Anglo-Saxon paganism was a polytheistic belief system, focused around a belief in deities known as the ése (singular ós). The most prominent of these deities was probably Woden; other prominent gods included Thunor and Tiw. Hope this helps ;)
Dorothy Vaughan had six children, so it was really hard to commit to them and science at the same time. But this reconciliation was, in her case, a philosophical matter of private and public interest. What she did as a scientist helped her children too, just like so many other children, and humanity in general. As a mother, she naturally missed her children and wanted to spend more time with them; but she had this other mission as well, which was even more important, in terms of humanity.