this was one of my favorite books growing up.

when i was little, my mom got me a series of books. they were stories of some of the recognized people in history and they all had a theme or moral. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Johnny Appleseed, Helen Keller... they were all great. i loved them. a lot.
but my favorite, by far, was the story of Louis Pasteur. i remember the pictures -- platelets dressed as soldiers, the little boy bitten by the rabid dog -- and i remember being SO scared that he might not be able to find the cure to save the little boy.
but he believed in himself! and of course, it all worked out.
i should've known then that i would end up in medical school...
and when i think about it, i know i believed in myself -- i still do. but my mom believed in me too. always. and i love her for that -- with all my heart. <3