Slip 'n' slide

The world has certainly changed here in California. I have had two experiences with family members which have shown what a difference a court decision makes.

A few weeks ago, we were hanging out at my cousin's house. We had asked him to be in our wedding right after the court decision came down. We had also asked for his daughter to be a flower girl.

So we were chit chatting about nothing in particular and then he confessed to us - he was having a hard time with us getting married. The word was where he got stuck. But he told us that he had spent a lot of time thinking about this. He totally loves us, honors and respects the relationship. So he really was stuck until he realized that he had never had to deal with the discrimination we deal with all the time. He had never been told no, your relationship isn't valuable or respected. He had to get to our side of the bridge, "Walk a mile in our shoes" as he explained to have the light bubl go on and see that we weren't different. In fact our lives were much harder because of the prejudice we faced.

He also felt he needed to put all his cards on the table and tell us how he felt. So he was now very relieved, to be able to be joyously part of the wedding. Bring on the Hawaiian shirts, he was ready for the festivities!

Yesterday, I got to hang out with my cousin's two kids. I had asked for a kid loaner to spend time with kids on a summer day. Jo had bought a slip 'n' slide a few weeks ago so that we would have it for our wedding day for the kids to play on. My dad would never let us have one cus it would ruin the grass. Well $12 later, we are the proud owners of one.

Anyway, while we were out front trying to set up that thing, the kids starting asking questions:

• "Who proposed?"
• "How is the aisle going to be set up?"
• "Is it a priest marrying you?"
• "If it's not a priest, who is it?"
• "What will she say at the end, are you bride and bride?"
• "OH, partners for life, I like that."

By the end of the day, they had slid many times on the lawn, had hot dogs, 50/50 ice cream for the first time and had a new aquarium, a fish for each of them, and as Hazel said, one of the best days of her life.

Me too. The world has changed. It will never be the same.