The new sign in our yard:

We’re the second family to have put it up on our street and it makes me happy to know that there is a lot of awesome going on along Butler. In case you haven’t heard, the amendment it refers to is Amendment One which will be showing up on the ballots in May to write discrimination, hate and bigotry into our state’s constitution. It says that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”  Many people automatically think of same-sex couples when they hear that definition and they’re definitely included. However, it’s already illegal in NC for same-sex couples to get married so why would they put this on the ballot? I’m glad you asked.

In addition to same-sex marriages, the Amendment would  prohibit civil unions, domestic partnership rights, and would strip domestic partner insurance benefits currently offered to employees by a number of local governments, meaning they could ban rights for unmarried couples—both same and opposite-gender. This would invalidate domestic violence protections for all unmarried partners; undercut existing child custody and visitation rights that are designed to protect the best interests of children; prevent the state from giving committed couples rights to allow them to order their relationships, including threatening their ability to determine the disposition of their deceased partner’s remains; to make medical decisions if their partner is incapacitated; and to allow second-parent adoptions in order to ensure that both partners have a legal tie to, and financial responsibilities for, the children they are raising; and invalidate trusts, wills, and end-of-life directives by one partner in favor of the other.

All of this and more is why we’re another family against the amendment!

For more information and to participate in a fun project, please visit http://voteagainst.org/

It’s that time of year again! 2011 is slowly coming to a close. Christmas (for those who celebrate) is this weekend and Hanukkah (for those who celebrate) has just begun. And Kwanzaa (again, for those who celebrate) is next week. Then there’s my personal favorite, the winter solstice! The new year is right around the corner and we’re all probably thinking about our New Year’s Resolution. Okay, maybe not all of us, but I’ve been thinking about mine. Like most people, every year I make a resolution about some big life change that I’m adamant about, like saving money or eating better, and I swear that I’m going to stick to it come hell or high water and then by January 14, it’s already forgotten. But this year, I’ve come up with something pretty good. And it’s so good that I’m actually really excited about it and have plans to start it early.

Today is Thanksgiving, which is my second favorite holiday ever  (my first favorite is Halloween). I love the emphasis on family and good, two things I love dearly! So I have a lot to be thankful for today. I’m thankful that we were able to successfully host our first Thanksgiving meal and that we get to spend this day with my parents, with Nick’s mom, Laura, who is equally as awesome as my parents, and with our little doggies. It was a really great day.

Our First Thanksgiving Spread

As I was making breakfast one morning, this is what I saw out of my kitchen window. It’s Nick and Mia, playing around outside. And it’s one of my favorite things about my life 🙂