Happy anniversary, Mary

When we met, I had transitioned from living as my assigned sex (male) to living as female. I had to come out to Mary as not only transgendered, but also pre-op.

We worked through my tendency to cry, and with her bouts of anger; through my introversion and her extroversion.

We dealt with my being sexual harrassed at work, and with her abusive bosses.

We watched our daughters grow up: seeing her daughter often, and mine rarely.

We helped each other through my asthma attacks, chronic tonsilitis, reassignment surgery, and depression; and her sudden blindness in one eye, knee replacements, and breast cancer.

We went to funerals for our family members.

We bought a home together.

We supported each other as we finally got gollege degrees: I was in my 40's and she was in her 50's.

Now Mary is helping me have the courage to get through seminary, in hopes of my being ordained and being able to help people find community, and graduate school in social work, in hopes of being able to serve people who have been harmed by, and are intimidated by, professionals who are part of the majority.

We have been through a lot. I'm sure there are many more challenges ahead. And we will face them as a family, because that is what we are, no matter who denies it.

To those who say we are not a family: you are bearing false witness. To those who say our relationship is less than a heterosexual one: you are telling a lie.

Happy anniversary, Mary. And many more, sweetheart.