3,331 Days Later

It's been 3,331 days since my husband and I united in vows of love and commitment among our closest family and friends in Austin, Texas.  That was a perfect day on May 13, 2006 and today is another perfect day, June 26, 2015 - the day the Supreme Court of the United States of America strikes down bans on same-sex marriage.

I love the U.S.A.  More post will follow on this blog, but for now I want to exhale and enjoy this moment.

Justice Kennedy said it nicely:


"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right."

Father's Day Is One Year Away?

Sunday was Father's Day, and all day I kept thinking: I really hope next year we're celebrating this day as two fathers.  After spending 34 Father's Day as a son and grandson honoring my dad and grandfathers, next year we might be able to celebrate our own fatherhood unfolding.  I hope.

Movie Nights

From the comfort of our couch, my husband and I watched Reese Witherspoon in Wild this weekend, and I really enjoyed this intelligent film.  I actually might want to watch it again and I rarely watch movies more than once.  Go see this film.  It's not all fun.  Reese is unlikeable in parts of this film, which is necessary since Wild is a story about gaining the courage to heal yourself, to find yourself, and to improve yourself.  It's never too late to turn your life around.

On Saturday we went to yoga, dinner, and the movies with our friend "Nini;" his girlfriend is in Europe with work so Nini had time to chill with us.

We watched Jurassic World in IMAX 3D.  It was a big fun summer film.  A few of the plot lines were a bit over the top, but the film held our attention and entertained us the entire time.  Since I almost cried when the apatosaurus died while Chris Pratt comforted the dinosaur through it's last moments of life, I think the film had more heart than a normal big fun summer film.  I liked that the female lead was strong and powerful and courageous and she could run in high heels.  I did not like that many times Jurassic World felt like a commercial for Mercedes-Benz (Hello, product placement galore).

Boobies

Conversation that occurred last week:

Paxten: "Pat-Pat, why do you have a picture that shows his boobies?"

Me: "It's art.  It shows his chest because he's at the beach."

Paxten: "But it shows his boobies. Why?"

Paxten cracks me up...

I love you, thank you

We spent a lovely weekend hanging out at the lake with our surrogate and her husband and children.  It's fun getting to know her and her family before she carries our baby.  Our surrogate gave us these hilarious hand towels, which are now hanging out in our master bathroom, because she remembered the story we told in our profile:  Within the first week of meeting, my husband told me (for the first of an infinite number of times!) that he loved me. I replied with “thank you” – a moment that my husband still brings up. (Do you remember the time I told you ‘I love you’ and you said “thank you”?)

Our current timeline has our embryo transfers scheduled for the end of July, which means after six months it's all about to start happening! 

Gone Girls

Now that our two nieces are back home with my brother and his wife, the energy in the house has changed.  I miss my girls and the wonderful chaos they bring into the world!  Being 7 and 5 is spectacular.

Koi

Via my Instagram.  Why not follow me?

Yes I Can

I picked up the girls on Saturday, and six days into this timeline I'm finally getting the hang of taking care of my nieces full time.  Earlier in the week I couldn't figure out why anyone intentionally reproduces.  It's hard keeping my intelligent wildlings safe, stimulated, in sunscreen, and nutritiously fed three meals a day plus snacks.

We have routine now.  I figured out how to police their interactions.  They have me figured out too; they know when they have to listen to me versus negotiate with me.

Six days into this timeline, and I don't want my girls to go!  I guess my brother and his wife will want them back?  I'm really looking forward to having children of our own.  I can do this.  I'm ready.  The girls are ready too.  Paxten, the 5 year old, told me that she thinks all babies are cute even the boy ones.

Bedtime Stall

If I could get my nieces in bed thirty minutes before bedtime, then I'd read them books and or tell them "stories from my head," as requested.  However, my little nieces who more likely than not have a higher IQ's than me enjoy stretching out bedtime with sweet little requests for more interactions.
 
"Tell us stories Pat-Pat, tell us stories!"

It's a trap.  It's an emotional trap.

I don't support being used to delay sleep.

I kiss my girls.  I tell them how lucky they are to be traveling through this world with a sister, since I'm lucky to have traveled this world with my brother (their father); only a sibling sees the full arch of your life.  I usually throw in something negative about my brother at the end- like he's weak, he's not funny, and he cannot stand on his head (neither can I, but they don't know this; I hope they return home requesting head stands from my brother).  They do know my brother is their father, and they defend him ferociously against my jabs.

Finally, after they stop jibber jabbering on about how great their father is, I encourage them to tell each other stories.  I turn out the lights.  I walk downstairs and sit next to the baby monitor to listen at the 15 to 20 minutes of songs, stories, and shenanigans my nieces are creating.  I love it.

The girls love each other and they love to annoy each other; however, at the end of the day when they are alone upstairs in twin beds next to each other they seem to only love each other.  It's peaceful.

Niece Week

I took off work.  I have one job this week: to keep my 7 and 5 year old nieces alive until their parents return from Ireland.  I am loving time with these two intelligent, humorous, energetic little ladies, but it's also stretching me!  I'm learning to be more patient and calm in the chaos they create.  They are imaginative children.  I'm used to managing large teams of consultants, which is nothing like taking care of my Presley and Paxten.

A few tidbits:

• Presley fell off the monkey bars and got the wind knocked out of her.  It was the most horrific few minutes as she gasp for air.  Horrific.  My husband is a perennial champion in tough situations.  He talked her through the process and encouraged her to relax as much as possible, and then he carried her home.  She's fine today.  
• As soon as we sat down to eat at Rudy's BBQ, Paxten threw up all over herself.  Luckily my husband was with me, I scooped her up and took her to the restroom while my husband cleaned up the table and retrieved extra clothes from the car.   I don't know what I would have done if I had been on my own, which I am right  now. 
• Presley read me four books last night, which was magical.
• Paxten likes to talk through her day, which is also magical.
• You can see the bond of sisterhood between my two nieces, even though they like to annoy each other too.  They are going to be friends for life!

Name Your Price

I'm working with a team that is very sports focused, SPORTS!, and as a result I've picked up a lot of knowledge about Sepp Blatter and the corrupt FIFA organization.

Two thoughts:

First, FIFA's only power comes from owning the World Cup.  It's not like the FIFA professionals are kicking soccer balls and making goals, right? They have over a billion dollars in cash because they can organize a sports event every four years?  Why not just create another tournament hosted by non corrupt individuals?  What really gets me hot is when a group of elite paper pushers (with no real unique talent) have a disproportionate amount of power and influence and use their power to enrich themselves.  The soccer players should have more power and cash since they are the ones on the field.  

Second, I consider myself an honorable individual, and I despise Russia's Vladimir Putin (he's illegally occupying Georgia); however a painting, believed to be a Picasso, was allegedly gifted to Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president and FIFA executive member Michel Platini in return for his support for the eventually successful Russian bid for the 2018 global showpiece.  While I consider myself an honorable individual and I hate Putin I would do whatever Putin wanted if he gave me a Picasso!  A Picasso!!!  Why hasn't anyone ever tried to bribe me with a Picasso?  I want a Picasso.  A PICASSO!!

Over Eleven Years Ago

On Saturday my husband and I went to get our hair did at Floyd's 99 Barbershop; I get the balding man special: my head is shaved all over with a 1.5, and my eyebrows (where the thickest hair on my head is located) are trimmed.

While I was sitting in the chair the young gay guy shearing my head asked why I was sunburned, and I told him we had been at my husband's parents' house cleaning up flood mess in their yard.  He then asked how long my husband and I had been together, and I informed him our first date was over 11 years ago.

The gay guy cutting my hair was stunned.  ELEVEN YEARS!  He congratulated us.

I don't think the young gay community is aware of the many gay couples in long term relationships.  We exist, but you'll find us at the at home, at the grocery store,  at the yoga studio, or at the barbershop.  We don't travel in the party circuit.