Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 25, 2009 10:53AM

  "Christmas, my child, is love in action."
      ~ Dale Evans

As children across the country and around the world open presents this morning and experience the magic of Christmas, there's one little boy in particular I'm thinking about.

His name is Jansen.  He's two years old.  He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his loving parents David and Chad, close friends of my aunt.

Chad, who grew up in the south, remembers coming out to his mom.  She wrote him painful letters, saying she had convinced herself he would die of AIDS and burn in hell.  Chad loved kids and wanted to be a dad, but felt his only option was to pretend to be straight and get married.

David, who grew up with a father who frequently canceled visitation visits, wanted to be the kind of dad he wanted himself.  But like Chad, that only seemed an option if he lived a lie.

They met over a decade ago, and after a few years, decided they wanted kids.  Four years later, after three surrogates, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and a heartbreaking death of premature twins, David and Chad experienced a miracle.

It was an 8-pound, 2-ounce miracle born at Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Jansen turned 2 in October.  Though David and Chad don't know which of them is his biological father, they swear he looks like both of them, and my aunt agrees.

I'm sure Jansen has been absolutely spoiled by Santa and his extended family today.  They adore him beyond belief.  Both David and Chad have become the fathers they wanted -- and wanted to be.  They've become the role models they so desperately needed when they were coming out: two dads with a normal, happy, loving family.

This Christmas, remember: every conversation you have, every action you take, every single thing you do for equality continues to make this world a more loving and accepting place for families like Jansen's. A conversation can change a mind, a heart, and a vote.  And changed minds, open hearts, and votes for equality will change this country. 

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."
~ Oren Arnold

Have a warm, safe, and very merry Christmas!

Love. Pride. Equality.

Blake

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