, Paw Paw couldn't have been prouder, I'm sure. I know he was proud when she got the appointment at UAB. When she and her first husband separated and then divorced, he always supported her. (Of course he also thought Mom had hung the moon.) He never took me to see the trains. He took Pat, even though he'd been retired for several years. But I was a girl and why would I want to go see his trains? Still, he believed I could be anything. (Paw Paw thought the sun rose and set in my eyes, which is OK since I thought same about him. Hell, he thought that about all of four of his grandkids, his daughter, and wife.)

I don't know where my dad learned to be such a good man (Grandpa died when I was 3) but he is. He treats me like I'm still 12, but he's pretty good. He was even a stay at home Dad for awhile. As soon as I discovered geology he was all for it. If I'd wanted to study slugs, he'd have been right there, too. My brothers and sister, of course, have always encouraged me and are proud of me, their sister the scientist.

I don't know where I'd be without them.