#55 - Yuk! It's an Amoeba Infestation

My oldest daughter Heather loves our acreage in the country. Every time we thought of selling it, she begged me to keep it. I'm so glad we listened to her. She grew up going out there and running through the forest, swimming in the lake, playing in the creek, camping out with her friends...she spent years putting her footprints all over the land.

This daughter of mine is one of those kids who always went strong from sun-up to sun-down. I had to work extra hard to keep her busy and occupied and out of trouble. Kids who have a high level of intelligence can be a challenge and this kiddo was often too smart for her own britches.

The tall one is Heather, taking care of the
flag at a football game with her dance team.
Such a proud moment.

Today, she is an Andrology Lab Technician (title may need to be tweaked) and we are so proud that she graduated with her Biology degree from Texas A&M at only 22 years of age because this gives her a tremendous jump start in her young life.

Heather at a social function with one of her
Texas A&M Professors invited to attend. Actually, this is
her "Ring Dunk." I don't even want to explain...
I'll save it for later.

I'd like to think that our land in The Big Thicket played an integral part in her pursuit of biology studies. Being surrounded by nature so frequently did help, I am convinced of this fact. She loved to look at everything through the microscope. Yes, we were those parents who purchased a microscope and we took it with us on our camping trips. Eventually, the microscope ended up in the RV that we kept for a few years on our land. One time, our daughter looked under the microscope at a couple of drops of water from the lake on our land and after watching a few wiggly things moving about, she yells, "Gross! Amoebas!"

At that time, she decided to "...never swim in the lake again."

About two hours later, she was swimming in the lake and at one with the Amoebas. I guess she figured the old adage to be true...if you can't beat them, might as well join them.

Heather, as a young teenager on our land, with the
lake in the background; the lake full of Amoebas.

Since graduation, Heather has struggled with the idea of returning to school to purse a medical degree. After all, that grand effort takes money, dedication, time and tremendous determination. Being a young doctor is something she always wanted and I can see her as a female version of Dr. House. She is inquisitive, bossy and determined...she would make an excellent physician. I'd recommend her.

An exciting summer of shadowing a prestigious brain surgeon
in Houston's renowned Medical Center.
A beautiful opportunity where she discovered that
she absolutely LOVED being in a surgical room.

Anyway, I have a feeling that she will jump up one day and find herself painfully itching to be in classes so she can work toward being a Doctor. Why do I think this? Well, it goes back to the day when she looked under the microscope at all of those amoebas from the lake water and she thought her life would be just fine without swimming in that fresh, cool water. However, her innate desire won out and shortly after her declaration to forever avoid lake water, she's happily splashing and laughing in the amoeba-infested waters. That's how I see her approach with medical school...she's taking her "two hour" break as she thinks of all the yukiness that goes hand-in-hand with the decision to pursue medical school. But, at the end of her two hour break, she'll be jumping in and so happy that her fears have not held her back.

Those amoebas have NOTHING on that gal!

Heather, in Junior High, ready for school.
Always a great student.

I think she's learned that life is full of Amoeba Moments and the best way to handle them is to embrace their truths and to not let it stop you from taking the plunge.

Heather is one determined gal. Probably much more determined than some people realize, but I've witnessed a life-time of that dogged mindset. I know she doesn't like to sit still for too long. Movement in knowledge has been her delight. She loves learning, especially if it involves science.

Heather catching fish. She was the one in the family
who always caught the "weird" things.
This shot has a normal fish!

If she is not allowed to pursue her love of science, she gets frustrated and irritated and feels stale. This is why it is so wonderful that she is working in a lab and putting some of her skills and education to use. She calls me and talks with me about scientific things and I am always so excited. Her joy is contagious. If you don't like talking science with that girl, then move aside because it is her passion. Heather has lived a life embracing science and she always pictured herself being that adult with the white coat. I can see it too.

Who would've thought that her parents
would be raising chickens after she grew up?

The wonderful thing is she is getting to spend her days in a laboratory of a fertility clinic, using her biology education to help others in need. She makes a difference. Then again, in my life, she's always made such a beautiful difference.