Dooley and Trigger

Trigger and Dooley wish you a happy new year.  (Aren't they beautiful!)

Not An Alternative Lifestyle.

I don't promote this blog to my friends, but as the years roll by more of them are aware of its existence.  One of our friends, Zach, discovered this blog recently and in our discussion he asked why I maintain this blog?  It doesn't earn money.  It's not self promoting- I've never used our names and faces.  He was curious why I'd be so committed to a blog.  It's simple. 

I want to prove that my relationship with my husband is equal to (not less than) any other married couple.  If you don't know a gay couple, then you can easily get caught up in the stereotypes.  I'm trying (in my own little way) to show that there is nothing mysterious about a husband and husband relationship.  It's normal.

After our conversation Zach told me that he understood.  He said I was trying to prove that a gay relationship is NOT an alternative lifestyle.  It's just like any other heterosexual relationship.

That is exactly what I'm trying to do.

$10,266.16

My husband just wrote a check to the Dallas County tax office for $10,266.16, which represents the 2011 property taxes assessed for our house.  With those taxes I fell like we should be living in a house like the above photo- a mansion- but we live in our single-story, three bedroom, two and half bathroom house.

Like I post every year on this blog, my husband and I pay property taxes, we pay income taxes, we pay sales taxes to our local, state, and federal taxing authority.  We happily pay taxes, because the U.S.A. is the greatest nation in the world.  We pay equal taxes, but we don't have equal rights.  It's ridiculous.

I want the freedom to marry the person I love, anything less than marriage equality is unacceptable.

Thatagirl! Seize the Moment.

My husband's sister is the mother of our nephew, Owen, and she is also a senior certified Baron Baptiste yoga teacher.   She and her husband celebrated the new year at a party with friends, and I guess they got a little rowdy because one of her friends had the bartender clear the bar so my husband's sister could demonstrate her hand stand for the crowd.

It's a respectable achievement to be able to do a hand-stand beyond the high school years, right?  It's phenomenal to be a thirty-something mother/wife and willing to seize the moment when it's offered to demonstrate the hand stand on top of a bar at a party.  I admire her courage to just go for it.  Bravo.

I need a little more of that just-go-for-it in my life. 

The Dawn of 2012

Since we were asleep before midnight, we rang in the new year at breakfast this morning with Presley and Paxten.  Happy New Year!  Presley sang "happy birthday" to "time" at breakfast.  (And then she sang "happy birthday" to the television.) It was a superb start to what I know will be an incredible year.  Goodbye 2011.  Hello 2012. 

The best days are always ahead of you, right?

Just like our friend Del said, "Onward and forward..."

Final Hours of 2011

We spent the final hours of 2011 with two incredible individuals our nieces, Presley (almost 4 years old) and Paxten (20 months).  We took them to the Dallas World Aquarium but I think they had more fun at the park next to White Rock Lake.  We also played with Cinderella toys, colored My Little Pony coloring books, cooked dinner, and read books after bath time.  We were all in bed asleep before midnight.  It was a great way to wrap up a year.

What Trinkets?

My husband said he wants me to stop buying "trinkets."    TRINKETS?!  I don't see any "trinkets" in these photos.  I see stone tea light holders, beautiful pillows, and semi-precious stone bookends.  I didn't buy any "trinkets" with my Christmas cash.