International Women's Day

Here's how I spent yesterday (March 8), International Women's Day.

Woke up around 6:00am with my daughter and husband. Together we got our 14 month old changed, fed, dressed and ready for the day. Before leaving the house, I nursed my daughter, then we all headed out (Scott to take her to daycare, and me to head into work).

I got into work by 7:40. I had a surprisingly productive day - getting some preliminary results on a project about testis-specific genes in worms and flies (yay!), finalizing some projects for GWIS (Graduate Women in Science), and helping a labmate decipher a dataset that I'm familiar with.

I left at 4pm to pick up my little girl from daycare. I met a mom new to our daycare: her daughter is two months older than mine and gave my baby big kisses before we left! Baby girl and I made rice pudding and played until Scott came home. We all ate leftover lasagna and broccoli for dinner.

Then, bathtime, pajamas, five books, and an unusual struggle to get baby girl to bed after Scott went back into work for some late night adjustments. I had an hour and a half of quiet time - catching up on emails, facebook, blog reading, stretching and abs, then went to bed.

Standard day. But, pretty incredible when I consider the plight of women around the world.

I have one child to care for. I love my husband. I have a safe, dry, clean (mostly) home. I can openly disagree with my husband. I have a job outside the home because I choose to. I can vote (and it counts as much as my husband's vote). I don't struggle to find food. I don't worry or expect that my children or myself will be raped or abused. I am not forced to censor my body or my language. I have choices about whether, and when, I will reproduce, which allow me to pursue a career and interests beyond child-rearing. Further, these choices allow me to space my children so as to not strain my emotional, financial, and physical capacities.

I am very lucky to live when, and where I do. But there is a lot of work to be done, both in the US, and around the world.