Trial Run: Advocacy, II

Yesterday at work I submitted a "proposal" for Genes Day. Since even my husband did an unconvincing "uh-huuhhhh, that's great!" when I told him*, March 21st was designated not too long ago as World Down Syndrome Day. A nod to the third 21st chromosome on 3/21. It has grown into a fundraising day - $5 to wear jeans, for those with extra genes.

* "Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"Not a clue"

Love that we've been married long enough to immediately call shenanigans

I think I've mentioned before there's not a lot of warm 'n fuzzy at the office. Which is perfectly fine with me - I keep to myself and try (not always successfully) to get my work done. Almost no one asks about either one of my kids and when they do I'll pull out a cheerful "They're great! So cute!" and move on. I'm not implying it's unfriendly, everyone is just busy and not that many people have kids - cookie jar antics make them glaze over.

So it was with a weird mix of giddiness (Lookit Me! Advocate Mom!) and embarrassment (NOT about my child, jeez, but in breaching the professional veil. I'm bringing the home into the office. Ohmygoodness, I have a family! And *gasp* Emotions!). I mean, yes, I pull some odd flextime hours, and take snow days when school's cancelled, and I have a gazillion photos at my desk, but this seemed different. Demanding people to, literally, LOOK-AT-ME!

[And, also, risking the commentary. Lord, I do loathe the gossip. Small price? Dunno.]

The forum is also nothing but awkward - This was all triggered by the Diversity Team's new suggestion ~~box~~ envelope in the lunch room. Formal company, casual platform, serious topic. I wouldn't recognize a grant proposal if I sat on one - what to do? I cobbled together a letter hovering between light, so as not to scare 'em off (my girl likes dogs! She doesn't like peaches!), educational (pulled some stats off various websites), threw in a little pathos, so they couldn't ignore (heart surgery! future bullying!)... and in ~~either~~ a brilliant marketing move, ~~or cheap sensitization~~, left a wide right margin in which I added some of my best shots of Little Miss. Because she's stinking adorable. How could they turn down this little girl?

Will just have to wait and see what they do. Ack!

Also, in scrolling through this site, looking for said adorable pix, I realized I have completely hijacked my kids' stage. The Photos For Gigi plan? Abandoned. And the few photos that have been posted trend high towards PJs. Many apologies to my core audience. So, to rectify, here is my girl. Hair combed and dressed. It's a miracle!