We Now Return to Your Regularly Scheduled America, Already in Progress

Well we did it again. This great country once again turned over the highest office in the world peacefully. What great pagentry. And talk about emotion! I took the day off so I could watch the fulfillment of my dream for America over the last two years finally come to fruition...President Barack Obama. Has a nice ring to it huh? I have to say I did feel a little sorry for the Chimp; 2 million people chanting "Hey hey hey good bye!" But that's his fault, he created it. I have such hope for 2009. Barack Obama is President of the United States. The Arizona Cardinals may win the Super Bowl. And I'm sure Gregg and I will become parents. Fantastic! Here's a picture I took myself when I went to see the future president in February of 2008 when he came to Phoenix.

The Happy Post I Promised Like 20 Minutes Ago

That didn't take long. Here is the cheer up post I just talked about. Enjoy!

Election Day, 2008, Night

Prop. 8 in California has now stripped away the rights of some of the Americans who live there and voided their marriages tonight. Two couples I know, one of them our adoption counselor, have had their marriages voided by people that don't even know them. Prop. 102 in Arizona has enshrined discrimination into the state constitution and banned equal marriage. These are sad things for LGBT families. But as horrible as those things are, I'll think about them tomorrow. Tonight, I'll savor in the victory America has achieved in Barack Obama. I've followed him for the last four years. The book mark in my browser says "Obama Exploratory Committee" not Obama for President because I've supported him that long. In him, I see hope for our country, our world, and our planet. This is a better country now that he is our duly elected leader. I have no fears of bringing up a child under an Obama administration. Yes, I'll be sad, and motivated, in thinking about the discrimination and setback we've been handed tonight by these anti gay props. But there is hope. All I can say are the three words I've been saying since that historic day that Barack announced his candidacy in February, 2007: Yes We Can.

Election Day, 2008, Morning

Today is a day steeped in history. You can feel it in the air this morning. It's not like any other election day I can remember. Lately, any day we've had that has gone down as a profound day in the history of America has been tragically unbearable. The first bombing of the Trade Center. The USS Cole attacks. The absolute worst day I've ever seen in my life, a day I will never forget, September 11th 2001. The beginning of a war that never should have been fought. The financial meltdown of 2008. But not this one. This is the most exciting day for America in a long time. A day 400 years in the making. This could be the day America finally washes it's soul of our country's original sin of inequality. If Barack Obama wins, nothing will ever be the same again. The conversation of race will still be here, but will be changed forever. Our future will change with it. The end of the so called Republican "Southern Strategy". The end of Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton/Strom Thurmond/George Wallace politics, forever. Vindication for one of my personal hero's, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Will other barriers begin to fall as well? The ultimate equality for women? Beginnings of full acceptance, legal and otherwise, for gays and lesbians? The healing of a country and bonding of it's people finally, as one nation, helping each other? I don't know. I do know that I am so proud of my country today, and I will be able to tell a baby with "those two daddies" that yes, little one, someday you too can grow up to be whatever you want. Even President of the United States.

Boo!

Relax; no this isn't a John McCain rally or the "Yes on 102 Ban Those Uppity Gays From Getting Married in AZ" headquarters. It's just our front yard, decked out for Halloween. It'll be fun to have little Finster help on this kind of stuff his two future Daddies love doing it. Maybe I'll carve a pumpkin later before the trick or treaters arrive. I think it will look something like this...

A Couple Of Quick Hits...

I've been such a lazy blogger lately...
Here's a few thoughts not quite long enough to warrant their own posts...

• The Cards...Thanks for all the input! I'm glad you liked 'em. That was my most commented post so far. Mostly cause of Rik's stirring the pot...but hey he's going to opening night for our Phoenix Coyotes with us this Saturday so I'll cut him some slack! (Go 'Yotes!)


• The Cards? Well so much for sending them to Planned Parenthood...word is they either send them all back or just dump them. They don't want to be seen as promoting one couple over another so instead just recommend agencies. Hmmm, OK...


• The Cards! I'm sending a batch to my friend Jason in southern California. He's a social worker for the state, and may have some opportunity to get them into a birthmother's hands.


• Birth Mother Letter I know what you're thinking...Blogga Please! You've been saying you're going to get that done forever. I know, I know. I'm lazy about graphical stuff. We have the text, we have most of the pics, I'm just going to do it and send it in. I found someone at work that is good with that stuff and he's going to help me.


• Bureaucracy Ugh so exasperating! When did I post that our home study was done? First week of September. You think the local AZ agency sent it over to the IAC in California? NO. We called and they said they needed a release in writing. Hello, the IAC recommended them. They knew what we hired them for. Ugh. Hopefully they'll send it out this week.


• Oh Bama! Get this election over with!! I've been addicted to politics forever, and now I'm up to about four hours of news a night after work. Let's just get this thing over and get Barack into the White House. I think Gregg's happy cause it means he gets some alone time, but I'm sure he's tired of hearing me drone on about health plans, flag pins, and bailouts. I'm headed to Central Phoenix Saturday morning for an Obama rally maybe that will get it out of my system so I can enjoy the hockey game that night. Hell, if I hang around the rink long enough eventually I'll be qualified to become Vice President myself...

GO COYOTES! Hoooooowwwwwwlllllll....

Adopt-o-bama

Note to self: This is not a political site, this is not a political site, this is not a political site...

Or is it? I guess the test would be to throw out the main subject of this blog to the political winds and see if anyone cared:

A journey of two men (and two Labrador retrievers) in their quest to make their family whole by adopting a baby.

Hmm. Yes, I think we might get some blow back on that one from a certain political faction. I had mentioned a few posts back John McCain's views on homo adoption. He's against it. In the spirit of fairness, what are Senator Barack Obama's thoughts on allowing gay couples to adopt?

We have to do more to support and strengthen LGBT families. Because equality in relationship, family, and adoption rights is not some abstract principle; it's about whether millions of LGBT Americans can finally live lives marked by dignity and freedom. That’s why we have to repeal laws like the Defense of Marriage Act. That’s why we have to eliminate discrimination against LGBT families. And that’s why we have to extend equal treatment in our family and adoption laws.

I’ll be a president that stands up for American families – all of them.

Once again, this is (of course) not a political blog. But there comes a time when you have to ask yourself, who is looking out for my family? Who really stands for family values? Who knows that there are real people, real kids, real families that are impacted by these political decisions? It's great to have beliefs one way or another. But you are affecting real lives. I think we know the answers to these questions.