This week has brought thought of what it is we are going to do to celebrate our 15th year anniversary. It is hard to believe that we have been together for that long. It has been a great 15 years and also I know that my 15 years have been different than a couple that actually was able to marry. There have been no anniversary cards from the family or a special 1st year anniversary party etc…
We have had the support of our families pretty much from the beginning. There were times at the very beginning that I thought that I may never speak to my mother again, but things came around and I was able to come back to them slowly but surely. Even with this support I always knew that my relationship was not recognized and that it could be very scary if anything ever happened to either of us.
Fast forward 13 years… A child came into our family and all things changed. It wasn’t just about us anymore. We now have this wonderful son that requires every minute of our time, with no complaints. When he came into our lives he was 6 months old. At nine months we found out that his birth father wanted to contest the adoption. We adopted from VA and the laws in the great commonwealth of Virginia are very anti-gay and are very birth family friendly. For almost 2 years we traveled to VA seven times, each time hoping to God that we come home with our son and each time this was true. Even with the best lawyer in the world (which she was) I still had doubts. On September 12, 2009, all of the time limits and procedures had lapsed and we were able to file the papers for adoption in PA.
December 9, 2009 we gathered all of our families and drove to Greensburg and spoke to the Judge and he signed the papers. That little hearing was a piece of cake that was almost a laugh compared to the others that we went through over the past two years. That day was probably the best of the past 15.
With all of the things that are happening in this world I wish our elected leaders would take the time to hear a story like ours and see that we want nothing more than any other family.
